Yoga: Ascetic discipline-Lead a healthy lifestyle| Limelight

YOGA: the union, fosters harmony
in the body, mind, and environment.

What is Yoga

Yoga, in Sanskrit: yog, affirms the development of a complete system of physical, mental,
social, and spiritual wellbeing. Sprouted in ancient India. Yoga is one of the six Āstika
(orthodox) schools of Hindu philosophical traditions.
Photo by Lucas Pezeta from Pexels
Yoga has been considered as an exercise by the western world, which largely consists
of the postures or yoga asanas, gained prominence in the west after being first introduced
by Swami Vivekananda in the 20th century. Especially referred to as a posture-based
physical fitness, yoga poses stress-release and relaxation techniques done on yoga mats.

Fostering harmony in the body, mind, and environment is the significant objective of yoga.
You can play a lite yoga music for concentration.
Here we will discuss Kapalbhati pranayama and a full explanation of kapalbhati only otherwise
blog will be long. These are easy for beginners in yoga.

KAPALBHATI PRANAYAMA
English- Skull
Shining Breath (kapala = skull, bhati = shining light).
from Pexels

Kapalabhati is considered to be the most important pranayama. Pranayama is a type of yoga
where it deals with breathing, known as "control of breath" which aims at bringing more
oxygen inside the body and expelling negative energy. Kapalabhati is an ancient internal body
cleansing technique/exercise, a purification in hatha yoga also called the breath of fire,
which promotes overall well-being and good health. It is named so because practicing
Kapalbhati boosts mental health and prosper intellect.

Kapalabhati steps include short, rapid, and strong exhalations and slow inhalation.
Here is a video on Kapalbhati by Baba Ramdev. It is better to practice yog in open air.

Steps of Kapalabhati

The learning and practice of Kapalabhati is not rocket science, one can easily learn it
through practice. The steps to do Kapalbhati pranayama are as follows:

Step 1

Sit in a cross-legged position on the floor placing your hands on your knees with the palms
facing the sky/roof. Now touch the tips of your thumbs with your index finger making a
hangsashyaha mudra.

Step 2
Keeping a mild smile on face inhale deeply and calmly with both nostrils filling the lungs
with air. Focus on the lower belly while doing this.

Step 3

In the next step, you will exhale the air by powerful contractions of the lower belly (between
the pubis and navel), pulling in your stomach such that raising your diaphragm, contracting
your abdominal organelle which pushes air out of the lungs. You can place your hand on your
belly to feel the contraction.

Now relax with forceful exhale in a short time and follow this with immediate and automatic,
normal inhalation. Inhales are the result of the release of this contraction, which takes in the
air back to the lungs. As you release your abdomen, you will be able to feel your lungs filling
up with air.

Step 4

At first Pace, yourself slowly with one exhale-inhale cycle every second or two. Repeat eight
to 10 times, gradually increase the number of cycles you perform. Rest for a while after this in
the same pose followed by 10 minutes of meditation.

photo by PEXELS

Forms of Kapalbhati

There are three forms of Kapalabhati:

1. Vatakrama kapalabhati: In this type, a yogi practice breathing by sitting in a cross leg
position. It is quite similar to 'bhastrika’ only deference is in this form of Pranayama, your
inhalation should be passive and exhalation should be active.

2. Vyutkrama kapalabhati: This form of Kapalbhati includes water sniffing through the
nostrils, includes water sniffing through the nostrils, let it go into your mouth,and spitting
out through the mouth, a practice similar to Jala neti.

3. Sheetkrama kapalabhati: This form is opposite of Vyutkrama kapalabhati, in this
form water is taken through the mouth and expelled via the nose. kapalabhati, in this
form water is taken through the mouth and expelled via thenose.

from Pexels

Benefits of Practising Kapalbhati !
There are endless benefits to this pranayama. Some of them are as follows:

Benefits overall health:
It is said that kapalabhati improves the strength of the immune system to fight against
foreign elements and keep the body healthy
.
It helps in weight loss by reducing abdominal fat, helps with toning of abdominal muscles,
and increasing core abdominal strength. It gets rid of heartburn, acidity, and gas.

