What is fire breathing in yoga. Fiery breath of kapalabhati - an exercise to enlighten the head and the whole body

What is the breath of fire, why is it so beneficial for health and self-development, and what should be expected from regular practice?

Breath of fire (agni pranayama) - fast, rhythmic diaphragmatic breathing. It helps to cleanse the body, especially the lungs, of toxins and toxins, strengthens the immune system, and expands the lungs.

How to do breath of fire?

Perform the breath of fire very quickly and rhythmically, without pauses between inhalation and exhalation. The practitioner exhales due to a sharp retraction of the abdomen inward and upward. At the same time, the abdominal organs press on the diaphragm from below, causing it to rise, expelling air from the lungs.

Inhalation occurs automatically when the abdominal muscles relax. The diaphragm then moves down, allowing air to fill the lungs.

To master the breathing practice, it is first recommended to perform in slow pace by controlling abdominal movement and immobility chest hands.

Execution technique

1. The practitioner sits cross-legged or in a chair, placing one hand on the abdomen and the other on the chest.

2. Slightly draws the abdomen in and up, pushing the air out through the nostrils. The diaphragm rises slightly. Hand movements during breathing will help to understand the correct technique.

3. Then the practitioner slightly relaxes the abdomen - air automatically enters through the lungs.

Breathing should be performed at a rate of 2-3 inhalations / exhalations per second (slight variations are possible).

When the breath of fire is mastered and the practitioner can easily perform the technique without the help of hands, then on next step mastering the technique, he is recommended to perform agni pranayama in such asanas¹, where the position of the chest is fixed in one way or another.

For example, sitting in a cross-legged pose, with the arms raised vertically up above the head (fingers interlaced into the lock). Or in backbend poses such as Camel Pose or Cobra Pose.

Rules for the practice of agni pranayama

Mastering the fire breathing technique, the practitioner should know a few basic rules:

Begin the breath of fire in a position where the chest is slightly raised.
The head must be kept straight; the chin is slightly drawn to the neck. This position of the spine facilitates the access of energy to the head due to the fact that the neck and spine form one straight line.
Breathing is carried out only due to the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. Top part the chest remains motionless.
On inhalation, the stomach protrudes forward, on exhalation it retracts.
Inhalation and exhalation are equal in duration and intensity! If you focus on one thing, then there will be an energy imbalance.

Women during menstruation are not recommended to perform agni pranayama, as well as other breathing practices².

What is the benefit of Breath of Fire?

Agni pranayama:

Increases the working volume of the lungs.
It cleanses the lungs of toxins, as well as the walls of blood vessels.
Performs intensive massage of internal organs.
Strengthens the nervous system and increases.
Strengthens the immune system.
Restores balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
Synchronizes the internal rhythms of all organs and parts of the body.
Helps to get rid of bad addictions such as addiction to drugs and smoking³.

Proper breathing of fire brings health to the entire body, cleanses the energy channels, and ensures the unhindered circulation of energy in the body. It serves as a good basis for mastering the technique of deep slow breathing.

BEST ACTION You must learn to minimize your actions. Talk less, eat less, sleep less, think less, fuss less and run back and forth. The less we do, the more space of awareness arises. It is impossible to do nothing at all; Being in human body we are doomed to action. Most people spend their lives in a continuous bustle, uttering millions of unnecessary words, losing themselves in countless useless thoughts, performing an infinite number of meaningless actions and body movements. In fact, all this is not necessary. You need to learn how to do it right. The right action is the appropriate response to the situation that arises. There is no need to take the initiative, in the intervals between active situations one must learn to live in calm inaction. From this inaction, having saved and accumulated energy, you emerge into the right action. This action flows out of your right inner state. The flow of change never stops. Life continuously creates more and more new situations to which one has to respond and react in one way or another. What is an appropriate response to a situation? This means responding to emerging change with the minimum of resources. If you are asked about something ─ answer as briefly and clearly as possible. If you are asked for help, do what you can without clucking and kicking up dust. If you need to go somewhere or do something ─ do it without doing a million unnecessary and unnecessary things. If you need to think about or decide something ─ think it over and decide without being distracted by extraneous thoughts, and hit right on target. If there is no situation that prompts you to act, do not worry and do not worry, it will definitely come. Use the time of inactivity for rest, recuperation, meditation, just being at peace. Sometimes you don't know how to react to a situation that arises. Then do nothing. Action is born from inaction. Everything must have its time, and any situation, as well as your reaction to it, must mature. Let some time pass, and you will see what and how to do or not to do. Never rush or get nervous. Loss of nervous energy takes life. By all means, learn to remain calm in all situations of life and death. Get it at any cost. However, when it is time to act, act without hesitation and without delay. Throw yourself into action at once, completely, surrender to it totally with your whole being. Do everything as well as you can without losing your calmness and confidence. Keep your mind clear, don't let doubt or uncertainty cloud it. When you feel them coming, focus on the clear, clean, empty center within you and intensify the experience. A clear mind will absorb doubts and insecurities and dissolve them into itself. Learn to find joy both in peace and in action. Look at everything that happens and everything you do as a game. Feel the joy of Lord Shiva playing with his universe through you. Detect action in inaction and inaction in action. Realize the unity of both. Feel the immovable center in everything, this will help you discover the ancient truth of Advaita: nothing ever happens. And, at the same time, everything is happening ─ everywhere and always. Movement occurs in stillness, peace exists in movement. See the world as a field of infinite energy, the source of which is inexhaustible. Everything is energy, overflowing and flowing from one form to another. Find energy in rest and weariness, in love and hate, in the hot sun of the south and in the icy deserts of the north. Bathe in this energy, drink it, become it yourself. Perceiving the Universe as an infinite playing and dancing Shakti, you first feel like her child, and then merge with her and, in the end, become her center and source. Assimilated to Shakti, dissolving in her movement and uniting with her power, you turn all your actions into impeccable dance movements. Your every word is on point, your every movement is filled with strength and joy, your every thought is only about Her. Ilya Belyaev "Freedom to be"

