Sit up straight with eyes and mouth closed. Place your palms on your abdomen and slowly inhale through your nose, while relaxing the diaphram and filling up the lower lungs with air. With the rest of the body relaxed, quickly
draw the stomach in tightly so that the breath is automatically expelled through the nose. Release the stomach muscles, rounding out the abdominal wall, so that breath is automatically drawn in through the nose in a reflex reaction. Breathe in this manner for one minute only. Start out slowly, but as you get comfortable
with the technique, aim to increase the number of repetitions per minute.
With this technique, the sensation of exhaling is similar to getting socked in the stomach and having the wind knocked out. In this case, however, no pain is involved. In fact, this breath is extremely exhilarating when done correctly. Kapalbhati literally means polishing the crown and you may notice a tingling sensation around your ears, neck and scalp, or a vibration on the inside of the skull as you practice the breath. The action of drawing the abdomen in tightly has the effect of massaging the spine and circulating the spinal fluid. At the same time, it gives an inner massage to the stomach and guts. Once you get up to speed, Kapalbhati breath has a swish-swish sound like an automatic lawn sprinkler.
With this technique, the sensation of exhaling is similar to getting socked in the stomach and having the wind knocked out. In this case, however, no pain is involved. In fact, this breath is extremely exhilarating when done correctly. Kapalbhati literally means polishing the crown and you may notice a tingling sensation around your ears, neck and scalp, or a vibration on the inside of the skull as you practice the breath. The action of drawing the abdomen in tightly has the effect of massaging the spine and circulating the spinal fluid. At the same time, it gives an inner massage to the stomach and guts. Once you get up to speed, Kapalbhati breath has a swish-swish sound like an automatic lawn sprinkler.
This invigorating exercise is good for the Kapha Dosha and Kapha season. It will lift you out of a slump, alleviate depression and help you let go of emotional problems in general. It also improves digestion and provides relief from gas, so it is good for Vata as well.
Unlike our thoughts, which flow between past, present and future, our breath only occurs in the here and now. You cannot breathe tomorrow, breath today, nor can you hold on to the present breath for tomorrow. Each
breath comes in its allotted sequence, and cannot be recalled, and thereby binds us to time. Yet, each breath in itself is a taste of the timeless. Let the mind be always where the breath is then you cannot help but live each moment fully.
Excerpts from Absolute Beauty, by Dr. Pratima Raichur.
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