Pillar two ยท Activating
Breath of fire
Fast and forceful in both directions. Builds heat. Mornings, before training, or after cold water.
Before you start
- This starts a stress response on purpose. Mornings and before effort, not before bed.
- Finish with something from the relaxing pillar.
- Fast forceful breathing can make you lightheaded. Sit down to do it, and stop if your head goes.
Watch
The pattern
- 01Sit upright. Breathe in, then let about three quarters of the air back out before you start.
- 02Forceful exhale through the nose. Belly pulls in.
- 03Forceful inhale through the nose. Belly pushes out.
- 04Keep both halves equally strong and let them run together.
- 05Start slow, then build the pace up.
- 06One to five minutes. Longer once you are used to it.
This is the one people confuse with Kapalabhati. Kapalabhati puts the force on the exhale only and lets the inhale happen by itself. Here both halves are forced, which is what makes it hard work.
Lightheaded means the pace has run ahead of you. Slow it down and keep the force.
When that is easy
Once the pump runs itself, try it with your arms overhead, elbows locked and thumbs up. That is Kundalini Bhastrika, and it is a different order of effort.
How it lands
Heat first, then your stomach starts to burn. Afterwards there is a lightness that takes a minute to settle.
What it does
- Builds heat fast
- Wakes the body up in the morning
- Works after cold water, or before training
- Your stomach does real work
- Boosts immunity and brings inflammation down
The rest of this pillar
- 30 reps a set Priming breath Wakes the body up. Morning, or before training.
- 15-25 steps a round Buteyko breathing A held walk. Runs while you are moving.
- 50 reps or 2-7 minutes Kapalabhati Forceful exhale only. Works the stomach.
- 30 seconds to 5 minutes Igniter breath Warms you up fast. After cold water, or before training.
- About 10 minutes Twisting breath Twist and exhale hard. Warm-up that works the core.
- 10-20 minutes Heart opening breath Loud on the exhale. Clears the deck before the day.
- 30 seconds to 5 minutes Kundalini Bhastrika Breath of fire, arms overhead. Harder.
- 10-15 minutes Digestion igniter Lion's breath and a stomach vacuum. Standing.
- About 20 minutes Dynamic breathwork Forty breaths and holds. The big one in this pillar.