Kapalbhati: kapala -skull bhati- shining
A technique for cleaning the sinuses and other respiratory passages, it also stimulates the digestive organs and abdominal muscles. Kapalbhati floods the body with O2 and prana and has an energising effect on the nervous system.
After a couple of deep natural breaths the student exhales quickly and forcefully through the nose by contracting the abdominal muscles. After exhaling the muscles are relaxed and the inhale happens by itself, the air being drawn in by the relaxing of the diaphragm. It can help to imagine trying to blow out a candle with air from the nose, using only the force of the abdominal contraction then relax. The inhalation is active followed by a passive inhale. At first the rhythm will be slow but when the process is mastered then the rhythm can be increased until there are more than one breath a second.
Around a minute or two of this technique is plenty to start with, excessive dizziness should be avoided.
This practice is not suitable for people with high blood pressure.