Bhastrika Pranayama Explained: Techniques, Benefits, and Precautions

Bhastrika Pranayama Explained: Pranayam is the secret of life. Our life depends on the flow of breath and diseases and grief arise due to insufficient amounts of oxygen.

Due to pollution and stress, the speed of our breathing loses its natural form, due to which oxygen is not able to support us in times of crisis. In such a situation, learn Pranayama and make it a part of your life. First of all, other Pranayamas should be done only after practising Anulom and Vilom.

If Bhastrika Pranayama is done daily, then you can remain healthy physically as well as mentally. Bhastrika Kumbhak benefits every part of the body. From children to adults, everyone can reap many benefits by doing Bhastrika Pranayama every day. There are many benefits of this pranayama like sharpening the brain to glowing skin.

Let us know how to do Bhastrika Pranayama, its techniques, precautions, and what are its benefits. So let’s get started!!!

What is Bhastrika Pyanayana?

The word Bhastrika is derived from Sanskrit, which means ‘bellows’. Through the bellows, the blacksmith releases strong air, heats the iron, and removes its impurities. Similarly, Bhastrika Pranayama works like a bellows to eliminate all the negativity and impurities present inside the body.

Bhastrika Pranayama is a panacea for the problems of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. The level of pollution is increasing day by day all over the world, due to which polluted air, dust, and impurities enter our lungs. In such a situation, doing Bhastrika Pranayama is very beneficial for you.

It fills the body with air in a systematic manner and then releases it completely. Similarly, in Bhastrika Pranayama, we fill the body with air completely and release it completely. To perform this asana, the diaphragm of our body is used. That is why it is called Bhastrika Kumbhak. It is also called the Pranayama of Yogis.

Techniques of Bhastrika Pranayama: The correct way to do it

1. Sit in Siddhasana, Vajrasana, or Padmasana in any calm environment. If you are not able to sit in these asanas, then sit in any comfortable position and keep your neck, body, and head straight.
2. After this, close your eyes, relax your body for a while, and close your mouth. Before starting yoga, clean your nostrils thoroughly.
3. Keep your hands in Chin or Gyan Mudra.
4. While inhaling slowly, exhale your breath forcefully.
5. Now inhale your breath forcefully and exhale it in the same way.
6. While doing Bhastrika Pranayama, you have to inflate and deflate your chest like a bellows.
7. This Pranayama can be practised at three different breathing rates. The first is slow in which you will take 1 breath in 2 seconds, the second is medium in which you will take 1 breath in 1 second, and the third is fast in which you will take 2 breaths in 1 second.
8. You should start slowly and inhale only about 30 pumps daily.
9. Repeat this process 4 to 5 times.
10. After this, as you get used to it, you can increase it by 15 pumps daily.

Benefits of Bhastrika Pranayama

Our life depends on breathing. An inadequate amount of oxygen starts giving birth to diseases in our bodies. There are the following main benefits of this Bhastrika Pranayama:

• Bhastrika Pranayama is even fruitful for preserving the health of the ears, eyes, and nose along with the lungs. 
• This pranayama also exercises the digestive system, liver, and kidneys. 
• Along with this, obesity, asthma, TB, and respiratory diseases are also cured. 
• Bhastrika Pranayama is considered beneficial in any disease related to muscles. 
• Blood circulation in all parts of the body also happens properly with Bhastrika Pranayama.

Other benefits of Bhastrika Pranayama are as follows:

1. Belly Fat will be Reduced:

Bhastrika Pranayama is one such Pranayama that if done continuously, reduces your belly fat. But for this, continuous practice is necessary.

2. Weight Reduces:

If this pranayam is done for 10 to 15 minutes every day then it also reduces your weight.

3. Hunger Increases:

Continuous Bhastrika Pranayama will make you feel hungry from time to time.

4. Generates Heat in the Body:

According to Hatha Pradipika 2/65, Bhastrika Pranayama generates heat in the body, keeping away most of the diseases caused by air and bile.

5. Eliminates Breathing Problems:

This is the best pranayama to remove breathing problems.

6. Purifies the Nerve flow:

This pranayam purifies the nerve flow.

Bhastrika Pranayama Precautions

These precautions should be taken while doing Bhastrika Pranayama –

• If you have a high blood pressure problem then do not do this pranayam without consulting the doctor.
• Do not drink water half an hour before and after doing Bhastrika Pranayam.
• If you feel a special need for water, then drink only 2 sips of lukewarm water after doing Pranayama.
• The most appropriate time to practice or perform Bhastrika Pranayama is in the early morning. If you are doing this pranayama in the evening, then keep in mind that you should do it only 4 to 5 hours after your meal.

• If you feel dizzy or your head starts spinning while doing Bhastrika Pranayama, then in that case you should stop doing this Pranayama and immediately lie down in Shavasana.
• Patients suffering from heart disease, dizziness, brain tumours, cataracts, intestinal or stomach ulcers, or dysentery should also not do Bhastrika Pranayama.
• During summers, after this, you should do Sitali or Sitkari Pranayama so that your body does not become too hot.
• For some people, the practice of Bhastrika Pranayama may be too intense. Therefore, it should be started under the supervision of a yoga instructor.

Duration of Bhastrika Pranayama

New practitioners can inhale and exhale at least ten times in the beginning. Those who have trouble breathing fast or have some problem should inhale slowly in the beginning.

Keep in mind that this pranayama is done with both nostrils. Inhaling and exhaling will be considered as one cycle, so about 25 cycles can be done at a time.

After doing the above Pranayama, to bring the breathing speed back to normal, do internal and external Kumbhaka with Anulom-Vilom or do Kapalbhati five times.

Who should avoid practising Bhastrika Pranayama?

People suffering from high blood pressure, heart disease, hernia, asthma, TB, ulcers, stones, epilepsy, stroke, and pregnant women should not practice this.

If there is any problem in the lungs, throat, heart, or stomach, if the nose is blocked, if there is a problem with the sinus, or if the bone of the nose is enlarged, then this Pranayam should be done or not done only after consulting the doctor.

If you feel dizzy, nervous, sweat excessively, or feel like vomiting while practising, then stop doing Pranayam and lie down in a relaxed position.

Conclusion

In this modern world, people are surrounded by many health-related problems. Many people are surrounded by respiratory problems in today’s time. Apart from this, other diseases also make people their victims in the present time. It is very important to follow a healthy lifestyle for better health.

Health experts believe that people who are more physically active are less prone to diseases. Yoga and Pranayama help in keeping the body healthy. According to experts, doing Bhastrika Pranayama improves overall health. Bhastrika Pranayama is even more important and beneficial for strengthening the health of the eyes, ears, and nose along with the lungs.

This pranayama also exercises the digestive system, liver, and kidneys. Along with this, obesity, asthma, TB, and respiratory diseases are also cured. I hope all readers can get information about Bhastrika Pranayama. We will be back with another interesting health-related blog. Till then keep engaged with 99Pandit.