Guest guest Posted July 19, 2002 Report Share Posted July 19, 2002 Sat Nam everyone, Few days back,I promised someone that I will post about pranayam... The exercises are those that I do everyday and it takes me about 50 minutes to complete the whole cycle...I started this about 3 weeks ago and I feel very good and energetic but still if anyone thinks that some exercise is not done in right way then please tell me because I just picked information from verious websites(which I dont recall) and yoga books...ok here it is..i am posting exact sequence of my exercise schedule...It starts in the early morning... 1.ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING...10 times 2.KAPALABHATI..5 times...Inhale and Exhale very fast about 40 times and then long exhale and apply Udiyana Bandha(contracting abdominal muscles) 3.Kapalabhati...here inhale instead of exhale and apply neck lock. (but I am confused about which kapalbhati is right..so sometimes I do only one type) 3.ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING..2times 4.SURYA BEDAN....10 TIMES..it awakens kundalini power 5.SITKARI---10 times 6. Sheetali---25 times 7.I dont know the name if this one...inhale and exhale 5 times very fast..then long inhale and hold the breath and then exhale..rest and start again...i do 5 times.. 8.ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING...1 TIME 9.Inhale thru nose and retain the breath then close right nostril with right hand´s thumb and exhale thru left nostril..10 times 10.Bhastrika..inhale and exhale fast few times and then long inhale and chin down apply neck lock and rook lock while retaining the breath and then exhale and apply uddiyana bandha (diaphragm lock)...5 times 11.Closing right nostril breathe thru left nostril...20 times 12.Closing left nostril breathe thru right nostril..20 times..BRAD HAD POSTED ABOUT THIS EXERCISE. 13.THEN i DO ALL THE 3 LOCKS...BUT NOT THE GREAT LOCK...i do these 5 times each... ok everyone or anyone,the reason I posted these exercises is to know whether I am doing them right or not..and if not then do tell me and if there are additional breathing exercises ,do let me know because I wont mind adding them too..I can do those at night..or evening.. jyoti 11. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 21, 2002 Report Share Posted July 21, 2002 Sat nam to all. I have a question:when you mention (2Kapalbhati) "exhale and inhale very fast 40 times" isn't it "breath of fire?" thanks... N. Kundaliniyoga, "j_kaur07080" <j_kaur07080> wrote: > Sat Nam everyone, > Few days back,I promised someone that I will post about pranayam... > The exercises are those that I do everyday and it takes me about 50 > minutes to complete the whole cycle...I started this about 3 weeks > ago and I feel very good and energetic but still if anyone thinks > that some exercise is not done in right way then please tell me > because I just picked information from verious websites(which I dont > recall) and yoga books...ok here it is..i am posting exact sequence > of my exercise schedule...It starts in the early morning... > 1.ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING...10 times > 2.KAPALABHATI..5 times...Inhale and Exhale very fast about 40 times > and then long exhale and apply Udiyana Bandha(contracting abdominal > muscles) > 3.Kapalabhati...here inhale instead of exhale and apply neck lock. > (but I am confused about which kapalbhati is right..so sometimes I do > only one type) > 3.ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING..2times > 4.SURYA BEDAN....10 TIMES..it awakens kundalini power > 5.SITKARI---10 times > 6. Sheetali---25 times > 7.I dont know the name if this one...inhale and exhale 5 times very > fast..then long inhale and hold the breath and then exhale..rest and > start again...i do 5 times.. > 8.ALTERNATE NOSTRIL BREATHING...1 TIME > 9.Inhale thru nose and retain the breath then close right nostril > with right hand´s thumb and exhale thru left nostril..10 times > 10.Bhastrika..inhale and exhale fast few times and then long inhale > and chin down apply neck lock and rook lock while retaining the > breath and then exhale and apply uddiyana bandha (diaphragm lock)...5 > times > 11.Closing right nostril breathe thru left nostril...20 times > 12.Closing left nostril breathe thru right nostril..20 times..BRAD > HAD POSTED ABOUT THIS EXERCISE. > 13.THEN i DO ALL THE 3 LOCKS...BUT NOT THE GREAT LOCK...i do these 5 > times each... > ok everyone or anyone,the reason I posted these exercises is to know > whether I am doing them right or not..and if not then do tell me and > if there are additional breathing exercises ,do let me know because I > wont mind adding them too..I can do those at night..or evening.. > > jyoti > 11. