Kapalbhati Pranayama kriya

By - Mrs. Ruchita Tripathi Upadhya

Pranayama is the regulation of breathing cycle in accordance with one's Capacity.In another world 'Prana' means vital energy and ayama means 'to expand'So that actual meaning of the word is 'Expansion of the range of the vital energy'.

Bhastrika,Kapalbhati, Bahya, anulom-vilom. Bhramari, udgeeth and ujjayi these are seven pranayama reintroduce and popularize by PP Swami Ramdev ji Maharaj. Kapalbhati is one of the most important pranayama among all.

In Sanskrit the Kapal means 'skull', 'forehead' and bhati means 'luminous'and also 'perception' or 'Knowledge', Kapalbhati is the practice which bring a state of 'luminary', or 'Clarity' in mind as well as in body.

How to Practice:-

It Should be practiced empty stomach or 2-3 hours after meal. one should sit in padmasana, sukhasana or siddhasna and those who are unable to sit they can perform it on chair, keeping the spine straight and body firm.
dominant inhalation through nostrils which results contraction of abdominal muscles and proper aeration to blood circulation.
So in Kapalbhati more attention is to be given on act of forceful exhalation while the inhalation is passive, Silent and short, during abdominal contraction force is applied to the Manipura, Swadhisthan and muladhar chakra.
Healthy person can practice it 10-15 minutes regularly. Patients with obesity, Vitiligo, leukaemias, breast carcinoma, Fallopian tube blockage, hepatitis etc. should practice it 20 minutes to half hour twice daily.

Benefits of Kapalphati Pranayama

1.Mental well being :- In Kapalbhati while exhaling you are throwing all ?ve thoughts out and while breathing in all the +ve thoughts get way to enter in mind, this makes mental wellbeing.

2.Improves Vitality of Abdominal organs:-

  • i. Kapalbhati stimulates pancreas to release insulin thereby helps to control diabetes mellitus.
  • ii. By improving liver and spleenic functions it presents and cures hepatitis (A.B.C), Cirrhosis of liver and Anaemias.
  • iii. If done regularly it relieves constipation, acidity and anorexia etc.
  • iv. Regularize endocrine and exocrine systems- Being helpful in regulation of all glandular secretions it is highly effective in azoospermia, oligospermia and fallopian tube blockage etc.
    - It also helps in eradicating cysts and tumours.

3.Helps in relieving Backache -The most common cause of backpain includes improper posture, weak muscles, emotional stress and psychological disturbances.Not only weak back muscles but weak abdominal muscles are the major cause of backache, especially it is compounded by protruding belly. A Distended abdomen pulls the buck forward, distorting spinal alignment and stretching the back-muscle resulting in spasm. Muscular spasms are also caused and aggregated by emotional stress

Now how 'Kapalbhati' helps in relieving backache is explained as:

  • 1. Strengthen the muscles of the back and abdomen.
  • 2. Maintain and increase the flexibility of the muscle ligaments and tendons.
  • 3. It improves posture.
  • 4. Increase bone density and strength.

4.Helps in blood purification- Kaplabhati helps in blood purification which provides glorious and lustrous skin. It also helps in curing skin disorder like psoriasis, eczema. Vitiligo, leucoderma etc. Thus, Kapalbhati prevents disorder and treats a wide range of physical as well as mental disorder but it should be practiced with rest all six types of pranayama.

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