PRANAYAM NO. 2 - “KAPALBHATI”
Kapalbhati: The Breath of Purification and Inner Radiance
THE METHOD OF DOING “KAPALBHATI”
- Sit in a cross legged position with your hands in Gyanmudra and the back of your hands resting on your knees, same as in Bhastrika Pranayam. Gyanmudra means closing and making a circle with your thumb and the forefinger as shown in the figure and the video. Click here to see the picture of Gyanmudra.
- In this Pranayam, the short inhalation is done normally but the exhalation is done with full force.
- Imagine yourself blowing out a candle with full force through your nose instead of the mouth. When you force out the air, your stomach should cave in slightly with a jerk. Obese people or the ones with bulging stomach should push the stomach as back as possible - delete this when exhaling out the breath with force.
For more details watch the video clip carefully.
IMPORTANT NOTES ON “BHASTRIKA”
The best way to do this Pranayam is to do the first instalment of 5 minutes at slow speed, the second instalment of 5 minutes at moderate speed and the third and last instalment of 5 minutes at fast speed.
In the intervals you can also do “butterfly exercise” or “blood circulation” exercise of the legs and feet. Click on these names to see the video clip of these exercises.
The meaning of Kapal is forehead and Bhati means light in the Indian language. Hence this Pranayam makes the forehead luminous as well as lustruous and helps in curing many ailments of the body.
While breathing out with a jerk imagine that you are breathing out all the impurities from your body and the oxidants from your system. To start with do this Pranayam for minimum 5 minutes, slowly slowly increase it by atleast 1 minute per week till you reach the maximum timing of 15 minutes. It is very important to do this Pranayam for 15 minutes a day to get the full health benefit this Pranayam offers.
If you are tired you can stop and do this Pranayam in instalments. Normally I do this Pranayam in 3 instalments of 5 minutes by breaking in between for 1 or 2 minutes. When you break you should breathe normally. Alternatively you can also do this Pranayam in 5 instalments of 3 minutes. The choice is yours. After the practise of this Pranayam for 6 months you will be able to do this Pranayam for 15 minutes continuously without feeling any fatigue whatsoever.
BENEFITS OF “KAPALBHATI”
This Pranayam will make your face luminous and radiant.
Ailments of asthma as well as all other respiratory troubles will be cured.
It cures all allergies.
It clears the blockages in the arteries of the heart and also makes the lungs very strong.
This is the best Pranayam for obese people as it helps in reducing your weight considerably.
It helps in diabetes.
It reduces or eliminates acidity, helping in getting rid of constipation as well as flatulence.
It helps in curing diseases of the kidney as well as the prostrate gland.
The organs inside the abdomen will start functioning efficiently if this is done regularly as stated above.
It increases libido and banishes impotency.
This will also banish negative thoughts and depression and will give peace and tranquility to the disturbed mind.