Second Procedure : Kapalabhati Pranayama
Kapala means 'brain, forehead', and bhati means 'glow, radiance, lustre, luminosity, etc.' The pranayama which gives glow, radiance, lustre to the brain or forehead is called kapalabhati. The procedure of this pranayama is a bit different from bhastrika. In recaka and puraka in the bhastrika pranayama, equal pressure is exerted on inhalation and exhalation, while in kapalbhati the whole attention is on recaka, i.e. exhaling vigorously. No effort is made to breathe in, the air that is breathed in naturally is allowed to be inhaled; the
whole emphasis is on throwing the air outside. While doing this there is naturally contraction and expansion of abdomen and special force is exerted on muladhara (pelvic plexus), svadhisthana (hypogastric plexus) and manipura cakra (solar plexus).
The noble resolution (Siva sankalpa) during kapalbhati
While doing kapalabhati pranayama one should resolve in mind that with the air exhaled by him all the diseases and disorders of the body are being thrown out, being eradicated. The recaka (exhalation) procedure should be performed with the feeling that he is expelling all the physical diseases and disorders as well as the mental flaws and distortions like lust, anger, greed, delusion, envy, attachment, aversion, etc. With this resolution of eradication of diseases and disorders while exhaling, one gets a lot of benefit.
Duration of Kapalabhati pranayama
The breath should be exhaled in a rhythmic flow once in a second and should be held up effortlessly.
If done non-stop kapalabhati pranayama is done 60 times in one minute or 300 times in 5 minutes. Very sick and weak persons get tired in 2-3 minutes in the beginning, but in 10-15 days every person becomes capable of doing kapalabhati non- stop for 5 minutes. Kapalabhati must be done for 5 minutes in one sitting. One cannot get full benefit if it is done for a lesser time. With the increase in capacity after a long practice as well as with the maturity of experience one can do kapalabhati pranayama up to 15 minutes. A healthy and even slightly sick person should do kapalabhati for 15 minutes. In three rounds in 15 minutes kapalabhati is done 900 times. Persons suffering from incurable diseases like cancer, AIDS, hepatitis, leucoderma, vitiligo, psoriasis, excessive obesity, infertility, cysts/ nodules in uterus, ovary, breast or any where in the body, MS and SLE should do kapalabhati for half an hour. It would be better ifsuch incurable patients do kapalabhati for half an hour both in the morning and evening. For healthy and slightly sick persons once a day is sufficient.
Benefits
- It increases glow, radiance, lustre and beauty of the face and brain.
- All kapha disorders like asthma, respiratory diseases, allergy,sinusitis etc are cured.
- All the diseases of heart, lungs and brain are cured.
- Obesity, diabetes, flatulence, constipation, acidity and kidney and prostate diseases are definitely cured.
- With the regular practice of this pranayama for about 5 minutes daily, an obstinate disease like constipation is cured. Diabetes can be regulated without any medicine and the weight due to abdominal fat can be reduced by 4-6 kgs in one month. Blockages in the arteries of heart are removed.T
- The mind remains stabilized, serene and cheerful. Negative thinking disappears and one gets rid of depression.
- The cakras are cleansed and a divine energy starts circulating in all the cakras, right from muladhara cakra (pelvic plexus) to sahasrara cakra (cerebral gland).
- This pranayama especially improve the health of stomach, pancreas, liver, spleen, intestines, prostate and kidneys. Even if one does not get much benefit by doing many asanas for stomach disorders, he can be benefited more than all the asanas by doing only this pranayama. This is the best pranayama for giving strength to weak intestines.
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