6 Benefits Of Breathing Fire
Pranayama is a breathing technique of yoga. It is composed of several breathing exercises that complement the asanas, or positions, of each yoga class. Breath of fire is one of these pranayamas and has several benefits for the body.
One of the most important factors in yoga is the breath as it allows the yogi to relax and inhale and take deep breaths while doing the asanas. It has several effects, including:
- calming the mind
- release from tension
- send oxygen to the brain
What is Breath of Fire?
The Sanskrit name for this is kapalabhati . ‘Kapala’ can be translated with the word ‘skull’. ‘Bhati’ can be translated as ‘cleaning’. This refers to a cleansing of the mind.
The exercise helps to control emotions such as:
- fear
- nerves
- to care
- sadness
- pain
- fear
- etcetera
The most commonly used pose to perform this technique is the lotus pose.
How do you perform this technique?
- For beginners, Breath of Fire consists of breathing gently and deeply through your nose until your lungs are completely filled. Then exhale forcefully to expel all the air.
- In addition, you should pull your belly towards your spine as this stimulates the diaphragm.
- Increase the rhythm when you are ready.
What are the benefits of Breath of Fire?
Practicing breathing of fire has several benefits. Above all, it provides a better understanding of emotions and general respiratory health. In addition, however, we can also achieve the advantages described below.
1. Breath of Fire Helps Manage Stress
Controlled breathing improves concentration and clears the mind of negative energy and stress. When we’re stressed, our diaphragm pulls inward, the area of the solar plexus. This is where, according to yoga teachings, our emotions are located.
Breath of fire allows the emotions to flow and eventually leave the body. This balances the body and improves your mental and physical health.
2. It cleanses the blood and releases toxins from the lungs
Breath of fire improves circulation and helps purify the blood due to the amount of oxygen supplied by this breathing technique.
It also helps to clear your airways. By exhaling all the air, there are no residues left in the system. Fresh and cleaner air then enters the lungs on the next inhale.
3. It improves lung capacity
People tend not to use their lungs optimally because they breathe in a limited, shallow way. We often only breathe in briefly, which means we only fill our lungs to a small extent.
- By regularly practicing breath of fire, the lungs can get used to gradually breathing in more air.
4. It strengthens the third chakra
This chakra, also called Manipura , is responsible for focusing on the emotions. It is the largest and strongest of all the chakras and pertains to our actions and emotions.
Have you ever felt an emptiness in your stomach when you are scared or sad? According to yoga teachings, this is due to the manifestation of an imbalance of the third chakra in the body.
5. It helps memory and concentration
Deep breathing not only brings oxygen into the blood, but also the brain.
This improves our cognitive abilities and concentration as it helps the brain function correctly.
6. It stimulates the functioning of the digestive system
The digestive system is activated by the constant movement of the diaphragm during this breathing exercise.
By doing so, we also experience improved digestion and prevent stomach problems.
Precautions
If you’re new to Breath of Fire, always do so under the supervision of an instructor until you’ve mastered it. It is a difficult technique that requires time and patience.
You should avoid breathing so fast that it makes you dizzy. Your respiratory system is not used to inhaling and exhaling such a large amount of air so quickly. Let your body get used to this change in a progressive way. Be careful not to overdo it.
If you get dizzy, stop the exercise. Do not proceed if you feel that you are beginning to feel unwell. Because of the repeated impact of air in your lungs, they can get tired and this could cause you to pass out.
- Listen to your body. It is important to always train in a healthy way.
Contraindications
This exercise is not intended for women who are pregnant or menstruating. It is also not recommended for people who are known to have health problems such as:
- epilepsy
- hypertension
- emphysema
- heart problems
Breath of fire is without a doubt a technique that is beneficial to health because it improves both mental and lung capacity.
However, it is an exercise that you should perform carefully if you are just starting out. Also, be careful if you’ve done it before but want to demand a little more from your body.
The key to yoga is patience. You will not see progress overnight, but it will happen gradually. Keep practicing with a responsible attitude and lots of patience.
