Kapalbhati

Sthiti: Any meditative posture eg Suḳāsana/Padmāsana/Vajrāsana

Technique
• Sit in any meditative posture.
• Close the eyes and relax the whole body.
• Inhale deeply through both nostrils, expand the chest.
• Expel the breath with forceful contractions of the abdominal muscles and relax. Do not strain.
• Continue active/forceful exhalation and passive inhalation.
• Complete 30 rapid breaths, then take a deep breath and exhale slowly.
• This is one round of Kapālabhāti.
• Each round shall be followed by deep breathing.
• Repeat 2 more rounds.

Breathing: Forceful exhalation by contracting the abdominal muscles, without any undue movements in the chest and shoulder region. Inhalation should be passive throughout the practice.

Number of rounds: Beginners can practice up to 3 rounds of 20 breaths each. The count and rounds can be increased gradually over a period of time.

Benefits
• Kapālabhāti purifies the frontal air sinuses; helps to overcome cough disorders.
• It is useful in treating cold, rhinitis, sinusitis, asthma and bronchial infections.
• It rejuvenates whole body, and keeps the face young and vibrant.
• It balances and strengthens the nervous system and tones up the digestive system.

A word of caution
• Please avoid this practice in case of cardiac conditions and giddiness, high blood pressure, vertigo, chronic bleeding in the nose, epilepsy, migraine, stroke, hernia and gastric ulcers.

Courtesy: http://www.nhp.gov.in/international-d...