Pranayama
Morning Energising Breath
Kapalabhati & Bhastrika-lite · 7 min
PremiumintermediatePreview — awaiting expert review
Before you begin
- Practise only on an empty stomach, ideally early in the morning.
- Keep the pumps gentle; the exhale is active, the inhale passive. Speed is not the aim.
- Stop and breathe naturally if you feel dizzy, light-headed or tingling.
- Not suitable during pregnancy or menstruation, or with high blood pressure, heart conditions, recent abdominal surgery, hernia or epilepsy.
- Begin with fewer pumps if this is new to you.
Please choose a gentler practice, or ask your teacher first, if you have:
- Pregnancy
- High blood pressure
- Heart conditions
- Recent abdominal or chest surgery
- Hernia
- Epilepsy
- Menstruation (choose a calming breath instead)
- Acute anxiety or panic tendencies
Not a substitute for medical advice.
A brisk morning breath sequence. Kapalabhati, the skull-shining breath, uses short active exhales from the belly with a passive inhale. A lighter form of Bhastrika, the bellows breath, follows at an even, unhurried pace. Each round ends with slow recovery breathing so you finish alert and settled.
Practise on an empty stomach, early in the day.
What it supports
- Supports a feeling of alertness for the morning
- Brings attention to the belly and breath
- Leaves the mind feeling clear and awake