Ignite your Inner Clarity with Kapalabhati

I’ve been practicing pranayama most days lately, finding it very useful to stay grounded and calm or to boost my energy when I need it.

Pranayama a powerful practice, with many different techniques, that can be used for expanding and controlling our breath to impact our energy levels and our emotions. And it can be used as a tool for self-study and self-transformation.  Sometimes called the “yoga of breath”, pranayama is an ancient practice, one of the “8 limbs of yoga” mentioned in the the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (approx. 200 BCE), a path to living an ethical and purposeful life.

Pranayama can be layered into your existing yoga and meditation practice. Or it can be a practice in and of itself.  I’ve found that adding a couple of minutes of pranayama after my morning meditation has been easy to add and very beneficial. 

I’ve been doing a practice called Kapalabhati Pranayama.   Kapala in Sanskrit means “skull” and bhati means “to shine or to illuminate” so it literally translates to Skull Shining Breath.   It’s also commonly known as Breath of Fire because this energizing technique involves forceful exhalations and passive inhalations to create heat and energy in the body to stimulate circulation, increase prana (life force), and to "fire up" the digestive and metabolic systems.  It also increases oxygen supply to the brain, clears the mind, and enhances your focus and attention span.  This is a wonderful practice to activate and balance your third eye chakra for greater clarity and easier access to your deep inner wisdom. 

HOW TO PRACTICE KAPALABHATI:

Get comfortable:  

• Find a comfortable, upright meditation posture, with your spine straight, shoulders relaxed and down, your neck long and aligned with your spine. (This practice won’t work well if you are slouched.)
  

Settle into the practice:

• First, simply notice your breathing, your natural inhale and exhale through your nose, noticing all the sensations.
  
• Now place your hand on your abdomen and breath deeply through your nose into your belly a few times, noticing how your belly expands as you inhale and moves towards your spine as you exhale.
  
• As you practice, you can keep your hand on your abdomen or both hands on your knees. For a more advanced practice, raise your hands above your head with thumbs out like you are hitch-hiking.

Begin Kapalabhati:

•  Take a deep inhale through your nose. 
  
• Forcefully exhale by quickly contracting your abdominal muscles, pulling the navel in toward the spine. Air should rush out through your nose in a sharp burst.
  
• Release the contraction as you allow the inhale through your nose automatically, don’t force the inhale.
• This is one CYCLE.
  
• Repeat this 10-20 times to start, alternating the quick, forceful exhales with the automatic inhales.  This is one SET.
  
• Ideally you will practice 2-3 sets, pausing between sets to catch your breath.
  You can increase the number of cycles to 30 or more per set as you gain experience.  
  
• I like to aim for 108 cycles (108 exhales/inhales).  I like to aim for 108 cycles total (108 exhales/inhales). I do 4 sets: 30, 30, 30, then 18 cycles.  It takes me 2-3 minutes max.  108 has sacred significance.
  
• Finish with some gentle, natural breathing to settle after the practice.
  
• Notice how you feel.

TIPS:

• Don’t try Kapalabhati if… you are pregnant, in early days of period, have heart issues or high blood pressure.
  
• It’s best to practice on an empty stomach.
  
• Take a break if you feel dizzy, which can be normal if you are new to the practice.

If you don’t already practice pranayama, I invite you to explore.  It’s easy to find resources to help you learn about breathing practices…videos, books, apps, classes.  And here are some HUM RESOURCES for you.

Easy Breathing: An Introduction to Pranayama
Nadi Shodana: Finding Balance Through Breath
Dirga Pranayama: The Three-Part Yogic Breath Explained
5 Breathing Practices to Help Relieve Stress and Anxiety
Breath Awareness: A Gift for Life
The Science of Breathing