It is too much helpful for a diabetes patient, it lowers the blood sugar by stimulating the
pancreas to produce sufficient insulin, results in the reduction of stress, which is a significant
barrier to effective blood sugar control.

This improves the functioning of your kidneys and liver with regular practice.
It can cure uterine fibroids.
It is soothing for eyes and gradually removes under eyes dark circles.
One can find relief from constipation with regular practice of kapalabhati
Practicing this pranayama can also cure insomnia.
The regular practice of pranayama improves blood circulation.
It can cure irregularity and problems of menstrual cycles and prevent menstrual cramps
It increases the capacity of your lungs and makes them strong.
Increases your body’s calcium levels and strengthens bones.

2. Benefits of Mental health

· It helps in dealing with depression and boosts the production of endorphins,
making you feel positive.

· Helpful for the students as it works as stress- relief and brightens your
intellectual,

· Improving concentration and memory.

· Stimulate the nerves, de-clutter your mind, and energies the brain cells.

· Kapalbhati Pranayama can calm your mind and provide you with a sense of
balance.
Benefits the Hair
· It stops hair loss by increasing the blood flow to the scalp and strengthening the
hair roots.

· Kapalbhati exercise also prevents premature greying of hair.

Benefits the Skin

· With proper practice of this pranayama, acne can be prevented and even cured.

· It can clear clogged skin pores, thus clarifying the skin and gives you a radiant
glow.

· Detoxify the body by generating heat and dissolving them and slowdowns the
process of aging.

Precautions for Doing Kapalbhati Pranayama!

Kapalbhati pranayama should be practiced with proper care, and there are several
precautions that you must take while doing this:
• Learn basic pranayama before practicing Kapalbhati as it is an advanced pranayama
technique and trying this without proper knowledge can do more harm than good.

• Ideal to practice early in the morning on an empty stomach.

• Avoid doing Kapalbhati during your menstrual period. Pregnant women should also avoid
doing Kapalbhati as forceful abdominal muscle contraction may harm the unborn baby.

• Avoid Kapalbhati if you have a slipped disc.

• Wait for at least 30 minutes after a Kapalbhati Pranayama session before taking food.

• People who have high blood pressure should restrict their rate of Kapalbhati. Do at slow rates.
• Kapalbhati may aggravate ulcers. So if you have ulcers, be careful while practicing the
technique and check with your doctor as well as your yoga teacher whether it is safe for
you.

Ujjayi Pranayama Also Known As Ocean Breath

This pranayama creates vibrations in the larynx which ultimately stimulate sensory receptors
that signal the vagus nerve which results in the feeling of peace. It can be related to soft &
calming sounds like ocean waves, and it further enhances the relaxation response of slow
breathing.
How to do this
Sit in lotus pose and inhale through your nose, then open your mouth and making a “haa”
sound exhale slowly. Try this a few times.Here is a video link for the steps.

Nadi Shodhana Pranayama
This is alternating between the right and left nostrils as you inhale and exhale “unblocks and
purifies the nadis, which in are energy passages yogic belief that carry life force and cosmic
energy through the body,”. And a study of 90 people with high blood pressure found Nadi
Shodhana lowered blood pressure and improved mental focus.

How to do
Seat in a Comfortable asana. Lightly press and close your right nostril with your thumb
and inhale through your left nostril.
As a second step close the left nostril with your ring finger. Open your right nostril and
exhale slowly through it.
Inhale through the right nostril then close it. Open your left nostril and exhale slowly through
it. That completes one cycle. Repeat 3–5 times.

Hi! You are at the end of this article! Hope this article be helpful for you.
Photo by Felipe Borges from Pexels

Bellow are two recommendations for good books on yoga.