The name of this technique is made up of two words: Kapala (skull) and Bhaki (to clean or make sparkling). Literally translated, Kapalabhati means "cleaning the skull." It sounds a little strange, but in fact, this means clearing the mind and pranic (energy) channels. According to ancient texts, this breath has such a powerful effect on a person that it can even change his karma.

How to perform?

For correct execution Kapalabhati needs to take a comfortable position for you, but remember that during practice, the back must remain straight. Most practitioners do this breathing exercise while seated in Vajrasana, Siddhasana, or Padmasana; You can also try to take one of the mentioned positions, but if you feel uncomfortable in them, then pick up some other more suitable for you. Relax your facial muscles and close your eyes.

After you have completed all of the above, close the thumb and forefinger on both hands in the Jnana Mudra (Knowledge mudra). The hands should be placed on the knees, and the hands themselves should be relaxed as much as possible.

Breathe only through the nose. At the very beginning of the exercise, all your attention should be focused on breathing, which should be calm and even. At the end of each exhalation, you need to quickly and strongly squeeze abdominal muscles which allows you to quickly exhale the air remaining in the lungs. The stomach itself must be drawn in towards the spine, and the exhalation must be as powerful and complete as possible.

Inhalation after a powerful exhalation should be passive and short. In order for the breath to turn out to be correct, the abdominal muscles should be relaxed.

What do you need to pay attention to?

The only part of the body that should move during the practice of Kapalabhati is the abdomen; however, his muscles should not be strongly strained.
The chest should remain motionless; facial muscles should be completely relaxed.
During the practice of Kapalabhati, the main emphasis should be on abdominal breathing. To do this, you will need to learn how to compress the abdominal muscles during exhalation, and relax them during inhalation.
You need to make sure that the diaphragm always remains soft.
Beginners are strongly advised to monitor the smoothness of inhalation and exhalation force.

Speaking briefly about Kapalabhati, it can be described as follows: first you need to exhale sharply through the nose, and then passively inhale. When exhaling, the stomach is drawn in, thereby pushing air out of the lungs, and when inhaling, it relaxes, allowing the lungs to fill.

How many sets should be done?

If you are a beginner, then your norm is: 3 sets of 10 breaths. After completing each approach, you should take a break (usually no more than one and a half to two minutes), and then with an even and deep breathing start the next cycle.

Over time, the number of breaths for each approach increases to 108 times. Regardless of how much you have been practicing Kapalbhati, each time you need to perform three approaches (no more and no less). The time of day that is best for this exercise- morning.

Which positive effects renders Kapalabhati?

This breathing practice tones the body, removes toxins, and also cleanses the energy channels.
It has a good effect on the nervous system - the brain begins to work better, and the mood rises.
Naturally, the abdominal muscles are strengthened.
There is a massage of the internal organs.
Improves digestion.

Contraindications

This breathing practice is prohibited for people suffering from the following ailments:

hypertension;
lung diseases;
abdominal hernia;
cardiovascular diseases.

In addition, Kapalaphati should not be done by women during menstruation and pregnancy.

The ability to breathe naturally and the importance of this aspect for gaining the physical and spiritual health of a person. Yogi breathing and the powerful healing power of yogic breathing practices, the concept of "prana". Varieties of yoga breathing: full, fiery breathing, breathing for weight loss, therapeutic effect. The impact of breathing practices on human life in general.

