# Hatha Yoga/Chapter 13

CHAPTER XIII
THE ASHES OF THE SYSTEM
This will not be a pleasant chapter to those of you who are still bound with the old notions of the impurity of the body, or any part of it—if there chance to be such among our students. Those of you who prefer to ignore the existence of certain important functions of the physical body, and feel a sense of shame at the thought that certain physical functions are a part of their everyday lives, will not relish this chapter, and may even regard it as a blot upon the book—a thing which we should have omitted—something which we should have ignored. To such we would say that we can see no use (and much harm) in following the policy of the ostrich in the old tale, who, dreading his hunters, would stick his head in the sand, and, shutting the hated things from sight, would ignore their existence until they overtook and captured him. We have such respect for the entire human body, and all its parts and functions, that we are unable to see anything impure or "un-nice" about it. And we can see nothing but folly in the policy which refuses to consider and discuss the functions referred to, or any others. The result of this conventional policy of dodging the unpleasant subjects, has been that many of the race are suffering from diseases and ill health brought about by this folly. To many who read this chapter, what we say ​will come as a new revelation—others who are already acquainted with that of which we speak, will welcome the voicing of the truth in this book, knowing that many will be benefited by having their attention called to it. We purpose giving you a plain talk about the ashes of the system—the cast off waste of the body.
That such a talk is needed, is evidenced by the fact that at least three-quarters of the modern people are sufferers from a greater or lesser degree of constipation and its baneful results. This is all contrary to nature, and the cause is so easily removed that one can scarcely imagine why this state of affairs is allowed to continue. There can be but one answer—ignorance of the cause and cure. If we are able to aid in the work of removing this curse of the race, and in thus restoring normal conditions by bringing people back to nature, we will not mind the disgusted expression upon the faces of some who glance at this chapter and turn to some more pleasant subject—these very people being the ones who need this advice the most of any of our readers.
Those who have read the chapter in this book upon the Digestive Organs, will remember that we left the subject at the stage where the food was in the small intestines, being absorbed and taken up by the system. Our next point is to consider what becomes of the waste products of the food after the system has taken up all the nourishment it can from it—the material which it cannot use.
Right here it will be as well to state that those who follow the Yogi plan of eating their food, as given in other chapters, will have a much less amount of this ​waste matter than the average man or woman who allows his or her food to reach the stomach only partially prepared for digestion and assimilation. The average person wastes at least half of what he eats—the waste matter of those who follow the Yogi practice being comparatively small and much less offensive than that of the average person.
In order to understand our subject, we must take a look at the organs of the body having to do with it. The large intestine of the "Colon" (the large bowel) is the part of the body to be considered. The colon is a large canal nearly five feet in length, passing up from the lower right-hand side of the abdomen, then passing over to the upper left-hand side, then passing down again to the lower left-hand side, where it makes sort of a twist or curve, and grows smaller, terminating in the rectum or exit of the waste matter of the system.
The small intestine empties into the colon by means of a small trap-door arrangement, on the lower right-hand side of the abdomen, this trap-door is so arranged that it allows matter to pass out, but will not allow it to pass back. The Vermiform Appendix, the seat of appendicitis, is just below this entrance. The colon rises straight up on the right-hand side of the abdomen, then makes a curve and passes right over to the upper left-hand side; then descends straight to the lower left-hand side, where the peculiar twist or curve called the Sigmoid Flexure occurs, following which is the rectum or smaller canal leading to the anus, which is the opening in the body through which the waste matter passes out of the body.
