Loading ...Kapalbhati – Polish Your Skull
A great boon to the practice of yoga is the positive effect that is has on the mind-body, allowing us to better overcome extreme emotion and stress. The breathing techniques used in yogic practice are naturally soothing and calming; the cleansing breath, or kapalbhati in Sanskrit, is used exclusively for this purpose.
Kapalbhati means literally to “polish the skull” in its original Sanskrit, giving a pointed suggestion as to its purpose. Using this breathing technique to cleanse and detox your busy mind, you will find almost instantly that its effects are great and wondrous.
Performing kapalbhati is technically quite easy, though it is important that it is performed correctly in order to obtain the best results. Follow these basic instructions as you prepare to practice:
Take a seat in any position that keeps your spine erect and your body relaxed; I personally find the cross-legged and vajrasana positions have the most beneficial effect. Relax yourself and breathe deeply, closing your eyes and feeling the movement of the breath as you clear your mind. Once you feel fully composed, begin to exercise the diaphragm by exhaling your breath quickly through the nostrils, allowing the in and out of your breathing to remain natural and easy. A general rule of thumb for the beginner is to practice each type of breathing for about seven cycles, allowing the body to gradually warm up to the process. Be aware of the breath deep in your belly and use the upper chest as little as possible.
If you find your breath becoming ragged or broken at any time during the practice, take a break and compose yourself again; the benefits of kapalbhati will not be felt if the body is not relaxed.
What are some of the obvious benefits of kapalbhati?
The powerful breath created in this practice leads to great energy, cleaning and purifying the nasal passage, throat and lungs. The effects on the mind are immediate; relaxation replaces worry, clearness replaces clutter, calmness replaces stress.
Regular and increased practice will help you to maintain these benefits even outside of your practice, allowing you to go through your daily life with the same serenity and clearness of mind that you feel while in seated meditation.
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6 Easy Ways to Practice Meditation
Meditation is a wonderful practice whose undertaking can result in unmatched peace, spiritual growth and the creation of organic mindfulness and compassion. So why doesn’t everyone meditate? One of the most prominent reasons that people cite is that sitting cross-legged on the floor is neither comfortable nor feasible considering the busy lives that many of us lead. Lucky for all of us, meditation most definitely does not require one to sit on the floor or in any other particular position. Here are six easy ways to meditate, none of them placing you on the hardwood:
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Walking Meditation
One of my favorite ways to relax and reconnect with nature and spirit is through walking meditation. Keep a slow, easy pace and focus your mind inward. Continue to contemplate the things you see, being mindful of every step, every sound, every sight and every thought and use the peaceful position of your mind to look inward at the same time. A 10 minute walk performed in this manner will help you to feel more relaxed and can result in beautiful insight as well.
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In Bed
Another great way for the busy folks among us to meditate is to do so while lying comfortably in bed. Wait for the kids to hit the sack and your partner to settle in if necessary and than stretch out on your back, close your eyes, and let your mind’s eye drift inwards. If sleep overtakes you, consider the practice a success in allowing your body to fall to rest more easily. If you are able to lie awake for 10 or 15 minutes, spend the time simply emptying your mind of concerns and worries and focus on the current moment instead, observing your mind and thoughts.
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In a Chair
One of the main reasons that so many of us choose to practice seated meditation is the natural effect that the position itself has on the body, lengthening the spine and allow our body to settle. Many people suffer physically in this position because of the knots in their body, their body shape or constant discomfort that makes it difficult to relax and focus. Using a comfortable chair to sit upright is an easy way to mimic the benefits of seated meditation while avoiding the discomfort of a hard floor.
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Utilize Nature
If you have an hour for lunch, spend half of it resting your bottom on a grassy knoll or beneath a tree, utilizing the many physical comforts found naturally every where we go. You can lie in the grass beneath the sun, rest your back against a strong tree or sit cross-legged on the bank of a river or on a beach; mindfulness and inward focus are the keys and these positions all make that possible.
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Yogic Mindfulness
Practicing yoga on a regular basis is much easier than committing to a meditative practice for many people and, if you are one of those folks, you can simply combine the two! The smooth, flowing movements of yoga naturally lead to a more peaceful and relaxed mind and you can utilize that relaxation by turning your mind inward while you practice. Focus solely on your yogi breath; allow yourself to be compelled to sit and continue meditation if you feel the urge!
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Grab a Cushion!
The most important early discovery that the Buddha made was that denying the body what it requires is tantamount to sabotaging the path to awakening. He chose instead the middle way, a path of moderation without indulgence. While some schools of thought encourage practitioners to sit on a hard floor (some monks sleep on beds of nails as well), it is absolutely alright to give your body a higher level of comfort while you meditate. If you’ve sat in meditative position on a hard floor and given up, try the same position again, this time with a pillow under your bum; the difference will amaze you and potentially rekindle your desire to increase mindfulness through seated meditation.
photo by Give a Dam
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