Kapal = forehead; bhati = shining; pranayama = breathing technique
The word “kapalbhati” is comes from two words, kapal and Bhati. Meaning of kapal is skull and the meaning of bhati is lighting, illuminating. So by doing this pranayam your skull/forehead starts shining and illuminating.
Kapalbhati Pranayama not only helps you lose weight but also brings your entire system into a perfect balance. This pranayama can cure almost 99 percent of diseases either physical or mental.
How To Do Kapal Bhati Pranayama or Skull Shining Breathing Technique
1. First sit on the Padmasana and close your eyes and keep the spine straight. Place your hands on the knees, palms open to the sky.
2. Now take a deep breath (inhale deeply) through your both nostrils.
3. As you exhale, pull your stomach. Pull your navel in back towards the spine. Do as much you can do comfortably. Don’t pull it forcefully.
4. As you relax the navel and abdomen, the breath flows into your lungs automatically.
5. One cycle should take 1 second. For example you throw out your breath and your navel will contract, then you relax the navel and abdomen, the breath flows in. It should take one second normally.
In the starting you can take 2 seconds for one cycle but after some practice you can do one cycle in 1 second easily.
6. Do it for 1 min in starting. Means 60 cycles in one round. After practice you can increase it to 3 min in one round.
7. After practicing it for at-least 6 month or a year regularly, you should decrease the cycle time from one second to half
second. Means in one minute you can do 120 cycles.
8. Normally you should do 3 rounds in morning and 3 rounds in evening of Skull Shining breathing technique (Kapal Bhati pranayama). If you are suffering from critical diseases then you should do 5 rounds in morning and 5 rounds in evening.
9. After completing the round, relax with your eyes closed and feel the sensations/energy in your body.
Note: You don’t try to take breath in. That is wring way to do it. You just try to throw it our forcefully. When you throw your breath forcefully it comes in for itself. If you will throw it out correctly, there will be no need to apply any effort to take it inside. It will come for itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2eARFD2Kzk
Note: The video above is in Hindi language. If you didn’t understand Hindi, watch this video from 0:15 to 0:35 seconds. From 0:15 to 0:35 is the demonstration of kapalbhati pranayama.
Benefits of Kapal Bhati Pranayama
1. It reduce weight by increasing the metabolic rate in body. It cuts all extra fat from body either it is 1 KG or 50 KG doesn’t matter.
2. Regular practice clears the nadis (subtle energy channels)
3. It strength the intestine, abdominal organs and extremely useful in curing diabetes.
4. Improves blood circulation and adds radiance to the face
5. Improves digestive tract functioning, absorption and assimilation of nutrients and improves the function of kidneys and liver.
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6. Results in a taut and trimmed down belly
7. Energizes the nervous system and rejuvenates brain cells
8. It helps cure infertility.
9. It can cure fibroid in uterus and cyst in ovary. If you are suffering from poly-cystic ovaries or your Fallopian tube has some blockage then kapalbhati pranayam is best for you.
10. Remove the problem of irregular periods. Either periods are coming less or more, it cures both cases.
11. Increases the sperm count in your body.
12. Calms and uplifts the mind.
13. Helps in activating the kundalini energy.
14. Strength the aura of energy around us.
15. Kidney stone, gallbladder stone, Pancreas stone.
15. Remove blood clots from veins in body. Cure hearth diseases and improve blood circulation.
16. Strength the bones and cure the lack of blood in body.
17. Increases nutrition , iron, protein and vitamin B-12 in body.
18. Reduces the cholesterol and increase hemoglobin and calcium in the body.
19. It Generates heat in the system to help dissolve toxins and waste matter.
20. Adds luster and beauty to your face and cures dark circles around the eyes.
21. It helps in regaining poise in emotions.
Who Should Avoid Doing Kapalbhati Pranayama?
1. Avoid practicing this breathing technique if you have an artificial pacemaker or stents, backache due to slip disc, recently went through an abdominal surgery, or are suffering with epilepsy or hernia.
2. Women should not practice Skull Shining breathing technique (Kapal Bhati pranayama) during and shortly after pregnancy, as well as during menstruation as it involves vigorous abdominal squeezes.
3. People with hypertension and heart problems should practice this breathing technique under a yoga expert’s guidance.
Precautions:
1. You should do it only when you have an empty stomach.
2. If you are suffering from high blood pressure then you should do it slowly and for less time in starting.
3. If you have gone through some heart surgery or hearth disease, you should do it after consulting some expert in yoga.
4. If you are suffering from hernia, asthma attack, stroke or epilepsy then you should do it only after consulting to some expert.
5.If you have acid or heat related gastric problems, such as ulcers you should use caution with Kapalbhati Pranayama.
To Read This In Hindi – Kapalbhati Pranayama in hindi