Hi,
Thank you for being here.
I'd like to do one of my favorite breath practices with you,
Which is called Kapalabhati.
You may also know it as breath of fire or skull cleansing breath.
This is a beautiful purification technique that when done inhaling and exhaling solely through the nostrils,
Works to move stagnant energy out of the body and begins to create space between the thoughts.
I really love this practice first thing in the morning before sitting in meditation or really anytime I feel negative energy in my body and want to move it out.
For this practice,
We will be inhaling and exhaling through the nostrils.
The inhales will happen effortlessly while the exhales happen forcefully.
And I always like to place a palm on my belly so I can feel the pumping motion.
It is important to mention that if you're pregnant,
Please do not do this practice as it does involve rapid,
Forceful,
And repeated exhales.
Additionally,
This practice might not feel comfortable if you are currently on your menstrual cycle.
If this is you,
You are still more than welcome here and I hope you stay.
You are always welcome to continue with grounding and cleansing breaths.
Let's begin with cleansing breath.
If you have not done so,
Yet go ahead and close your eyes down and relax your shoulders down your back and take an inhale deeply through the nose filling your belly and chest and exhale slowly through the mouth.
One more time.
Take a deep inhale through your nose filling all the way up and exhale slowly through the mouth.
We're now emptying all of the air out of your body.
Seal your lips,
Place a hand on your belly and take a big breath in through the nose filling up the diaphragm about three quarters of the way up and begin to exhale forcefully through the nose and begin pumping the navel to the spine for a count of 60.
Good.
Keep going.
You're almost there and exhale completely through the nose and as you empty the breath,
Pull the belly in toward the spine.
Tuck the chin down towards the chest,
Engaging your throat lock and hold.
Lift your chin,
Inhale through your nose and at the top of your inhale,
Tuck your chin and hold once again.
Lift your chin and exhale fully out of your mouth and return to your natural rhythm of breath.
We're going to do one more round,
But let's begin again with a cleansing breath.
Inhale deeply through your nose,
Filling your belly all the way up and exhale slowly through the mouth to let it go and now emptying all the air out of your body.
Seal your lips,
Keep that hand on your belly and take a big breath in through the nose filling up the diaphragm about three quarters of the way up and exhale forcefully through the nose pumping the navel to the spine for a count of 60.
Good.
Challenge the edges of your comfort zone.
Your breath has got you and now exhale completely through the nose and as you empty the breath,
Pull the belly in toward the spine,
Tuck the chin towards the chest,
Engage your throat lock and hold and lift your chin and inhale all the way up and at the top of your inhale,
Tuck your chin and hold the breath once again.
With your lungs completely filled here,
See if you can surrender into the stillness.
Notice your breath's journey throughout the torso and if resistance arises,
Simply observe it.
Lift your chin and exhale out with control and bring your breath back to your own grounding rhythm here.
Gently begin to come back into your surroundings,
Beginning to warm your neck around as well as your ankles,
Your wrists,
And gently begin to blink open your eyes.
And as we come to the end of our practice,
I encourage you to complete a couple more rounds of Kabbalah Bhatti at 60 breaths per round.
Maybe even sit in meditation afterwards,
Noticing any little shifts of energy that may have taken place.
I hope you feel a bit more energized and ready to take on the day.
Namaste.
Namaste.
