KapalbhatiPranayamawww.pranamay.co.uk&www.avani-yoga.co.uk
DebbieAvani
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Index
KapalbhatiPranayama…………………………………………………………………………………………3
TheShatkarmas(6cleansingactions)…………………………………………………………………..3
Pranayama………………………………………………...........................................................................4
Mental&Physicalbenefits………………………………………………..............................................4
Kapalbhati&thefrontallobeofthebrain…………………………………………………………….5
Contra-indications………………..………………………………………………………………………………5
TheTechnique………………………………………………………………………………………………………6
DailyPractice……………………………………………………………………………………………………….8
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KapalbhatiPranayama
Kapal=cranium/foreheadBhati=lightorsplendor
Kapalbhatipranayamameansskull-shiningbreath–sothispracticeactuallyhelpstoclearourhead,bringingasenseoffocusandclarity
Itsactioncreatesacleansingprocessonmanylevels–bothphysicallyandmentally-purifying,rejuvenating,andinvigoratingthemindandbody.
Whenyoupracticethisbreath,visualizeyourskullfillingwithabrightlight
Thiscleansingbreathcanhelpyounotonlyreleasestressandtoxinsfromthemindandbody,itcanalsohelpreleasenegativeemotions,shakeoffsluggishness,andenergize
TheShatkarmas
Kapalbhatipranayamaisconsideredtobeoneoftheshatkarmas…
TheShatkarmaorthesixpurificationtechniquesinHathaYogaaredesignedtomakethebodystrongandhealthy.
• ‘Shat’meanssixand‘Karma’heremeansamethodortechnique.• Shatkarmasareconsideredpreparatorystepstowardshigherpracticesof
pranayamaandmeditation.
TheancientRishisrecognizedtheimportanceofahealthybodyforallactivities,whetherworldlyorspiritual.HathaYoga,asexplainedinthetext‘HathaYogaPradapika’,isaimedatmakingthebodyandmindfitforhigherpracticesofRajaYoga.
TheShatkarmasaresaidtomakethebodycleanandstrong,freeofdiseases,removetoxinsandimproveconcentration.Theycanalsoimprovetheflowofpranaintotheorgansandthepranicmeridiansornadis.
Thesixtechniquesare
• Dhauti• Basti• Neti• Trataka• Nauli• Kapalbhati
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Pranayama
ThefourthlimboftheeightfoldpathisPranayama,whichisrelatedtotheflowofprana-or‘lifeforce’-throughoutourbody.Themosteffectivewaytoinfluencethismovementofpranatobringaboutthe"ultimatequietness"(inourphysicalandmentalbodies)isthroughthebreath.
Pranamayaisoftenneatlydividedintotwowords–prana&yama
• Pranameaning'lifeforce'or'energysource'• Yamameaning'control'or'restraint’.• Inthisrespect‘pranayama’cantranslatedinto'breathcontrol'.
However,thesamewordmaybedifferentlydividedintoprana&ayama.
• WhereYamameansto'restrain'or'control',Ayamameanstheopposite-i.e.tonotdothat.
• SothismeansthatinaPranayamapractice,wearenotinfacttryingtocontroltheprana,butinsteadtofreeit.
Whatevertheinterpretation,there'snodoubtthataregularandsustainedpracticeofPranayamanotonly‘supercharges’ourentirebodybutpreparesourmindfordeepmeditation.
SomeofthementalbenefitsofKapalbhatiinclude
• Sensitizationandpurificationofthewholebodysystem
• Removesdistractionfromthemind–bringsstillnessandmentalclarity
• Energizesthemind–removinglethargy
• Givesinitialtasteofbreathlessnesswhenwereleasethebreathduetothepurifyingofthesystem
• Connectsuswithinternalenergy–sometimesfeelabuzzafterpractice
Onaphysicallevelthispracticecleansesthelungs,bronchialtubesandprettymuchallthetissuesofthebodyasthebloodiscleansedduetotheactionoftheexhale!