For all the peoples inhabiting the globe, the relationship between a healthy body and the ability to breathe properly is equally clear. Proper breathing does not need to be learned - this gift, along with the gift to live, is given to us by nature itself. But today, not every person has retained the natural ability to breathe correctly. Experts say that just one generation of people who breathe correctly could revive the human race. The savage and the child breathe correctly, but for a civilized person things are not so simple. Modern man walks, stands and sits in such a way that the possibility of natural and correct breathing is reduced to a minimum. To return lost opportunities to a person, yoga breathing exercises come to our aid. In Western culture, it is known that the air contains the components necessary for life, without which the body cannot exist. But that is not all. Indian yoga they know that with air a stream of vital force, which is called prana, penetrates into a person. Thanks to the rhythmic breathing process, one can connect with the harmonious vibrations of nature and develop latent dormant possibilities in oneself.

Some Varieties of Yogic Breathing

Full yoga breath

The full breath of yogis is like the alphabet for beginners, it launches the whole process into the process. respiratory system, not a single point of it is left without attention. Exercise should be done carefully, without exposing yourself to overexertion.

When performing this exercise, it is necessary that the air enter and exit smoothly during inhalation and exhalation. There should be no jumps, breaks, delays from one movement to another.

If you experiment by doing the exercise in front of a mirror, which is suitable for beginners, then from the side, the full breath of yogis is a single wavy line.

First, in order for beginners to move on to mastering the “Full Yogi Breathing” exercise, you need to exhale completely.

Technique full breath performed lying down in Savasana. They inhale, inflating the stomach, this stage is called lower breathing. Further, the stomach, as it were, stops and transmits the movement upwards, the area is turned on solar plexus and the edges of the ribs widen a little. This element is like a middle breath. In the third stage, i.e., with upper breathing, the air moves up and the entire chest expands. At the last stage of the technique, when inhaling, the clavicles are slightly raised. You need to exhale in the same way: first, the air is released, blowing off the stomach, from the lower part of the lungs, then from the chest, and then from the upper part. For beginners, we can add that the described stages of the exercise are conditional, this is a single technique, divided only for clarity. This breathing practice is considered the basis and is the most effective, accompanied by a powerful therapeutic effect on the body.

fire breath

There is one great exercise related to . This breathing practice is called the breath of fire. If you feel that your body is too tense and you want to loosen up, breaking free, then in this case it is proposed to familiarize yourself with the fiery breath. The fear of the new, the unknown does not let us go beyond the limits of our world of life, and you so want to break out. What to do with fear, which becomes an insurmountable obstacle for us? Breath of fire is shallow, rapid breathing through the nose. It is important here to breathe with a relaxed diaphragm, and to ensure that the time interval of inhalation and exhalation coincide. The duration of Breath of Fire is 5-10 minutes. But try to focus on your own sense of comfort and well-being. Beginners need to choose a fire breathing time of 1-2 minutes. The breath of fire not only removes fears and relaxes the body, it improves metabolic processes, strengthens the body's defenses.

Breath for weight loss

To one of the most effective ways weight loss refers to the breath of yogis. The path to weight loss, from the point of view of yoga, begins with the correct execution of inhalation and exhalation, and diet and exercise are already connected to this. For beginners who want to lose weight, you need to master the full yogic breathing.

People who practice yoga exercises claim that this practice can be learned in a few weeks, but it takes a lifetime to perfect it. Therefore, beginners should not worry if something does not work out on their first attempts, because there is still a lot of time ahead.

What triggers the weight loss process? enrich your blood with oxygen, which speeds up metabolic processes, fat is burned, so you lose weight. The respiratory organs are healed, become stronger, the volume of the lungs increases. Blood pressure returns to normal, the work of the cardiovascular system improves, and the overall resistance of the body increases. Thanks to yoga pranayamas, metabolic processes return to normal, and toxins are released. Your general well-being and mood improve, you feel toned and in shape. There is a theory that overweight appears when a person needs protection and therefore gains overweight enhancing your own security. With the help of such practices, you can harmonize your overall emotional state, lower your anxiety threshold, which will also help you lose weight. I would like to immediately tell beginners that you should not set yourself up for the fact that you can lose weight very quickly. Overweight will go away gradually, but with regular breathing exercises and a healthy approach to nutrition, you will definitely lose weight.

The best way to learn is by watching videos

For beginners, it is best to take yoga training breathing exercises with the help of video. By watching the video, which contains teaching techniques, you will be able to visualize this process more clearly. Choose for yourself the video that you like, the breathing process in which will be presented in an easy and accessible way. Another advantage of watching the video is the fact that you will be doing the exercises with the instructor of your choice. And I would like to give one recommendation to beginners. When studying a video on this issue, choose a person for training with whom you will be pleased with the video, and you will feel his positive influence on yourself.

Conclusion

The benefits that a practitioner receives cannot be overestimated. A person who controls prana is able to control many life processes. Proper air circulation in the body, accompanied by the flow of prana, brings with it not only the healing of the physical body, but also improves the quality of life, enhances mental activity, insight, self-control, moral firmness, in a word, strengthens the spiritual strength of a person.
Dare, try, turn on the video, learn to absorb the healing power that enters you along with prana, be healthy!

