Shuddhi

Purification or cleansing. A central concept in Haṭha Yoga, where purification of body and energy channels is a prerequisite for progress.

Shuddhi operates on multiple levels: physical (through shatkarmas and asana), energetic (through pranayama and nadi shodhana), and mental (through pratyahara and dharana).

Classical texts insist that without adequate shuddhi, advanced practices are ineffective or even dangerous. Purification is not a preliminary step but a continuous process.