SomeofthephysicalbenefitsofKaplabhatiinclude
• Relaxesabdominaltension
• Cleansesthelungs–goodforasthmatics,bronchitis,respiratoryproblems
• Balancesandstrengthensthenervoussystem
• Tonesdigestiveorgans
• Clearsmucusandthesinuses
• Cleansesthefrontallobeofthebrains
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Kapalbhatiandthefrontallobeofthebrain
AndreVanLysbethaBelgianYogaTeacherandauthorofmanybooksfoundthat(usehandgesturetoexplainhere)
• Duringnormalinhalation–fluidaroundthebrainiscompressed–BRAINCONTRACTS
• Duringexhalation–fluidisdecompressed–BRAINEXPANDS
• ThusKapalbhatiincreasesthismassagingeffectstimulatingthebrain3to7timesmore
Thisexplainsthemanybenefitspracticingthisamazingbreathingpracticebrings–especiallyifwefocusourawarenessofthisexpansionandcontractionattheforeheadasthenameKapalsuggests!
Thepartofthebrainatthefrontoftheskulliscalledthefrontallobe
• Thefrontallobeisthepartofthebrainthatcontrolsimportantcognitiveskillsinhumans,suchasemotionalexpression,problemsolving,memory,language,judgment,andsexualbehavior.
• Itis,inessence,the“controlpanel”ofourpersonalityandourabilitytocommunicate.
• It’salsoresponsibleforprimarymotorfunction,orourabilitytoconsciouslymoveourmuscles,andthetwokeyareasrelatedtospeech.
• Thefrontallobeislargerandmoredevelopedinhumansthaninanyotherorganism.
Asitsnameindicates,thefrontallobeisatthefrontofthebrain.Therighthemisphereofthefrontallobecontrolstheleftpartofthebody,andviceversa.
ThisfurtherexplainswhytheYogisfeltthatKapalbhatibalancedourenergeticbody
• PurifyingandbalancingIda(leftside)andPingala(rightside)• Alsobalancingallthreethedoshas(constitutions)–Kapha(mucus)–Pitta(bile)
–Vata(wind)
Contra-Indications
Kapalabhatishouldnotbepracticedbypregnantormenstruatingwomen.
Itisalsocontraindicatedforindividualswithhighorlowbloodpressure,heartdisease,hernia,gastriculcer,epilepsy,vertigo,migraineheadaches,significantnosebleeds,detachedretina,glaucoma,historyofstroke,andforanyonewhohasundergonerecentabdominalsurgery.
Ifyouexperiencevertigoduringorafterthispractice,pleasediscontinueuntilyoucanconsultwithaqualifiedyogateacher.
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Kapalbhati–thetechnique
It’sagreatpreparatorybreathingpracticethatpreparesthebodyforothermorecomplexbreathingpractices–partlyduetoitspurifyingqualitiesandalsoduetothestrengthitencouragesintheabdominalmuscles.
Thebreathingpracticeitselfreversesthenaturalactionofthebreath,whichmeansthebraincentresthatcontrolnormalbreathingfunctionbecomemoreversatile.Thishasshowntoreducetheactivityofthebrain,stillingfluctuation&bringingasenseofcalmandease….
• Innormalcircumstancestheinhalationisactiveandtheexhalationispassive(meaningithappensautomaticallyasaresultoftheinhalation)
• HoweverwithKapalbhatiweconsciouslyandactivelydrawtheabdominalmusclestowardsthespineonaforcefulexhalationwhichpushestheairoutofthelungsbyrapidlyliftingthediaphragmandthensimplyallowthediaphragmtoreleasewhichpullstheairpassivelybackintothelungs
• Thetricktokeepingthebreathsteadyistoallowaslightpauseaftereachrapidexhalesothatthediaphragmrelaxesfullyreadyforthenextexhalation
• Ifwedon’tallowforthispausethenthebreathwilleventuallyrunout
Wecanusethisreverseactiontoouradvantagewhenpracticing-wecanimaginewhenpracticingallthoughtsthatwewishtoreleasebeingexpelledalongwiththeexhalation–clearingspaceandfreedominthemind.
BreakingthePracticeofKapalbhatidownintosmallstages
Sitinacomfortablepositionwhereyoucankeepthebackuprightandtheabdomenlong–thiscanbeeitherinacrossleggedorkneelingpositiononthefloor,usinganypropsthatmightbeappropriate–orsatonastraightbackedchairwithyourfeetflatonthefloor.Whateverpositionyouchooseyoushouldbeabletomaintainitwithouteffortsoastofocusonthebreathingpractice….
