RE: Bellows Breath

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

 

Would someone explain how Bastrika or Bellows Breath and Shining Skull differ from Breath of Fire? I have read several descriptions, and I am confused. Shining Skull sounds like it is the same as Breath of Fire.

 

I was told by an Ayurvedic physician that one can lose weight within 6 weeks by doing Bastrika or Bellows Breath for 15 minutes twice a day; taking three teaspoons of chavanprash; and three capsules of triphala every evening before bed. I thought I would try it, as I need to drop about 10 pounds.....

 

Thanks,

Nirmal Kaur

[Guest guest]

> Would someone explain how Bastrika or Bellows Breath and Shining Skull differ

from Breath of Fire?  I have read several descriptions, and I am

confused.  Shining Skull sounds like it is the same as Breath of Fire.     

>

 

 

Bastrika is breath were you use 'active inhalation' and 'active exhalation'.

It's something like a fast 'long deep breathing', although you shouldn't fill

your lungs completely. This can at longer times cause hyperventilation,

dizzyness and should be done moderately.

 

Breath of Fire uses 'active exhalation' and 'passive inhalation', and the

exhalation is produced by the pumping in of the navel (and this is done

actively/consciously), the inhalation happen by itself by just letting go and

letting the navel flex back to its natural position. And the amount of air

passing in and out is a lot less than bastika.

 

Bastrika is more an ayurvedic/hatha yoga and is pretty rare in kundalini yoga.

 

/Janne

[Guest guest]

From Hatha YogaPradipika: " Bhastrika is the name of the pranayama

which imitates the action of the bellows and fans the internal fire,

healing the physical and subtle bodies. Bhastrika pranayam is similar

to vatakrama kapalbhati (this is the skull shining breath you refer to

in your query) but in bhastrika, inhalation and exhalation are equal

and are the result of systematic and equal lung movements (breath of

fire in other words). the breath has to be sucked in and pushed out

with a little force. In kapalbhati, the inhalation is the result of

forced exhalation. "

 

In simpler terms, the exhale is active in kapalbhati and the in hale

is passive, barely audible if at all, and in breath of fire they are

equal and can both be heard..

 

I have observed Kripalu yoga teachers at my retreat in Maine who

cannot grasp the difference, they are so used to emphasizing the

exhale in skull shining breath, which shows it is such a habit, even

in practiced pranayamas!

 

While they are both warming breaths, there is a decided difference and

in some articles you will see them mentioned as the same, which they

are not!

 

Good question!!

 

SAT NAM

 

Amrita

www.sewallhouse.com

NYC and

Island Falls, Maine ( May thru October, ongoing yoga retreats)

(we have a Belly Dancing workshop in Maine Aug 9-10 at the retreat by

the way, a great way to work the second chakra, with an amazing

teacher who is also a Kundalini Yoga enthusiast!)

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam, Nirmal Kaur,

 

This may help:

 

Bastrika/Bellows Breath: Inhalation and exhalation must be forceful, yet

long.

 

Skull-Shining/Kapalabhati Breath: Inhalation is slower, exhalation is

faster and more vigorous. There is a split-second retention after each

exhalation.

 

Breath of Fire: Inhalation and exhalation are both rapid (and thus

shorter than in bastrika), with no pause between them (unlike

skull-shining).

 

The differences may sound negligible when you read the descriptions, but

the practices produce very different experiences.

 

Since you are thinking about practicing bastrika for an extended period

of time, I will add the cautions as I received them from my teacher:

This pranayama should be done in moderation. You should be cautious in

its practice. Hold the middle and first fingers of the right hand in a

straight manner under the nostrils. The exhaling air should strike

against these fingers with full force. After 10 cycles, take a slow

deep inhalation and hold for 2 seconds. Slowly exhale through the left

nostril only. After resting for a short time, repeat, doing as many

cycles as are comfortable. Take a slow, deep inhalation, hold, and

exhale slowly. If you find that during the second round the air does

not strike the fingers with the same vigor as in the first, reduce the

number of cycles within a round. If you experience a throbbing in your

ears, stop, and use other pranayamas to strengthen yourself before

resuming this technique. If dizziness results, stop the practice

immediately. If you have weak lungs, a weak body, glaucoma, or high or

low blood pressure, do not practice it. If practicing for weeks (as in

the attempt to lose 10 lbs.!), it is recommended to consume milk, chees

and ghee.

 

Nirvair Kaur

 

 

Kundalini-Yoga , Pamela Nixon <pamenixon

wrote:

 

Sat Nam,

 

Would someone explain how Bastrika or Bellows Breath and Shining Skull

differ from Breath of Fire? I have read several descriptions, and I am

confused. Shining Skull sounds like it is the same as Breath of Fire.

 

I was told by an Ayurvedic physician that one can lose weight within 6

weeks by doing Bastrika or Bellows Breath for 15 minutes twice a day;

taking three teaspoons of chavanprash; and three capsules of triphala

every evening before bed. I thought I would try it, as I need to drop

about 10 pounds.....

 

Thanks,

Nirmal Kaur

[Guest guest]

I would agree taking caution with the Bastrika breath, i lived in the

sivananda ashram in the 80s and witnessed a young student go off

track considerably; we were both doing the same practice (about

2hours of yoga a day), but additionally, he was practising this

breath a lot. Nobody stopped him and over a period of months, his

mental state became very precarious, it may well be that he had

latent mental health issues, but this breath didn't help!! So do take

care with it.

 

My experience of the the breath of fire is that it is much safer and

way more strengthening for the nerves.

 

Sat Nam

 

Har Hari