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2002 Report Share Posted July 22, 2002 yes I think that kapalbhati is breath of fire. Health - Feel better, live better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2002 Report Share Posted July 22, 2002 Kundaliniyoga, jyoti kaur <j_kaur07080> wrote: > yes I think that kapalbhati is breath of fire. Sat Nam dear friends: Breath of fire (BOF) is definitely not kapalabhati. A decription of breath of fire is here: kundalini yogapranayam.html Kapalabhati (skull-shining breath) is best described as a variation of bhastrika (bellows breath), which is as follows: In bhastrika, the inhalation and exhalation are both fast and vigorous, imitating the sound of a bellows. They are both forceful, yet long. Often the middle and forefinger are held together and straight, and placed under the nasal passages - the exhalation should strike against these fingers with full force. There is no hold between inhale and exhale or between exhale and inhale. After 10 cycles, take a slow deep inhalation, hold for two seconds, and exhale through the left nostril only. Rest for a little while and then repeat with as many cycles as is comfortable. If you find that the sound of the air lessens or the vigor is not as intense, reduce the number of cycles. Kapalabhati is similar except the inhalation is slower and the exhalation is more vigorous, and there is a split-second hold after each exhalation (but not after inhalation). It is sometimes done as a preparation for bhastrika. Blessings, Sadhant PS: this information comes from Kriyananda's "Spiritual Science of Kriya Yoga", which has complete descriptions of 37 pranayamas and many other classical techniques. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2002 Report Share Posted July 22, 2002 Kapalabhati is different than Breath of Fire. In Breath of Fire, the inhale and exhale are equal. It is done by "sniffing" in and out of the nose rapidly as you pump your navel, actively inhaling, actively exhaling. Kapalabhati is a series of rapid exhalations also done with the pumping of the navel. The "inhale" happens automatically... passively... in between exhalations as your tummy snaps back out. I describe it to my students as: Breath of Fire is "inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale..." and Kapalabhati is "exhale, exhale, exhale, exhale..." they seem to understand that! They have different effects as well. Maybe some more experienced Kundalini yogis can speak more about the benefits or purposes of BOF here. I know for one, it helps you work towards using your full lung potential/capacity. Kapalabhati is mainly a detoxifying pranayama. You are expelling as much old air out of the lungs as possible, to make room for new air to purify the prana. It also begins to generate the internal fire in the belly which detoxes you from the inside core. And it is very energizing. Another word for it is "shining skull" especially when done in conjunction with the breath retention & bandhas which you described in between rounds. So they are similar because they use the rapid breath & navel pumping... and sometimes in the Hatha world, Kapalabhati is called Breath of Fire! so that is another reason there is a lot of confusion between these two techniques! SAT NAM! elle/ranjit _______________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2002 Report Share Posted July 22, 2002 Elle/Ranjit- Then I've been doing BOF incorrectly. I was taught, or at least I understood from the teaching, that BOF was done exactly as you describe Kapalabhati (which I've never heard of before now). I guess I need to go back and try to find a better description on BOF then. Christa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2002 Report Share Posted July 22, 2002 Sat Nam Sadhant, I have no idea whether Bof or kapalbhati is same..It looked like to be same..anyway your description is very informative....I would like to know..the book "Spiritual Science of Kriya Yoga"..does it contain all the exercises of pranayam because I am trying to find a good book on pranayam... jyoti Health - Feel better, live better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2002 Report Share Posted July 22, 2002 This is how I learned it in Kundalini classes. It took me awhile to break my "hatha habit" of doing Kapalabhati too! Kundalini.org/pranayam.html has a good description which includes the difference between Kapalabhati and BOF too. An excerpt on the benefits: "Breath of Fire will entirely charge the nervous system, causing the glands to secrete and purify the blood. When it is done with certain postures and movements, which are meant to put contracting (drawing in) or expanding (releasing) pressure in nerve plexuses and glandular centers, those areas are made to fire and become completely charged." Gurmukh teaches her students BOF by asking them to open their mouths, stick out their tongue and pant like a dog! This is an exercise all on its own as well, but it helps you get the rhythm and the idea of BOF. Do it like this for a couple of rounds and then close the mouth for BOF with as little change as possible and see if that helps you! elle/ranjit _______________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 23, 2002 Report Share Posted July 23, 2002 Sat Nam Jyoti, I have a number of questions that stem from ignorance, not as criticism. I don't know these pranayama?? Could you describe them? 4.SURYA BEDAN....10 TIMES..it awakens kundalini power 5.SITKARI---10 times 6. Sheetali---25 times Seems like a very confusing number of things to do in the early morning when i am not able to do anything that is very complex unless I really work on the routine. Is there some way that you organize this in your head so it is simpler? Have you every tried doing any of these pranayama exlusively for a longer period of time? Is this combination more powerful? Sat Nam, Gian Where did you learn this set? