Kapalabhati—Breath of Fire

Kapalabhati (breath of fire), or the skull-shining breath as it is literally

translated, is an invigorating, energizing, heating, and purifying breathing
technique. It is a very active, forced exhalation with a passive inhalation.
Do not practice kapalabahti if you are pregnant or menstruating, or if you
have high blood pressure or have had recent abdominal surgery, as it is very
active in the core area; it creates heat, and can raise the heart rate.
Method of practice: Inhale three-quarters of the way in. Then take sharp
exhales through the nose, allowing the inhalation to be passive. The
exhalations are done by pressing the lower belly inward, towards the back
—or pumping the belly to the back—and thus forcing the air out of the
nose. If you are a beginner, please place your hands on your lower belly to
help with the pumping motion. It is not easy for everyone to isolate the
belly movement at first.
Begin slowly, maybe with one exhalation per second or two. No need to do
very quick kapalabhati. It is more important to take a powerful exhale and
really move the belly in. You can begin with a round of twenty exhales. Then
take a few slow calm breaths and go for another round. Practice two to four
rounds.
If this is comfortable enough, consider taking a big inhalation after your last
sharp exhale, and do a round of kumbhaka for a count of ten. Then release the
breath slowly. Take a restful breath and start again.
Over time, increase the number of exhales in every round. Starting with
twenty, then thirty, and maybe fifty. Ultimately, you may increase to one
hundred twenty sharp exhales with a kumbhaka of fifteen seconds. Again, this
may take years of practice for some, or just a few weeks for others. Some
sources recommend not going beyond one hundred twenty exhales per round.
The kumbhaka at the end is optional and many schools of yoga do not do it. I
find that there is a beautiful feeling of energy running through the body when
the kumbhaka is included. Some say they feel “high” while they take the
kumbhaka.
• Exhale sharply through the nose
• Inhale passively
• Exhale sharply through the nose and repeat up to one hundred twenty
times
• Inhale and take the kumbhaka
• Exhale slowly
This is one practice I do almost daily, either before my asana practice or
simply in the morning, as it helps the bodily systems to wake up. Like nadi
shodhana (alternate nostril breathing), I recommend practicing this at least
three to four times a week, for a minimum of two rounds.