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tamasaburo
USA
136 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 09 2009 : 12:49:36 AM
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The Bikram Yoga class I've been taking lately ends with a pranayama called "kapalbhati breathing" which I'm sure many of you know. Basically, you sit in a kneeling position and rapidly exhale through your mouth as your lips make an "o" and you contract your stomach.
This reminds me of the spinal bhastrika pranayama Yogani describes in AYP, though obviously with exhalations through the mouth rather than the nose and no visualizing the spinal nerve. Are there other fundamental differences or are they otherwise similar?
I've also been wondering about bhastrika--when Yogani says that only the diaphragm is moving does he mean that literally only that little band of muscle under the lungs is moving or more that that is the focus but the abdominals will often move somewhat? I feel I have a strong tendency to move the abs in and out somewhat in bhastrika a la kapalbhati, but maybe this is a mistake? Also, is the emphasis more on the inhale in bhastrika as compared to kapalbhati? Or is it just more evenly distributed between inhale and exhale (while kapalbhati focuses very much on exhale)?
Thanks for any comments or insights. |
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yogani
USA
5201 Posts |
Posted - Dec 09 2009 : 10:11:00 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by tamasaburo
I've also been wondering about bhastrika--when Yogani says that only the diaphragm is moving does he mean that literally only that little band of muscle under the lungs is moving or more that that is the focus but the abdominals will often move somewhat? I feel I have a strong tendency to move the abs in and out somewhat in bhastrika a la kapalbhati, but maybe this is a mistake? Also, is the emphasis more on the inhale in bhastrika as compared to kapalbhati? Or is it just more evenly distributed between inhale and exhale (while kapalbhati focuses very much on exhale)?
Yes, it is really the diaphragm that does it, like a dog panting. People have tried to do bastrika with all the other muscles (abs, chest, etc.), but in the end it is the diaphragm that does it easily. It just takes some practice to develop the diaphragm panting habit.
It is different for kapalbhati, which also relies on the abdominals and chest for rapid expulsion of air. The two practices have different purposes -- kapalbhati for brain cleansing, and spinal bastrika (in AYP) for spinal nerve cleansing.
Kapalbhati is covered along with the other shatkarmas in the AYP Diet, Shatkarmas and Amaroli book, and in online Lesson 316.
Spinal and targeted bastrika are covered in multiple online lessons (see topic index), and in the AYP Easy Lessons book.
All the best!
The guru is in you.
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HathaTeacher
Sweden
382 Posts |
Posted - Dec 09 2009 : 10:23:06 AM
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Hi Tamasaburo,
yes, Kapalabhati ('the shining skull') in general is active exhalation & passive almost-automatic inhalation, whereas Bhastrika ('breath of fire') is evenly active in both.
Another difference between them, in yoga styles such as Kundalini yoga, is that bhastrika can be made a little faster and less deep, for example while holding a challenging asana for some time or driving a movement such as rocking back and forth in Dhanurasana (the Bow). The depth of Kapalabhati makes it more suitable when the breathing is to be followed by Kumbhaka (retention), to oxygenate the blood first.
Restricting the movement of the abs in Bhastrika will make it even less deep. Most schools use the abs in Kapalabhati, making the exhalation deep enough to trigger a natural automatic inhalation, so the hint to stay still is usually meant to prevent movement in other parts (shoulders, neck, spine moving back and forth, etc.). Of course when your intestines aren't empty, it's good to minimize the abs movement too  even if it makes the exh. less deep. |
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tamasaburo
USA
136 Posts |
Posted - Dec 09 2009 : 11:12:37 AM
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| Hi, thank you, Yogani and Hathateacher. I had forgotten that the "shining forehead" AYP exercise was actually Kapalbhati. I'll give that one another try and try focusing more on just the diaphragm in Bastrika. |
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Lavazza
69 Posts |
Posted - Dec 09 2009 : 6:10:49 PM
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For me KB is active exhalations using the lower abdominals and passive inhalations just from relaxing the same muscles. The desired rate is 120 breaths per minute. The exhalation takes 2-3 times longer than the inhalation. Bhastrika is 10-40 KB followed by a slow inhalation, kumbhaka (according to your teachers recommendations) and exhalation for double the time of the inhalation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd--NTii-L8
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Lavazza
69 Posts |
Posted - Dec 09 2009 : 6:21:25 PM
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Inhalation through right nostril, exhalation through right nostril, like in Surya Bhedana.
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Bhastrika versus Kapalbhati
