Kapalabhati: how to do it, and who should not

If you come to a morning class at the school, the first thing you will do after settling is kapalabhati. It wakes the body faster than coffee, and it is one of the few breathing practices people notice immediately.

What it is

The name means "shining skull": kapala, skull, and bhati, light. It is one of the six cleansing practices, the shatkarmas, of classical Hatha yoga, and it is traditionally used to clear the airways and wake the mind before pranayama and meditation.

What makes it unusual is that it reverses the normal breath. Usually you breathe in on purpose and out passively. In kapalabhati the exhale is active and the inhale is passive.

How to do it

1. Sit tall on a cushion or a chair, spine upright, shoulders relaxed, hands on the knees.
2. Take two slow breaths to settle.
3. Breathe in about halfway.
4. Snap the belly in sharply, pulling the navel towards the spine, so the breath is pushed out through the nose in a short burst.
5. Let go. The belly relaxes and the breath flows back in on its own. Do not pull it in.
6. Repeat at a steady rhythm, about one exhale a second to begin with.
7. After the last exhale, breathe in fully, breathe out slowly, and rest with normal breathing for thirty seconds or so.

That is one round. The movement is entirely in the belly. The chest and shoulders stay still, and the face stays soft.

How many rounds

Beginners: three rounds of twenty to thirty exhales, with a full rest between rounds.

After a few weeks: build slowly towards three rounds of fifty to sixty, and a slightly quicker rhythm, only if it stays comfortable.

In the Sivananda tradition each round often ends with a short breath retention. That is a real part of the practice, but it is best learned in person rather than from a page.

Practise in the morning, on an empty stomach, before other pranayama. Not in the evening: it is stimulating, and it is the wrong thing to do before sleep. There is an evening alternative in yoga for better sleep.

Common mistakes

• Pulling the inhale in. The inhale should happen by itself. If you are gasping, slow down.
• Moving the shoulders and chest. Put a hand on the belly and one on the chest; only the lower hand should move.
• Going too fast too soon. Speed comes last, after rhythm and ease.
• Straining the face. A tight jaw and frown mean you are forcing it.
• Doing it on a full stomach. Wait two to three hours after a meal.

What it feels like

Warmth in the belly, a clear head and a sense of being awake are normal. So is a quiet, still pause after the last round, which many people find the most interesting part.

Light-headedness, tingling in the hands or a racing heart mean you have overdone it. Stop, breathe normally, and do fewer, slower exhales next time. Nothing is gained by pushing through.

Who should not do it

Kapalabhati raises pressure in the abdomen and, briefly, blood pressure. Leave it out if you are:

• pregnant, at any stage;
• living with high blood pressure, heart disease, or a history of stroke;
• dealing with a hernia, a stomach ulcer, or recent abdominal surgery;
• prone to epilepsy or frequent vertigo;
• managing glaucoma or a serious ear infection;
• menstruating, if your tradition advises against it;
• feeling anxious or panicky. Here it tends to make things worse. The long exhale in yoga for anxiety is the right tool instead.

If you have any medical condition and are unsure, ask your doctor before starting. For everyone else, gentler practices such as anuloma viloma, alternate-nostril breathing, are a good place to begin. They are set out in pranayama for beginners.

Common questions

How do you do kapalabhati breathing?

Sit tall, then snap the belly in sharply to push the breath out through the nose, and let the inhale happen by itself as the belly relaxes. Repeat at a steady rhythm for twenty to thirty exhales, then rest and breathe normally before the next round.

How many rounds of kapalabhati should a beginner do?

Three rounds of twenty to thirty exhales, with a full rest between rounds. Build towards fifty or sixty per round over several weeks, only while it stays comfortable.

Who should not do kapalabhati?

Anyone pregnant, with high blood pressure, heart disease, a history of stroke, a hernia, a stomach ulcer, recent abdominal surgery, epilepsy, frequent vertigo or glaucoma. It is also the wrong practice when you are anxious.

When is the best time to practise kapalabhati?

In the morning, on an empty stomach, before other breathing practices or meditation. Avoid it in the evening, because it is stimulating.