Hatha YogaKapalabhati as a Shatkarma
Series of active exhales from the belly. One of the six classical shatkarmas: it ventilates the lungs, clears the nasal passages, and brings clarity to the mind. Practice in the morning on an empty stomach.
In the list of shatkarmas, kapalabhati sits alongside neti and trataka: hatha yoga counts it among the cleansing procedures rather than breathing exercises in the narrow sense. A run of active exhales through the nose clears out the nasal passages and wakes you up.
It's intermediate level. The practice is done in the morning on an empty stomach, before breakfast.
How to do it
- Sit with a straight spine. Take a calm breath in.
- Do thirty rhythmic, sharp exhales through your nose, pulling your belly in. The inhale is passive.
- After the series, take a deep breath in, exhale fully, and sit with natural breathing.
- Do three such rounds. Practice with the metronome in the Breathwork section.
More detail
If your nose is stuffy, blow it before the first round. After rinsing your nose with a neti pot, kapalabhati helps dry out the nasal passages. Sit tall with your knees lower than your hips; if your back slumps, put a cushion under your buttocks.
Each exhale comes from a quick contraction of the abdominal muscles, and your chest and shoulders stay out of it. The app's scheme is 3 rounds of 30 exhales, each followed by a deep inhale, a full exhale and a rest.
A metronome to keep the rhythm lives in the app's Breathing section. If you feel dizzy or your hands start to tingle, you're breathing too hard, so soften the exhales.
Benefits
Clears the airways, energizes, warms you up before practice
Cautions
- Hypertension
- Pregnancy
- Abdominal hernias
- Heart disease
- Menstruation
This site is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have pain, an injury, a chronic condition, or are pregnant, check with a qualified professional before practicing.
Questions
How is the shatkarma version different from the pranayama? The technique is identical. The pranayama section presents it as a breathing practice; here it's a morning cleansing routine. For more on the breath itself, see the pranayama page.
How many rounds does a session include? The app uses three rounds of thirty exhales. Beginners can start with shorter rounds, as long as the pace stays even.
Why on an empty stomach? The belly muscles contract hard and fast, which is uncomfortable after a meal. That's why the practice is scheduled for the morning, before you eat.