History

The practice known today as Shivambu, Amaroli, or urine therapy is not a modern invention. It appears across civilizations, continents, and millennia — from the tantric caves of ancient India to the medical texts of imperial Rome, from Chinese traditional medicine to the courts of medieval Europe. This is its story.

Ancient India: The Vedic and Tantric Origins

The earliest systematic documentation of urine therapy appears in the Indian subcontinent, where it was integrated into the broader framework of tantric and yogic practice. The tradition claims origins stretching back 5,000 years to the Vedic period, though scholarly consensus places the earliest datable texts somewhat later.

The Damar Tantra and Shivambu Kalpa Vidhi

The foundational text for Shivambu practice is the Damar Tantra, a Sanskrit work structured as a dialogue between Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati. Within this tantra lies the Shivambu Kalpa Vidhi — "the method of drinking urine for rejuvenation" — comprising 107 verses that detail every aspect of the practice.

The text covers:

• Proper vessels for collection (earthen, copper, glass, or bamboo)
• The technique of collecting midstream urine only
• Timing and direction (facing east, during the pre-dawn hours)
• Herbal preparations combining urine with specific plants
• External applications including massage with aged urine
• A detailed timeline of benefits from one month to twelve years
• Dietary restrictions and lifestyle guidelines

"Oh Parvati! Those who practice this method can enjoy the fruits of their meditation and penance. Shivambu is a divine nectar capable of abolishing old age and various types of diseases and ailments."
— Lord Shiva, Damar Tantra, Opening Verses

Traditional practitioners claim the Damar Tantra dates to "the Puranic age, some 5,000 years ago." While this dating lacks rigorous manuscript verification, the text's integration with established tantric philosophy and Ayurvedic principles suggests considerable antiquity. Scholar Gavin Flood places the earliest Tantra texts around 600 CE, though oral traditions certainly predate written codification.

The Context of Tantra

Understanding Shivambu requires understanding its tantric context. Tantra (from the Sanskrit roots meaning "expansion of consciousness" and "control of the body and senses") developed practices that transcended conventional dualities — pure/impure, sacred/profane, pleasure/pain.

The Damar Tantra belongs to the Damara class of tantric texts, which according to the Sammohanan Tantra were designed for practitioners "lacking spiritual aspiration" — those who needed concrete physical practices rather than abstract meditation. This practical orientation explains the detailed, systematic nature of the Shivambu Kalpa Vidhi.

Classical Period: Ayurveda and Hatha Yoga

Ayurvedic Foundations

The classical Ayurvedic texts — the Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita — discuss the therapeutic use of urine, though primarily animal urine rather than human. These texts describe Ashta Mutra (Eight Types of Urine), with cow urine (Gomutra) receiving particular emphasis as a "sattvic" (pure) substance with rejuvenating properties.

The Ayurvedic understanding of urine's properties includes:

• Ushna — Hot in nature
• Tikshna — Sharp or penetrating
• Katu Rasa — Pungent taste
• Lavana — Salty quality

While the Ayurvedic classics focused on animal urine, the theoretical framework they established — understanding urine as a therapeutic substance rather than mere waste — provided the intellectual foundation for the practice of auto-urine therapy.

Amaroli in Hatha Yoga Pradipika

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, composed by Svatmarama in the 15th century CE, remains one of the most authoritative texts on Hatha Yoga. In Chapter 3 (verses 94-96), it describes Amaroli — the urine practice — as one of three related mudras for the sublimation of creative energy.

"In the doctrine of the Kapalikas, amaroli is the drinking of the mid-stream, leaving the first, for it is too pungent, and the last which is useless. He who drinks amari, snuffs it daily, and practices Vajroli, is said to be practicing amaroli."
— Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Chapter 3, Verses 94-96

The text groups Amaroli with Vajroli (sexual energy retention) and Sahajoli (a variation of Vajroli), suggesting these practices were understood as complementary techniques for energy cultivation. The reference to the Kapalikas — an ascetic Shaiva sect known for transgressive practices — indicates that Amaroli was associated with serious tantric sadhana.

Notably, some translators and publishers have historically omitted these verses, considering them "impure sadhana" practiced by "low-class tantrists." This selective transmission reflects the discomfort the practice has generated even within traditional communities.

