The half-bath

One of the practices that helps us prepare better for meditation is the half-bath.

Its main benefits:

1. It greatly improves concentration.
2. It gives a feeling of purity of body and purity of mind.
3. It strengthens vitality and hardens the body.
4. It strengthens the digestive fire (this practice is good to do before meals).

This practice is based on the diving reflex. It is a protective reaction of the body that allows a person to stay under water longer. When the brain receives the signal that the diver's face is immersed in water, the heartbeat slows, and so the heart muscle's need for oxygen falls. The level of hemoglobin rises and the body becomes better able to store extra oxygen while breathing. Breathing slows down, and this helps concentration, which is very important in the practice of meditation.

How to do the half-bath

For this practice it is recommended to use cold water — the colder, the better.

1. We begin with the abdomen. Pour cold water over the navel, wet the area below the navel, and pour water over the lower back from behind. Then pour water over the genitals.

2. Next pour water over the arms from the elbows down and over the legs from the knees down. Wet the crown of the head.

3. Take cold water into your mouth and splash water into your open eyes at least 12 times. This triggers the diving reflex.

Precautions

• Lower the temperature of the water gradually, as with all hardening techniques.
• If you wear contact lenses, it is better to do this practice before you put your lenses in in the morning and after you take them out in the evening.

Assignment

Do the half-bath before meditation twice a day, before meals and before sleep. It may seem that this practice invigorates the body and that you will find it hard to fall asleep. Don't worry: washing calms the mind, and you will sleep like a baby.

We wish you a successful practice of the half-bath.