​The colon is a great big sewer through which should pass freely the sewerage of the system. Nature intends this sewage to be removed speedily, and man in his natural state, like the animals, does not long delay this necessary casting off. But as he grows more civilized, he does not find it so convenient, and so he postpones nature's calls, until at last she gets tired of calling his attention to the matter, and goes off and attends to some of her other numerous duties. Man helps along this abnormal unnatural state of affairs by neglecting to partake of sufficient water, and not only does not give the colon sufficient fluids to properly moisten, soften and loosen the waste matter on its way from the system, but he even lets his body run so short of fluids that nature, in desperation, draws back through the walls of the colon some of the water already given it for its use—failing to get spring water for her work, she must needs use sewer water. Imagine the result! The failure of man to allow a free passage of this refuse matter from the colon results in constipation, which is the source of innumerable cases of ill-health the real nature of which is generally not suspected. Many people who have a movement of the bowels each day are really constipated, although they do not know it. The walls of the colon are encrusted with impacted waste matter, some of which has been there for many days, a small opening in the middle of the mass allowing what is absolutely necessary to pass through. Constipation means a state in which the colon is not perfectly clean and free of impacted faecal matter.
A colon filled, or partially filled, with old faecal ​matter is a source of poison to the whole system. The colon has walls which absorb the contents of the colon. Medical practice demonstrates that nourishment injected into the colon will be absorbed rapidly and carried to the blood. Drugs injected in the same way reach the other parts of the system. And as before stated, the fluid portion of the waste faecal matter is absorbed by the system, the sewage water being used in nature's work because of the shortage of purer fluids in the system. It is almost incredible how long old faecal matter will remain in a constipated colon. Cases are of record showing that when the colon is cleaned, among the masses of old faecal matter has been found cherry stones, etc., eaten several months before. Cathartics do not remove this old faecal matter, as they simply loosen up what is in the stomach and small intestines, and pass it off through the little opening in the hardened faecal matter with which the walls of a badly constipated colon is lined. In some persons the colon is impacted with hardened faeces, almost as solid as soft coal, to such an extent that their abdomens become swollen and hard. This old waste matter becomes sometimes so foul that it becomes the breeding place of worms, and even maggots, and the colon is filled with their eggs. The waste matter, or faeces, which is passed into the colon from the small intestine, is of a pasty substance, and if the bowels are clear and clean, and the movements natural, it should pass from the system in but a trifle more solid state, and of a light color. The longer faecal matter is retained in the colon, the harder and drier it becomes, and the darker in color. When ​sufficient fluids are not taken, and nature's calls are ignored until a more convenient time, and then forgotten, a drying up and hardening process ensues. When later the movement is had, only a portion of the faeces passes out, the balance remaining to clog up the colon. Next day a little more is added, and so on, until a case of chronic constipation is manifested, with all its attendant evils, such as dyspepsia, biliousness, liver troubles, kidney troubles—in fact, all diseases are encouraged, and many of them directly caused by this filthy condition of the colon. Half of the cases of female trouble are caused or aggravated by this condition.
The absorption by the blood of the faecal matter in the system, is occasioned in two ways, first, the desire and need of the body for fluids; second, a desperate effort of nature to throw off the waste matter by the skin, the kidneys and the lungs. Foul perspiration and foul breath are often caused by this effort of nature to get rid of what should have passed from the colon. Nature recognizes the great source of danger of allowing this foul mass to stay in the system, and so resorts to the desperate plan of throwing it off in other ways, even at the risk of half-poisoning the blood and body in so doing. The best proof of the number of physical ailments and disease caused by this unnatural state of the colon, is the fact that when the cause is once removed people begin to recover from many ailments apparently unconnected with the cause. In addition to the fact that diseases are caused and encouraged by this state of the colon, it is a fact that one is far more likely to contract contagious diseases, and diseases ​like typhoid fever, etc., by reason of a neglected colon furnishing a fine breeding place for the germs of these diseases. In fact a man who keeps his colon clean and healthy, is believed to run but very little risk of diseases of this kind. Just imagine what must be the result when we carry a sewer around inside of us—is it any wonder that diseases which are occasioned by filthy conditions outside thrive on like condition inside of the body? Use a little reason, friends.
