Kapalbhati is not a pranayama technique as it does not include Kumbhaka: it is a cleansing technique and is listed among the shatkarmas. Kapalbhati means ‘shining skull’. This refers to the impact (cleansing effect) it has on the frontal part of the brain.
Kapalbhati should be practiced after natural breathing but before pranayama proper.
All breathing is through the nose.
Technique
Sit with your back straight and eyes closed. Your hands can rest palms down or palms up on top of your thighs. Start by taking 2 full yogic breaths, making sure to inhale and exhale fully and completely. On the next inhalation, inhale 50% and then begin kapalbhati.
With kapalbhati, you breathe only with the abdomen and the chest and shoulders should not move. Inhalation is passive. Air is drawn into the lungs by letting the stomach relax. This provides room for the bottom part of the lungs to expand, creating a vacuum that is filled by the incoming air. Exhalation should be quick and is achieved by pulling the abdomen in sharply which forces the air to be expelled. Once the exhalation is complete the abdomen should again be relaxed and the cycle begins again.
Take your time with this technique. Start by doing 5×10 breaths, letting the breathing return to normal in between each set of 10. Once you are comfortable with this you can gradually increase speed and duration.
Contraindications
This technique should not be practised by anyone who has had a stroke or has heart disease, high blood pressure, vertigo, epilepsy, gastric ulcer, or hernia. Also, kapalbhati is not recommended during pregnancy.