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Sequence: Kapalbhati should be practised after asanas or
neti and immediately before pratyahara and dharana meditation techniques. It may be performed at any time of day but should only be practised on an empty stomach,
3 to 4 hours after meals. Precautions: If pain or dizziness is experienced, stop the
practice and sit quietly for some time. When the sensation has passed, recommence the practice with more awareness and less force. If the problem continues, consult a yoga
teacher. Contra-indications: Kapalbhati should not be practised by those
suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, vertigo,
epilepsy, stroke, hernia or gastric ulcer. Benefits: Kapalbhati purifies ida and pingala nadis, and also
removes sensory distractions from the mind. It is used to energise the mind for mental work, to remove sleepiness and to prepare the mind for meditation. It has a similar cleansing effect on the lungs to bhastrika and is, therefore, a good practice for asthmatics and those suffering from emphysema, bronchitis and tuberculosis. After a few months of proper preparation, it can be effective for women to use during childbirth. It balances and strengthens the nervous system and tones the digestive organs. For spiritual aspirants, this practice arrests thoughts and
visions. Practice note: Although kapalbhati is similar to bhastrika, there
are important differences. Bhastrika uses force on both inhalation and exhalation, expanding and contracting the lungs above and below their resting or basic volume. Kapalbhati, on the other hand, actively reduces the volume of air in the lungs below this level through forced exhalation. In this practice, inhalation remains a passive process which brings the level of air in the lungs back to the basic volume only. This way of breathing reverses the normal breathing process which involves active inhalation and passive exhalation.
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