Other Sanskrit References

Additional references appear in:

• Shiva Samhita — Describes Sahajoli and Amaroli as variations of Vajroli mudra
• Dattatreya Yoga Shastra (circa 13th century) — Contains the earliest named reference to Vajroli
• Bhrigu Samhita — Cited in scholarly literature as containing urine therapy references

Asia Beyond India: China, Japan, and Tibet

Chinese Traditions

Urine therapy has deep roots in Chinese traditional medicine. Historical practices include:

• Using the urine of young boys as a skin protectant
• Washing babies' faces with boys' urine for protective purposes
• Internal and external applications for various conditions

The practice has continued into the modern era. Today, China maintains a Urine Therapy Association claiming thousands of active members. The integration with Traditional Chinese Medicine's understanding of the body's fluids as carriers of vital energy (Qi) provides a conceptual framework similar to the Indian understanding of prana in urine.

Japanese Practice

Japan has maintained active urine therapy communities into the present day. Several organizations promote the practice, and Japanese practitioners have participated in international conferences on the subject. The Japanese approach tends to emphasize practical health benefits over spiritual dimensions, reflecting the culture's pragmatic orientation toward traditional medicine.

Tibetan Medicine

Tibetan medical tradition, which synthesized Indian Ayurvedic and Chinese medical knowledge with indigenous practices, also incorporated urine therapy. The use of urine for diagnosis (uroscopy) was highly developed in Tibetan medicine, and therapeutic applications followed naturally from this diagnostic expertise.

Ancient Mediterranean and Europe

Roman Medicine

The Roman world employed urine both medically and industrially. Pliny the Elder (23-79 CE), in his encyclopedic Naturalis Historia, recommended urine for treating:

• Sores and wounds
• Burns
• Scorpion stings
• Skin rashes and inflammations

Galen (129-201 CE), the most influential physician of antiquity, developed systematic uroscopy (diagnosis by urine examination) and recommended urine externally for burns, inflammations, and various skin conditions.

Beyond medicine, Romans used urine practically. Fullones (cloth workers) collected urine house-to-house to use in cleaning and whitening textiles. The ammonia content made it an effective cleaning agent. Romans also used urine to whiten teeth — a practice that persisted for centuries.

Greek Medical Tradition

Greek physicians developed the diagnostic examination of urine (uroscopy) into a fine art. While the Hippocratic tradition focused more on diagnosis than therapy, the careful study of urine established its importance in medical thinking and laid groundwork for later therapeutic applications.

Medieval to Early Modern Period

Medieval European Medicine

Medieval European physicians inherited and expanded the Greek and Roman traditions. The practice of uroscopy — diagnosing disease by examining urine's color, smell, and taste — became so central to medicine that the urine flask became the symbol of the physician's profession.

The Urine Wheel (Rota Urina) was developed as a diagnostic chart showing twenty different colors of urine and their medical meanings. Physicians routinely tasted patients' urine; this was how diabetes was identified — by detecting sugar in urine.

Therapeutic uses during this period included:

• Application to wounds and skin conditions
• Countermeasure against plague during the Black Death
• Treatment for various internal conditions

Renaissance and Early Modern Period

Paracelsus (1493-1541), the revolutionary physician who challenged Galenic medicine, recommended that patients collect their morning urine before medical visits. His alchemical approach to medicine viewed bodily substances as containing concentrated vital essences.

The German biologist Burk documented cases of skin cancer patients reportedly recovering using urine from cabbage-eaters — an early observation of how diet affects urine composition and therapeutic potential.

17th-18th Century Practices

European folk medicine continued employing urine therapeutically:

• France: Urine-soaked stockings wrapped around the neck for strep throat
• Paris: Dentists prescribed urine rinses for dental diseases
• Aristocratic circles: Women bathed in urine for smoother skin

These practices, while considered folk medicine, persisted alongside the developing scientific medicine and demonstrate the practice's widespread acceptance across social classes.

Modern Revival: The 20th Century

John W. Armstrong and "The Water of Life"

The modern Western revival of urine therapy begins with John W. Armstrong (1880-1969), a British naturopath. Suffering from tuberculosis (then called consumption) and given little hope by conventional medicine, Armstrong turned to fasting and urine therapy after reflecting on the Biblical verse: "Drink waters out of thine own cistern" (Proverbs 5:15).

Armstrong fasted on nothing but water and his own urine for 45 days. He emerged cured. Over the following decades, he treated thousands of patients using urine therapy combined with fasting, documenting his methods and cases.

His book "The Water of Life: A Treatise on Urine Therapy" (1944) became the foundational text for Western urine therapy. Written in accessible language with extensive case histories, it introduced the practice to audiences unfamiliar with Indian scriptures or tantric philosophy.