Practice1–helpstogetusedtothemusclesatplay
• Simplycontracttheabdominalwallslowlyandfeelitpullallthewaybacktowardsthespine
• Slowlyreleasethemusclesuntiltheyarefullyrelaxed
Practice2–introducingthebreath
• Exhaleslowandlongthroughthenosewhilstcontractingtheabdominalmusclesasabove
• Lettheabdomenreleasewithoutactivelyinhalingandyouwillfeelthebreathbeingdrawnintothebodyasthediaphragmreleases
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Practice3–withaforcefulexhalation
• Exhaleforcefullythroughthenoseandatthesametimecontracttheabdominalmuscles
• Lettheabdomenreleasetoallowtheairbackintothelungs
Rememberwearereversingthenaturalactionofthebreathsodon’tworryifit’salittleconfusingtobeginwith;)
Practice4–steadyrhythm,Ibreathepersecond
• Nowthatyouhavethemechanicsofthepracticetake3x10breaths
• Alwayspausetoabsorbthebenefitsofthepracticeinbetweenrounds
• Rememberthetricktokeepingthebreathsteadyistoallowaslightpauseaftereachrapidexhalesothatthediaphragmrelaxesfullyreadyforthenextexhalation
Ourfocuswhenpracticingshouldbeheldatthepointbetweentheeyebrows–eachtimewetakeastrongexhalationweendeavortofeelthisbreathbeingreleasedfromdeepwithinthecentreofthehead,lettinggoofallwenolongerneed.
Theactionofthebreathcomesfromtheabdomen,whichhelpstotone&cleansethedigestiveandrespiratorysystemskeepingourenergeticcentresatthenavel(personalpower)andthechest(emotionalself)clearandbright….
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DailyKapalabhatiPractice
Theimportantthingtorememberforthisexerciseisthatyourinhaleispassiveandyourexhaleistheforceful,powerfulmovement.Startthispracticeataslowpace,andwithtimeyoucanbuildsomespeedifitfeelscomfortableforyoutodoso.
• Sitcomfortablyinanuprightpostureandrestyourhandsonyourlowerbellyorinamudra(handgesture)ofyourchoice.Ifyou’resittinginachair,makesuretoplacebothfeetontheground.
• Takeadeep,cleansingbreathbeforeyoubegin,inthroughyournoseandoutthroughyourmouth.
• Inhaledeeplythroughyournose,fillingyourbellywithairabout¾wayfull.
• Inaquickmotion,forcefullyexpelalltheairfromyourlungsthroughyournosewhiledrawingyournavelintowardyourspine.Theprimarymovementisfromyourdiaphragm.
• Allowyourlungstofillupnaturally,withnoeffortasyourbellyexpands.
• Performthiscycle10times,thenallowyourbreathingtoreturntonormalandobservethesensationsinyourbody.
• Repeatthesecyclesof10movements,3times.
WhentoUseKapalabhati
NOTE-alwayspracticewithanemptystomachsonotrecommendeddirectlyafterfood!
• Inthemorning:SincetheKapalabhatibreathissoenergizing,tryitfirstthinginthemorningforaninvigoratingwake-upcall.
• Mid-afternoon:Ifyou’refeelingacaseofthemid-dayslumpcomeon,tryafewroundsofKapalabhatitoenergizeyourmindandbodytopoweryouthroughtherestoftheday.
• Anytimewhenyouneedtoclearyoumindandfocusyourattention
Howlongshouldourpracticebe?
Alwaysbeginyourpracticeslowly–rememberKapalbhatiwillcleansethesystemonalllevels,soifyouarenotusedtothepracticethecleansingprocessmayhappentooquicklyleavingyoufeelingoffcentre!
• Adailypracticecouldbe3x10breathstobeginwith
• Slowlyincreasethebreathsifpracticingregularlyuntilthereisnoneedtocountatallandyousimplypracticeforperiodoftimethatsuitsyoursystem…
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AnyQuestions?
Ifyouhaveanyquestionsaboutyourpracticepleasedonothesitatetocontactmyinthecommentsboxonthewebsitebelowthetutorialoremailme-debbie@avani-yoga.co.uk
YoursinYoga–DebbieAvani
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