Bhastrikā
Bhastrika
Bellows breath — vigorous, from the belly. Stop the moment you feel light-headed.
How to do it
Sit upright with the hands on the knees and breathe in and out through the nose with force, driven from the belly rather than the chest. Work in rounds of ten to fifteen breaths, then let the breath return completely to normal before starting the next. Build up over weeks — start with one round.
What it does
When you'll be given it
Where it comes from
Take care
Not in pregnancy, with uncontrolled blood pressure, heart conditions, or after recent surgery. Stop at the first sign of dizziness or tingling — that is not progress.
The engine already leaves this out of your practice if your profile flags pregnancy, hypertension uncontrolled, recent surgery.
Not sure whether it suits you? Ask a Vaidya.
There's no button here to start this. Your practice is prescribed each morning — that's what keeps the dose honest.