Kapalabhati is considered a kriya (cleansing practice) which cleanses the specific parts of body by detoxifying them.
In Sanskrit, Kapala means 'skull' and bhati means 'shine'. Kapalabhati is supposed to cleanse frontal brain.
Let us perform Kapalabhati by following the steps given below:
Starting position: Sit straight in Padmasana, Ardhapadmasana or Vajrasana
1. Take deep breath through the nostrils.
2. Now, exhale with a forceful contraction of the abdominal muscles. Do not make any effort to inhale. This is one stroke of kapalabhati. Begin with 10 strokes at a time. This is one round. One can practise one to three rounds in a session.
Remember the following points:
Do’s:
- Exhale forcefully and inhale passively .
- Focus on exhalation only.
- Contract the abdominal muscles while exhaling.
Don’ts:
- Do not move the chest or shoulders while exhaling.
- Do not distort the face.
Benefits:
- It stimulates the nerves in the abdominal region, tones up the abdominal muscles and improves digestion.
- Kapalabhati expels carbon-dioxide and other waste gases from the lungs.
- It improves heart and lungs capacity and therefore good for bronchial/asthma.
- It removes lethargy.
Limitation:
• Those suffering from heart problems, high blood pressure, hernia, vertigo and gastric ulcer should avoid practising kapalabhati.