Now that we have said enough to call your attention to the seat of many troubles (we could fill hundreds of pages with still stronger remarks on this subject) you are perhaps in a condition to ask: "Well, I believe that all this is true, and that it explains much that has been troubling me, but what must I do to get rid of that foul condition, and to regain and keep normal health in this respect?" Well, our answer is: "First get rid of the abnormal filthy accumulation, and then keep yourself sweet and clean and healthy, by following nature's laws. We will endeavor to show you how to do both of these things."
If the colon is but slightly filled with impacted faeces, one may get rid of it by increasing the fluids and by encouraging regular movements, and by treating the intelligence of the cells of the stomach (as hereinafter described). But, as over half of the people who are mentally asking us this question, have colons more or less filled with old, hardened, impacted, faecal matter, of an almost green color, which has been there for months, perhaps longer, we must give them a more radical remedy. As they ​have gone away from nature in contracting this trouble, we must aid nature somewhat in restoring lost conditions so that she may thereafter have a clean colon to work with. We will go to the animal kingdom for a suggestion. Many centuries ago the natives of India noticed that certain birds of the Ibis family—a long-billed bird—would return from journeys into the interior in a wretched condition, which was due either to their eating some berry which was very constipating, or else having been where there was no water to drink—possibly both. This bird would reach the rivers in an almost exhausted condition, scarcely able to fly from weakness. The bird would fill its bill and mouth with water from the river and then, inserting the bill into the rectum, would inject the water into the bowel, which would relieve it in a few moments. The bird would repeat this several times, until the bowel was completely emptied, and would then sit around and rest for a few minutes until its vitality was restored, when, after drinking freely from the river, it would fly away as strong and active as ever.
The chiefs and priests of the tribes noticing this occurrence, and its wonderful effect upon the birds, began to reason about the matter, and finally some one suggested that it might be tried to advantage upon some of the old men who, by reason of their non-activity and sedentary habits, had departed from nature's normal plan and had become constipated. So they managed to construct a primitive implement resembling a syringe from the reeds, with a sort of blow-pipe attachment, would inject warm river water into the bowels of the old men ​suffering from this complaint. The results were wonderful—the old men took on a new lease of life, took unto themselves young wives, and began to again enter into the active work of the tribe, and to resume their positions as heads of the tribe, much to the amazement of the younger men who had considered the veterans out of the contest. The old men of other tribes heard of the occurrence and began coming in, borne on the shoulders of the young men—they are said to have walked home unaided. From all the accounts handed down, these primitive injections must have been of a most heroic character, for they speak of the use of "gallons of water," and by the time the treatment was concluded the colon of the old tribesmen must have been thoroughly cleaned out, and in a condition which would give the system no more poisons. But we are not going to advocate such heroic treatment—we are not tribesmen, remember.
Yes, the abnormal condition calls for a temporary aid to nature in getting rid of this foul accumulation in the colon. And the best way to get rid of it once and for all is to follow the example of the Ibis and the old Hindu tribesmen with the aid of perfected twentieth century apparatus. All that is needed is an ordinary cheap rubber syringe. If you have a fountain syringe, so much the better, but a cheap bulb syringe will do the work. Take a pint of pretty warm water—as warm as the hand can bear with comfort. Inject the water into the bowel with the syringe. Then hold the water in the colon for a few minutes, and then let it pass from the system. The night time is the best for this practice. The next ​night take a quart of warm water and use it the same way. Then skip a night, and the second night after, try three pints; then skip two nights, and the third night after try two quarts. You will gradually get used to retaining this quantity of water in the colon, and the larger amount will pretty well clean out the old matter, the smaller injections washing away the looser fragments, and generally dislodging and breaking up the hardened mass. Do not be afraid of the two quarts. Your colon will hold much more, and some persons use gallon injections, but we consider this rather too much. Knead the abdomen before and after the injection, and practice the Yogi Complete Breath after you get through, in order to stimulate you and generally equalize the circulation.