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 23, 2002 Report Share Posted July 23, 2002 Sat Nam, Is there some way that you organize this in your head so it is> simpler? I suggest trying the basic breath series that is in Relax and Renew and Intro to Kundalini Yoga. Yogi Bhajan teaches that doing a kriya, you will get more powerful results than just putting together some exercises. Follow this kryia with 1 minute breath for 11 minutes. I would be interested to know your experiences compared to doing a random set of exercises. Sat Nam, Gururattan Kaur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 24, 2002 Report Share Posted July 24, 2002 Gian, thanks for asking that question, I was thinking the same thing but didn't know how to comment... I am very interested in Pranayama, but I never do so many different types in one sitting. I was taught to practice one or two for longer periods of time... not necessarily counting breaths but minutes... anyone else? SAT NAM! elle/ranjit ----Original Message Follows---- "Ellen Madono" <vze3dssf Kundaliniyoga <Kundaliniyoga> Re: Breathing exercises manual! Tue, 23 Jul 2002 12:40:20 -0400 Sat Nam Jyoti, I have a number of questions that stem from ignorance, not as criticism. I don't know these pranayama?? Could you describe them? 4.SURYA BEDAN....10 TIMES..it awakens kundalini power 5.SITKARI---10 times 6. Sheetali---25 times Seems like a very confusing number of things to do in the early morning when i am not able to do anything that is very complex unless I really work on the routine. Is there some way that you organize this in your head so it is simpler? Have you every tried doing any of these pranayama exlusively for a longer period of time? Is this combination more powerful? Sat Nam, Gian Where did you learn this set? _ om on the web: www.nirvana-yoga.com join an online yoga discussion list! email: yogalist- breathe in love, breathe out joy _ _______________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 24, 2002 Report Share Posted July 24, 2002 One of the things to remember about breath of fire is that it is done with solar plexus, the navel moves just a little and the chest not at all. It should sound sort of like a steam engine going up a steep slope, and works out to be between 100 and 150 in and out breaths per minute. For beginners it often takes a dozen short sessions/attempts to isolate the correct muscles involved. Seva Simran spatialagent1 wrote: > Elle/Ranjit- > Then I've been doing BOF incorrectly. I was taught, or at least I > understood from the teaching, that BOF was done exactly as you > describe Kapalabhati (which I've never heard of before now). I guess > I need to go back and try to find a better description on BOF then. > > Christa > > > "OUR DESTINY IS TO BE HAPPY" > - Yogi Bhajan > > You can UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at the Groups Member Center (My Groups), or send mail to > Kundaliniyoga > NO UNSUBSCRIBE REQUESTS TO THE LIST PLEASE! > WEB SITE: kundalini yoga > > KUNDALINI YOGA ON-LINE TRAINING. Details from > kundalini yogaclasses.html > > Sponsored by YOGA TECHNOLOGY - Practical Books & Videos on Kundalini Yoga & Meditation. Also Meditation & Mantra CDs. > > Your use of is subject to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 24, 2002 Report Share Posted July 24, 2002 Thanks for the response Seva. I'm still struggling with this one. You say that the chest doesn't move at all during BOF. In my one ky book, it's description says to start by inhaling deeply and raise the rib cage or chest area (I forget the exact wording). And then to forcefully exhale completely and inhale again filling the lungs. I believe that it's implied that the rib cage stays raised during the entire time you do BOF, although I don't remember that specifically be stated, but just eluded to. Is this breath supposed to be a 'complete' breath, meaning filling the lungs completely each time, or is that just to begin learning how to do it? I don't know how you could get 100 breaths out by deeply inhaling and completely exhaling each time. If I'm reading the BOF description on the kundaliniyoga.org site correctly, it also says filling the lungs with each breath, but that it picks up speed so that it is done quickly. Maybe that's the speed achieved with practice. It seems incredibly fast though. Also, how can you exhale forcefully if you hardly use your navel? Whenever I exhale forcefully, my diaphram moves so abruptly that my navel is quickly pulled in as a result. Thanks for the help! Christa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2002 Report Share Posted July 27, 2002 Sat Nam everyone! I, too, am getting confused about BOF. If it doesn't involve the navel, then why am I not supposed to do it at 4 months pregnant? I was under the impression that I was just supposed to avoid things that involved or put pressure on that point. Also, some of my books suggest a modified root lock for pregnant women and women in their moon cycle - but the explanation is a bit confusing - perhaps because I have never done a root lock normally - the whole time I have been starting KY I have been pregnant. Does anyone have a better explanation of this modified root lock? Sorry to always ask these pregnancy questions, but I can still not find Gurmukh's (or any) book on KY in pregnancy. I did check her website but didn't see it listed. It would help if someone knew what it was called - maybe someone can remember? I am going to start checking the ky sites more carefully - previously I only had enough time to check email on the net - now I have more time so I can explore a bit...I don't have a printer though, so you can see why a book would sometimes be preferable to copying a lot of things down. Thanks everyone! Amy Amy M. Rozlilek aroz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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