SAT NAM KUNDALINI SCHOOL
Shat Kriyas
Cleansing Techniques
Meaning
"Shat" means "cleans" or "cleaning
"Kriya" means "action".
So a Shat Kriya is a cleaning action to purify and detoxify the mind, physical body and the energy bodies.
Common techniques
Kapalabhati Breath
Kapalabhati breath is a Shat Kriya which means a cleaning/cleansing technique. IT IS NOT A PRANAYAMA.
The way that Kapalabhati breath is practised is a forceful or active exhale through the nose. As this happens the diaphragm moves up pushing all the air from the lungs. As the diaphragm relaxes, it moves back down causing a passive inhale.
So an active exhale as you push the diaphragm up and a passive inhale as the diaphragm moves back down.
Its purpose is to clean all the stale air out from the lungs which helps purify the lungs, increase the oxygen supply to the rest of your system and it can help improve digestion. As the purifying and detoxifying takes place it will leave you feeling uplifted and in high spirits.
This should be practised at 2 breaths per second, 120 breaths per minute for a beginner and not exceeding 200 breaths per minute for a beginner. However if you feel like going slower in the beginning that’s totally fine.
While practising this cleansing technique you will feel the diaphragm move up and down with each active exhale and passive inhale through the nose and also the stomach moving in and out. This may feel uncomfortable in the beginning however over time this will feel normal and the diaphragm will become stronger.
As always with these types of practices sit in stillness for a while afterwards and feel into the body. Become aware of any changes in the system. It may take a while for you to notice them, but as your awareness of the body and systems within the body expands you will feel the movement of energy within the body and the clarity of the mind.
Cannon's Breath
Cannon's breath is practised by sitting in a comfortable seated position, reaching the crown of the head towards the sky and placing the hands on the knees. Close the eyes and bring the gaze to the third eye Chakra (Ajna Chakra) in shambhavi mudra.
Cannon's breath is the same technique as Kapalabhati breath just through the mouth:
Make an O-shape with the mouth, inhale and actively exhale through the mouth pulling the navel into the spine as the diaphragm moves up to aid in pushing all the air out of the lungs. As the diaphragm relaxes and naturally moves back down it causes a passive inhale.
The breath is exhaled as quickly and powerfully as possible. It removes anything from the body and mind that is no longer wanted. You can use a visualisation technique to aid in this: With each powerful exhale imagine the breath as a colour and with each breath the colour gets less and less as you release all that no longer serves you.
The maximum time this Shat Kriya should be practised for is 11 minutes.
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