Duration – 8 to 10 Minutes
Caution – Yoga Aspirants who have history or complaint of High or low blood pressure, cardiac, slip disc problems shall exhale normally, perform the strokes slowly, take rest after 20 strokes and then go further. Healthy practitioners can do this Pranayama continuously with their capacity.
1. Sit in any Comfortable Asana ( Padmasana, ArdhaPadmasana and Vajrasana etc.)
2. Novice may adopt Veetraga Mudra (Keeping right palm over left and placed comfortably on lap below navel, (for example see Lord Mahaveera’s statue in meditating posture) and regulars can continue in Gyana Mudra.
3. Forcefully Exhalation from the both nostrils, when you exhale your abdomen should be more and more inside. In this way continue pumping of stomach synchronized with quick exhalation.
4. Kapal means skull (brain) and Bhati means gastric system, both are the effected body zones in this Pranayama.
5. Try not to allow movement of any organ of body like shoulders, head or chest other than stomach while performing KapalBhati.
6. Keep eyes gently closed and face relaxed, no tension whatsoever. Maintain the right meditative posture as it should be, awareness entirely focused on out going breath and it’s touching on the surface of nostrils outlet.
7. Effort is to be made for quick exhalations only, inhalation shall take place automatically, and no effort is required for that.
8. Keep shoulders and elbows relaxed to avoid movement. Do not sway, avoid twitching.
9. Perform each and every stroke completely, rhythmically and with equal pace (of almost one stroke a second), not too fast not too slow, allow the stomach to go in and out to capacity, then perform next one.
10. You can mentally count every stroke. Allow a pause of a split second to rest the stomach at the outer end of stroke. Awareness fully focused on exhalation.
11. If feel tired, rest for a while, breathe normally and than start further strokes to take place. You can change the sitting posture if legs get tired, but keep eyes closed.
12. Novice can feel little pain in upper back muscles at the beginning, but it will automatically subside after a few day’s of practice.
13. Perform within your capacity, don’t over work.
Benefits of KapalBhati Pranayama – KapalBhati Pranayama is capable of bringing revolutionary changes in practitioner’s life by purifying body and mind. It is said to be the nectar of life. Brings beauty to face, refreshes mind and stirs it to activity. Activate and invigorate the liver, spleen, pancreas and abdominal muscles and improve digestion system. Drain the sinus and stop the nose running.
KapalBhati helps in curing diabetes, thyroids, hernia, formation of all kinds of cyst anywhere in body, allergy, acidity, formation of bad cholesterol, thrombosis, crams, snoring, acidity, dyspepsia, constipation and all kinds of gastric ailments. It purifies and regulates blood circulatory system, trims down extra fat, brings a proper body weight and helps to overcome obesity.
Helps women in problems related to uterus, irregular menstruation cycle etc. All other benefits equaling jogging for a kilometer are also gained by regular practice of KapalBhati for 5-6 minutes.
