Kapālabhāti
Sharp, active exhales that pump the belly and scrub the fog out; the morning cleanse of the haṭha tradition.
How to practise
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Sit tall with the spine long; hands on the knees or belly.
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Take one easy inhale to begin.
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Exhale sharply by snapping the navel back toward the spine; let the inhale fall in on its own.
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One pump per second to start, 20 strokes is a full round.
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After the final exhale, sit still and feel the skull "shine"; breathe normally, then repeat once or twice.
Benefits
- Clears stale air and mucus from the lower lungs
- Wakes up the mind, the traditional antidote to kapha dullness
- Tones the abdominal muscles and diaphragm
- Warmth and clarity on sluggish mornings
Contraindications & cautions
- Pregnancy, high blood pressure, heart conditions; avoid
- During menstruation or recent abdominal surgery, avoid
- Epilepsy, panic disorder or vertigo; avoid without professional guidance
- Never strain, stop at the first sign of dizziness or ringing ears
If you are pregnant, or live with a cardiac, respiratory or mental-health condition, consult a qualified teacher and a physician before practising. Never strain the breath.
In the tradition
Kapālabhāti sits in the Pradīpikā among the ṣaṭkarmas, the six purifications; not among the prāṇāyāmas proper: it is a cleansing whose side effect is clarity. The name means “skull-shining”, and one honest round on a foggy morning explains it better than any commentary.
Sources & further reading
- Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā , Svātmārāma (chapter 2, verses 21–22; kapālabhāti among the six cleansings (ṣaṭkarma))
- Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha , Swami Satyananda Saraswati