The result of these injections will not appeal to the aesthetic tastes of people, but the question is to get rid of the filth once and for all. The contents of the colon brought away by these initial injections are often of a most offensive and unpleasant nature, but certainly it is much better to have this filth out of your system than in it—it is just as foul when in you as when it is expelled. We have known of cases in which great lumps of faecal matter, hard and green as corroded copper passed from people, and the stench arising from the vessel was such as to bring a most convincing proof of what harm had been wrought upon the system by its retention. No, this is not pleasant reading, but it is necessary in order to make you realize the importance of this internal cleaning. You will find that during the week in which you are cleansing the colon, you will have ​little or no natural movements of the bowels. Do not let this worry you, for it is caused by the water washing away that which ordinarily would have been evacuated in the stool. In a couple of days after the cleansing process is completed, you will begin to get down to natural and normal movements.
Now, right here, we wish to call your attention to the fact that we are not advocating the continuous use of the syringe—we do not consider it a natural habit, and fail to see its necessity, as we believe that natural habits persisted in will cause any one to regain the normal movement of the bowels, without the use of any outside help. We advocate the syringe only as a preliminary measure in order to clear away past accumulations. We see no harm, however, in the use of the syringe, say once a month, as a preventative of a recurrence of the old conditions. There are several schools of teachers in America who advocate the use of the syringe as a daily duty. We cannot agree with them, for our motto is, "Get back to nature," and we believe that nature does not call for the daily use of the syringe. The Yogis believe that plenty of pure, fresh water, and a regular habit of going to stool, and a little "talking up" to the bowels, will do all that is necessary to keep one free from constipation.
After you are through with the week of syringe treatment (and even before that), start the normal use of drinking water, as we have explained in our chapter on that subject. Get the two quarts of fluids inside of you each day, and you will find quite an improvement. Then start the habit of going to the stool at the same time each day, whether you feel ​an inclination or not. You will gradually establish the habit, and nature is fond of falling into habits. Then again, you may really need an evacuation and not be aware of it, for you have deadened your nerve calls by repeated refusals to heed them, and you will have to begin all over again. Don't neglect this—it is simple but effective.
You will find it advantageous to give yourself autosuggestions while sipping your cup full of water. Say to yourself, "I am drinking this water in order to supply my system with the fluids it needs. It will make my bowels move freely and regularly, as nature intended." Carry the idea in your mind of what you are trying to accomplish, and you will be apt to get your results quicker.
Now for an idea which may seem absurd to you, unless you understand the philosophy back of it. (We will tell you how to do it now, and talk about the philosophy in another chapter). This consists in "talking up" to the bowel. Give the abdomen (along the lines of the colon) several gentle slaps with the hand, and say to it (yes, talk to it): "Here, you Colon, I've given you a good cleaning out, and made you fresh and clean—I am giving you all the fluids you need to do your work properly—I am cultivating a regular habit in order to give you a chance to do your work—and now you've got to do it." Slap the region of the colon several times, saying, "And now you've got to do it." And you will find that the colon will do it. This seems like child's play to you, probably—you will understand the sense of it when you read the chapter on Involuntary Control. It is merely a simple way of accomplishing a scientific ​fact—a plain way of calling into play a mighty force.
Now, friends, if you have suffered from constipation—and who has not?—you will find the above advice valuable. It will bring back those rosy cheeks, and beautiful skin—it will banish that sallowness, that furred tongue, that foul breath, that troublesome liver, and all the rest of the family of symptoms arising from the clogged colon—that stopped up sewer which has been poisoning the body. Try this plan and you will begin to enjoy life, and to be a natural, clean, healthy being. And now in closing, fill up your glass with sparkling, clear, cool water, and join us in the toast, "Here's to health, and lots of it," and while you drink it down slowly, say to yourself, "This water is to bring me health and strength—it is Nature's own tonic."