Kapalabhati

Importance of Kapalabhati

Kapalabhati is one among the Shat kriyas in Yoga according to Hatha Yoga.Similar to Panchakarmas in Ayurveda Shat kriyas are used to balance the three main doshas(vata-pitta-kapha) of the body. The word "Kapala" in sanskrit means 'skull' and 'Bhati' means 'shine' So kapalabhati is the action which cleanses and shines the brain by stimulating the brain cells. It is a heating form of Pranayama.Kapalabhati helps to make the movements of diaphragm very easy and controlled and helps to remove toxic air from the lungs and takes in the fresh air. This is rather be called as abdominal breathing since it majorly involves abdominal muscles.

Instructions:

- Kapalabhati can be practised during early morning in empty stomach or you can have fruit juice or water or tea 30 mins before practising the procedure.
- Bladder and bowel should be empty before practising.
- It should never be done when the stomach is full. One should wait for upto 3 hrs after food to perform this.
-It should not be done during pregnancy and menstruation. -It is contraindicated if you have had a surgery recently or inflammation of the lungs/emphysema and hypertension.

Procedure:

-Sit in Padmasana or Siddhasana with your spine/back and head erect.
-Take 2-3 deep breaths with inhalation and exhalation through the nose as a prerequisite.

-start with exhalation and then breath in to allow the air to fill in the belly to expand totally.

-Now do a forceful exhalation a little deeper than the ordinary breathing. At the same time contract the front abdominal muscles suddenly and with a little force. You are really pushing out the air here.

-Then inhale by simply relaxing the abdominal muscles.
In this procedure do not do any retention of the breath.
-The beginner should start with eleven expulsions in each round. You can do this for 10-15 mins daily with a break once in every five minutes.
-Dont strain or struggle. Just relax for a while if you feel tired or stressed.

Benefits of Kapalabhati :

-Kapalabhati in general helps the whole body.
-Each exhalation stimulates the center of abdomen and activates the prana.It clears harmful toxins from the body.
- It is useful to improve the bowel movements.
- Deep inhalation takes good amount of oxygen to the lungs and helps to purify the blood.
- Stimulates all the organs of the abdomen
-It clears all the drainage from sinuses and relieves sinusitis.
-Cleanses the central nervous system
-Kapalabhati increase the Agni and hence improves digestion.
-It decrease the vitiated vata dosha
-Kapalabhati counters parasites.