Welcome to Kapalabhati breath work,
Which translates to skull shining or shining skull breath.
It's a wonderful way to invigorate the entire system with oxygen and to flush out stale or stagnant energy,
To wake up your core,
Your digestive tract,
To get the heart really pumping.
I'll share my favorite tricks that help this exercise feel accessible for all levels.
Find yourself seated upright now in a chair or on the ground.
Start with a big inhale and a cleansing exhale.
Do your best to keep your body still and steady.
The only movement is in the low abdomen and it pulls in as you exhale.
Inhales will happen naturally.
There's no need to take big inhales in this breath work.
All the attention is on sharp exhales.
Our first round will be out the mouth,
Perhaps with a palm on your low belly for clearer feedback on the area we are connecting to.
It may sound like a dog panting.
I'll set a pace,
But always feel free to go a bit slower or maybe faster for a greater purge or if you want to build more heat.
Here we go.
Keep going.
Feel that heat in your low abdomen.
Feel the intensity while focusing on the breath.
Sharp exhales as your belly snaps in.
Continue for five more.
Now breathe in.
And a slow breath out.
Enjoy a couple of recovery breaths and notice.
Our next round will be with lips sealed and the same sharp exhales out your nose.
You always have the option to continue with breaths out your mouth as we just did.
Hand on low belly might be helpful again.
Tall spine.
Start with a big inhale.
And a cleansing exhale.
And here we go either out the nose or out the mouth.
You are mindfully purging and ridding your body of anything that stuck.
Five more rounds.
Breathe in.
A big breath out.
Stay curious about how you're doing now as you breathe in your own way.
For our third and final round,
We will try a different arm variation.
Remembering you can choose to continue with hand on low belly as well as exhales out your mouth.
Or try lifting your arms overhead and take them slightly wide in a V shape.
Give a thumbs up to the sky and curl your other fingers into your palms.
Pumping your low abdomen again with the rest of your body relaxed and steady.
Here we go.
Continue for five more rounds.
Now take a full breath in.
Lengthen your spine,
Stretch your arms up.
Keep inhaling and hook your thumbs overhead.
At the top of your inhale,
Hold.
Continue holding without creating hardness.
Keep holding and let relaxation spread through your body.
Gently exhale and rest your hands on your thighs or option for a hand elsewhere on your body that needs care.
Connect to the sensations that this practice triggers.
Notice and relax.
Acknowledge yourself and your commitment to this important work.
Offer some gratitude to your breath,
To this life force for its power.
And invite your whole being to soften,
To surrender for a final minute here.
I wish you well as you continue practicing out in life.
Let's connect again soon.