Yoga is not only about doing exercise in the form of asanas, but also a special breathing exercises. Breathing in yoga is divided into several techniques. Each of them has certain features.

Breath of fire technique continuous breathing. It is performed as a single cycle of breathing, which is not divided into inhalations and exhalations. Such pranayama is available only to those who are already familiar with simpler breathing exercises.

Breath of fire in yoga benefits and harms

Gymnastics for the lungs or otherwise pranayama breathing of fire allows you to achieve many goals. It is used to restore strength, fill with energy, cleanse energy channels, and also to stimulate the activity of the nervous system.

Fire breathing is not only beneficial for the psychological health of a person, but also has a positive effect on the immune system, nervous and digestive systems.

The benefits of fire exercises are as follows:

promotes weight loss;
removes toxins and toxins;
strengthens the immune system;
strengthens the nervous system;
contributes to achieving harmony with oneself and the environment;
pressure stabilization;
improvement of the work of the heart;
increase in lung capacity.

Many of the benefits of fire cycles are achieved by saturating the blood with oxygen and strengthening the muscular corset.

Kundalini yoga involves the use of several types of exercises. Some of them contribute to the relaxation of the body, while others, on the contrary, stimulate the activity of the nervous system. Fire exercises are just stimulating. However, this does not mean that the person doing these exercises will become hyperactive and more nervous. On the contrary, due to the specific impact on the human body, its nervous system strengthened, he becomes more prone to stressful situations.

Performing fiery breathing, especially for beginners, should be done with great care, because in addition to the advantages, it has its own specifics. You may experience mild dizziness while exercising. If the state of health has deteriorated significantly, then classes should be stopped.

Fire breath contraindications

Like any technique, fire breathing has its contraindications. You can not practice if a person feels severe fatigue, nervous overexcitation or aggression. In this case, you must first calm down, and then proceed to classes.

Pranayama is contraindicated for people with a hernia, since the technique is performed mainly using the abdominal muscles. It is also not recommended for those who have pulmonary diseases and infections, as well as for those who suffer from serious abnormalities in the work of the cardiovascular system.

It should not be forgotten that any pranayama is contraindicated for those who are currently seriously ill, have elevated body temperature and weakness.

Women should refrain from exercising during pregnancy and menstruation.

Fire breathing in yoga how to do it right

Usually, beginners consult yoga practitioners so as not to harm their health by doing any exercises. Fire breathing also has its own characteristics, so careful attitude to one's health is required, especially for those who have any contraindications.

The fire breathing technique is performed in a sitting position. Although you can take another position, but sitting is usually the most convenient for both professionals and beginners. Put your hands on your knees, connecting the thumb and forefinger on both hands. It is allowed to place one hand on the stomach for control.

Performing fiery breathing implies the presence of free time. Usually the whole practice is reduced to 15 minutes, but it happens that it takes more or less time. Each respiratory cycle lasts about 10 times, while the repetition of inhalations and exhalations is on average 108 repetitions. Sometimes these numbers are different.

Starting posture

It is most convenient to perform pranayama in a sitting position. You can sit on a chair, sofa or armchair It is convenient for someone to sit in the lotus position. Hands must be on your knees, or one hand is on your stomach for control.

Be sure to use simple, comfortable clothing that does not constrain movement and does not distract from the lesson.

Exercise technique

Fire breathing should only be performed in good mood and in good health. If a person feels unwell, that practice should be postponed. First you need to do a cycle of normal inhalations and exhalations in order to balance your pulse. After that, you can proceed to the technique itself. Exercise involves working with the stomach. The abdomen expands during inhalation and contracts strongly during exhalation.

Inhalations can be long, but not excessive, exhalations shorter and sharper. As you exhale, be sure to strain your stomach, but not necessarily internal organs. The diaphragm must be relaxed. The tension is only due to the muscles of the press. Other muscles of the body also remain as relaxed as possible.

Beginners can perform the technique at a fairly slow pace. For those who have been practicing for a long time, the speed of inhalations and exhalations can be gradually increased, thereby increasing the intensity of the load on the body. In the event of any unpleasant symptoms, breathing of fire should be stopped or the breathing rate should be reduced.

Be sure to follow the rule to maintain the balance of the chest when performing the technique. Shoulders should not roll up. Inhalations and exhalations are carried out only at the expense of the abdominal muscles.

Number of repetitions and approaches

For those who have been practicing relatively recently, all approaches should be regulated independently, taking into account the characteristics of their body. But in general, pranayama involves about 108 respiratory cycles. After that, a break is made, during which a person can recover and switch to normal breathing for a while. Then again two sets of 108 repetitions are done.