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Kapalbhati is a practice which can help you to refresh, reset and rejuvenate in your daily life. The word Kapal is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘forehead’ and bhati meaning ‘shining’.

It is a hustle to keep yourself and your brain sane in today’s messy and fast-paced world. It is just not the stress from work that makes us burned out but the smallest things in life such as choosing what to wear, or making a right and healthy eating choices on a daily basis.

Kapalbhati helps you to increase your intellect by focusing on your breath. It helps to clean the foggy brain and helps it to be more calm and composed when it comes to making small but important decisions on a day to day basis.

There is no better way to balance and fuel the trinities of life i.e. mind, body, and soul. Breathing exercises or have been an important part of ancient Indian culture in the form of yoga from the past 5,000, the oldest natural science.

Importance of Kapalbhati in Daily Life:

Stress and anxiety are the two terms that have dominated the major part of our daily life. Kapalbhati is the best form of rejuvenation when it comes to pressing the reset button on life.

The regular practice of Kapalbhati helps your body to absorb more fresh air daily basis and helps to improve the blood circulation within the body.

Good blood circulation, especially in your brain helps to focus more and perform better in your daily life.

How to Perform Kapalbhati Pranayama

1. Sit on a hard surface with your spine erect to start with the process of Kapalbhati pranayama.
2. You can either sit in a sukhasana (your legs crossed), Virasana (your legs bend and your shins tucked in under your thighs or on a chair while performing this pranayama.
3. Place your hands on your knees with the palms facing up or you can place your hands one over the other in your lap for higher focus.
4. Inhale air with both the nostrils.
5. Exhale the air with a little forceful action and again breathe in.
6. You can put your hand on your lower abdomen to feel the air gushing out of the body.
7. Repeat the process for 20 minutes.

Benefits of Kapalbhati

• Regular practice of kapalbhati can help you in losing your body fat, especially the belly area. Good blood circulation helps to improve the metabolism of the body which fuels the reduction of fat in your body.
• Increases the supply of blood to various parts of the body, hence increasing the overall health and functioning of the body.
• It helps in improving your memory and concentration by energizing your brain cells with the consistent practice of pranayama.
• Kapalbhati is one of the best pranayamas when it comes to balancing your chakras.
• This pranayama is very helpful in improving the digestion of the body.
• It is a very good practice when it comes to relieving stress and anxiety.
• It can enhance the beauty of your skin by fueling your body with fresh air and increased blood circulation.
• It is a very good practice when it comes to relaxing and de-stressing your body daily basis.

Kapalbhati Pranayama Precautions 

1. People suffering from abdomen ulcers should avoid doing Kapalbhati pranayama.
2. This pranayama is a forceful breathing technique and requires a higher level of experience and therefore beginnings should begin with simple breathing techniques.
3. Make sure you are not putting too much pressure while exhaling the air.
4. If you feel dizzy while performing the practice, it is preferred to stop the practice until you feel better.

Contraindication

1. People with heart disease, hernia or severe condition regarding blood pressure should avoid doing kapalbhati pranayama.
2. People who have gone through any recent abdomen surgery should practice it under professional guidance.

Conclusion

To conclude it all, Kapalbhati is a proven way of rejuvenating your body and getting rid of daily stress and anxiety.

Our bodies need a daily escape towards relief and relaxation and having a daily dose of kapalbhati can significantly help you increase your concentration and improve your body functioning in your daily life.

Though it is an advanced breathing technique but regular practice can help you to get better at it.

It is a practice that can be easily practiced at home and a lot about this pranayama can be found on the internet as it is one of the best and most practiced pranayama of all due to its various benefits.

About author

Sushant Pandey

Sushant is Meditation & Philosophy Teacher and Academic Director at Rishikesh Yogis. Sushant carries long years of experience teaching practical as well as philosophical aspects of Kundalini yoga, Kriya yoga, Hatha Yoga and Tantra philosophy.