"What is commonly called urine is, in the full meaning of the term, the product of the blood itself. When vitalized blood has circulated through the body, it passes through an extremely fine sieve known as the kidneys. Nothing which is harmful to the body can get through."
— John W. Armstrong, The Water of Life

Morarji Desai: Bringing the Practice to World Attention

Morarji Desai (1896-1995) served as Prime Minister of India from 1977 to 1979. A lifelong practitioner of urine therapy, he brought unprecedented international attention to Shivambu through his candid public advocacy.

In a famous 1978 interview on the American television program 60 Minutes with Dan Rather, Desai stated plainly: "I drink five to eight ounces of urine every morning on an empty stomach." When Rather expressed surprise, Desai replied with characteristic directness:

"Your people are drinking other people's urine but not their own. And it costs dollars, thousands of dollars, while theirs is free and more effective."
— Morarji Desai, 60 Minutes, 1978

Desai was referring to pharmaceuticals derived from urine — a point that remains relevant today. He authored "Miracles of Urine Therapy" and practiced until his death at age 99, attributing his longevity and vitality to the practice.

Raojibhai Manibhai Patel

R.M. Patel, a Gandhian social reformer, was inspired by Armstrong's work to investigate the practice within his own tradition. His book "Manav Mootra" (Gujarati: "Human Urine"), published in 1959, bridged Western and Indian approaches and became an important text in the modern Indian revival of traditional practice.

Coen van der Kroon and "The Golden Fountain"

Dutch researcher Coen van der Kroon published "The Golden Fountain: The Complete Guide to Urine Therapy" in 1993. The book provided a comprehensive overview combining historical research, scientific analysis, and practical guidance. Van der Kroon attended the first World Conference on Urine Therapy in 1996 and became an important figure in the international community of practitioners.

Contemporary Practice

World Conferences on Urine Therapy

The formation of an international community of practitioners culminated in a series of World Conferences:

Year	Location	Notes
1996	Goa, India	First conference; 600+ participants from 40 countries
1999	Germany	Second world conference
2003	Brazil	Third world conference
2006	Korea	Fourth world conference
2009	Mexico	Fifth world conference

These conferences brought together practitioners from diverse traditions — Indian, Chinese, Japanese, European, Latin American — demonstrating the truly global nature of the practice.

Modern Associations and Communities

Today, urine therapy associations exist in numerous countries including:

• China (claiming thousands of members)
• Japan (multiple active organizations)
• India (continuing traditional practice)
• Germany and other European nations
• Latin America (particularly Mexico and Brazil)
• United States (informal communities)

Notable Modern Practitioners

Beyond the foundational figures, various public personalities have acknowledged the practice:

• Sarah Miles — British actress who practiced for over 30 years
• J.D. Salinger — American author (according to his daughter Margaret's memoir)
• Bear Grylls — Survival expert, in emergency situations

The Pharmaceutical Paradox

Perhaps the strangest chapter in this history is the modern pharmaceutical industry's relationship with urine. While mainstream medicine dismisses urine therapy as quackery, the same establishment produces and prescribes urine-derived medications:

• Premarin — FDA-approved since 1942, derived from pregnant mare urine
• Urokinase — Blood clot dissolver extracted from human urine
• Menopur — Fertility drug from postmenopausal women's urine
• hCG — Pregnancy hormone from human urine

This contradiction — accepting urine when corporations profit, dismissing it when individuals practice freely — reveals that the objection is not scientific but economic.

Continuity Across Cultures

What emerges from this 5,000-year survey is striking: the practice appears independently across cultures that had little or no contact with each other. Indian tantrics, Roman physicians, Chinese doctors, and European folk healers all arrived at similar conclusions about urine's therapeutic potential.

This cross-cultural convergence suggests that the practice may reflect genuine observation of effects rather than mere superstition transmitted from a single source. When peoples separated by oceans and millennia reach similar conclusions, it warrants serious consideration — regardless of whether modern institutions choose to investigate.

The history of Shivambu is ultimately a history of traditional knowledge persisting despite cultural taboos and institutional dismissal. Whether this persistence reflects truth or tenacity — or both — is for each individual to consider.

Continue Exploring

• The Scripture — Read the complete Shivambu Kalpa Vidhi (107 verses)
• What is Shivambu? — An introduction to the practice
• Science — Modern analysis of urine composition and pharmaceutical hypocrisy
• Resources — Books, communities, and further reading