Yoga Glossary · Breath & Energy
Kapalabhati (skull-shining breath)
A brisk, energizing breath: sharp exhales pumped by the belly, passive inhales.
Kapalabhati means 'skull shining' — the bright, clear feeling the technique is said to leave behind. The breath pattern is simple and distinctive: the exhale is short, sharp and active, snapped out by the abdominal muscles pulling in, while the inhale happens passively as the belly releases. Rounds are brisk, often around one breath per second, in sets with rest between.
It is the energizing end of the pranayama spectrum — warming, stimulating and traditionally classed as a cleansing practice. Precisely because it is forceful, it carries the clearest cautions in breathwork: skip it in pregnancy, with high blood pressure, eye or abdominal conditions, or whenever it brings dizziness. In teacher training it is taught as a spice, not a staple — small doses, fully supervised.
In practice
- The exhale does the work: belly snaps in, air pops out through the nose; the inhale just falls back in.
- Start with short rounds (20–30 breaths) and normal breathing between them.
- Any dizziness, tingling or pressure means stop. Bright is the goal; lightheaded is the limit.
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The Yoga Glossary is an educational study reference. Definitions are standard yoga and anatomy knowledge in plain language; nothing here is medical advice.