Is Kapalabhatti a Pranayama?

BY Arora Indu3 min read • June 14, 2017

There are at the least 7 main differences between Kapalabhatti and Bhastrika in Yoga. Any manipulation of breath is often mis understood as a breathing technique. We often translate breathing techniques as pranayama. This is the beginning of confusion and spread of misinterpreted versions of practice.

No, and there are many differences between these two practices.

There are at the least 7 main differences between Kapalabhatti and Bhastrika in Yoga. Any manipulation of breath is often mis understood as a breathing technique. We often translate breathing techniques as pranayama. This is the beginning of confusion and spread of misinterpreted versions of practice. Let us draw out differences in seven points with clarity:

• Meaning: "Kapala" means Skull "Bhatti" means Chimney. The top of the skull is like a chimney venting out excess heat from the body. "Bhastirka" means "bellows of blacksmith" accompanied by loud hissing sound
• Technique: Kapalabhatti is one of the Shatkriya/Shatkarmas (six cleansing techniques) versus Bhastrika is a method that leads to pranayamaPurpose: Shatkiryas serve to remove the imbalances of physical and pranic doshas (vata, pitta and kapha) from the annamaya kosha(physical sheath) and therefore the pranamaya kosha (pranic sheath) . Pranayama serves to expand the pranic content in the pranamaya kosha and therefore the annamaya kosha
• Benefit: Kapalbhatti relives the body of excess heat and removes stagnation of doshas. Bhastrika builds heat in the body to mobilize mucous and allows for pranic expansion
• Direction: In the practice of Kapalabhatti the movement of abdomen is upwards and vertical like a wave from the belly up towards the head. In Bhastrika the direction is horizontal, 3 dimensional expansion in the chest region
• Region: Kapalabhatti's focus is abdomen and head/skull region to remove the ama's (toxins) and imbalance of doshas from the abdominal organs and sensory faculties. Bhastrika's focus is chest, lungs and heart to remove and mobilize mucousy congestion which blocks the prana
• Focus: In Kapalbhatti the focus is on exhalation only versus in Bhastrika the focus is both on inhalation and exhalation
• Retention: In Kapalabhatti the kumbhaka/retention may happen naturally post the practice in the form of stambhavritti kumbhaka (effortless and temporary breath retention that may happen after inhalation or exhalation at its own) but it is not exercised as a part of the kriya. In case of Bhastrika the kumbhaka is a part of the technique and is practiced post the completion of the inhalation and exhalation cycles as Bahya Kumbhaka (with effort retention of breath after exhalation).

It is important that we understand these fine differences to receive maximum benefits from the techniques of Yog Sadhana.

May we all be inspired by our inhalations and we all expire all that does not serve us with each exhalation! May our pranayama be pranayama and not simply a technique or breath-ayama.