About Kumbhak

The breath hold factor of our body is called Kumbhak.
In other words, it’s the effort making or strength building capacity of our body.

Kumbhak is the mechanism through which any voluntary or involuntary functions happen. For example, walking, we have to push the ground for walking and moving forward for walking is a called as kumbhak. Ground acts as the holding factor so kumbhak is the mechanism of action and kumbhak is also the holding factor through which any action happens. Like heart beat happens with the kumbhak mechanism. If the heart beat is not proper the kumbhak of the heart has gone weak. Therefore, if you have to revive heart, you have to do the relevant kumbhak or improve the relevant kumbhak.

Types of Kumbhak

There are 2 Types of kumbhak:

  • One is Sahita Kumbhak in which the dynamic life gets created.
  • Second is Stambh Kumbhak also called Kevala which is absolute and beyond observation.

Now to create life 7 fundamental base points are required. These are also called 7 chakras and in terms of quality saptarishis. Out of these 6 have a physical presence and the seventh just signifies going beyond 6.

4 kumbhak for muladhara, 8 for swadhisthana, 10 from manipura, 12 for anahata, 16 for vishuddha, 2 for agnya makes 52, from here 5 more doorways or kumbhaka gives a tally of 57 and since this is a dual zone with its dual aspect this comes to 114. Out of these 6 happens as a flowering of other 108. So in terms of possibilities there are 108 and 84 for this existence/ universe.

These fundamental kumbhak can be branched to millions.

Breathing is happening because of a kumbhak, heart function due to another. You use your hand because of another kumbhak, use your leg for another kumbhak, you even use your memory because of another kumbhak. There are many many possibilities.

Even if we take breath hold as one category this is further divided into 7 categories. Recita, Purita, Uttara, Adhara, Sama, Pratyahara, and Santa. Breath hold can be used in so many different ways. Like for example you can inhale and hold or exhale and hold, these are categorized as purak and rechak. But when the air enters the nostril through 9 inches from outside then it is bahya purak. When it enters sushumna then antar purak and when it goes out of the opening of sushumna then antar rechak. Bhayabhyantara purak, rechak and kumbhak. So on and so forth.

What is Kumbhak Therapy

Kumbhak Therapy is that which helps in rejuvenating the muscular, nervous circulatory and organ system of the body by regulating the strength, balance and rhythm.

As explained earlier every action needs a kumbhak factor or a holding factor, now when we say disease, here i am not talking about infection. Disease means an organ is not functioning properly. your liver, heart, kidney or pancreas is not functioning properly or your immunity is not functioning properly. On one side these are organs on the other side these are organs related to the function. These organs do not move but they do function they need a holding factor or a doing factor.

If the liver is not working properly the holding factor of the liver has become weak. Now if you want to make the liver stronger or rejuvenate the liver you have to perform that kumbhak. So, this can be done by a typical kumbhak for liver where if a person inhales for a count of 1 unit, hold for 1 unit and exhales for 4 units. So, depending on why the liver has gone weak if we just adjust the kumbhak factor and make the person do it, the liver will start working fine.

The liver cannot function without the heart, so if we do the prana shakti diagnosis to locate the weak factor in the body we also have to ensure that other factors are strengthened by doing kumbhak so in short, the entire system is rejuvenated by kumbhak as for it to function optimally. All the functions can be categorized into strength balance, and rhythm. All these three things can be corrected through kumbhak.

Benefits of Kumbhak Therapy

  • Builds a strong Immunity to fight any kind of ailment
  • Increased energy Level
  • Reduces internal and external inflammation within the body
  • Calms the mind
  • Reduces pain factor
  • Increases heat to fuel various functions in the body
  • Improved sleep
  • Strengthens internal organs
  • Corrects the vikriti factor or the imbalance between the degeneration and regeneration of cells
  • Mental illnesses resolved
  • Corrects the root of your disease

 It can benefit a human being in ways that he can or even cannot think of also.

How Does Kumbhak Work

Kumbhak works by way of improving the dynamism factor of the body by way of breath hold. This holding factor also holds the prana, karma and the whole software. The dynamism of the body can create change in our organs, metabolism, hormonal flow and the way we breathe, the way we act or do activities outside in our lives.

First of all, we need to understand that any dynamic activity happens on the factor of hold, you cannot function without that holding factor. to make it clear when you lift weight you hold your breath, so holding the breath enhances the holding factor required for lifting weight, or pushing, pulling, jumping etc. So, all these activities happen in our body on the factor of hold and observable thing is hold of your breath.

Now, if you breathe rapidly there is a factor of hold which is required behind. You can do this experiment and see for yourself. So, we are not talking about breath hold but the holding factor behind every activity. Therefore, people who are able to do rapid breathing have a greater or better holding factor or kumbhak capacity. People who are not able to do rapid breathing will have a weak holding factor or kumbhak capacity. This just does not apply to rapid breathing but easy and rhythmic breath also.

Similarly, since we want to focus on the human body even the organ function is an activity and happens on the factor of hold of a particular organ. This factor of hold or kumbhak capacity varies from organ to organ and goes up to becoming collective kumbhak capacities of collective functioning of a system.

Kumbhak FAQs

What is Kumbhaka Breathing?

Kumbhak breathing is the breath-hold used to create a specific quality of prana called as pranayama.

This is coming from the yoga paddhati. Yoga paddhati also uses kumbhak in different, different ways because you cannot do without kumbhak. So yama, niyama, pranayama, pratyahara, dhyan, dharana, samadhi everything happens through kumbhak and there is relevant kumbhak. Yoga paddhati do not pin point kumbhak. You cannot do asana without kumbhak as it is a function. So, in doing pranayama breath hold is adopted at an advanced stage. This is also called kumbhak, that is the hold. So, breath hold is kumbhak. Holding memory is also kumbhak, holding prana is also called kumbhak.

What happens when we do kumbhak?

When we do kumbhak the intra thoracic and intra pulmonary air pressure is impacted, thereafter lessening the pressure on the circulatory system. The increased oxygen after retention or breath hold helps in cleansing and rejuvenating various organ systems and increased oxygen supply to the parts where it is needed the most. The diaphragm strength along with the muscular, thoracic and abdominal strength is increased. Also, it helps in increasing the lung capacity, and thus the respiration function on the whole is improved.

How is kumbhak different from Yoga?

Kumbhak is the fundamental effort making ability which is used in every activity of life including the activity of yoga and pranayama. Effort is required to either live life or become free from attachments of life.

Through kumbhak therapy we are trying to strengthen various aspects of life, not attempting mukti.

Who should not practice Kumbhak?

Children below 16 years of age should not practice kumbhak as they are in their growing stage.

What are the side effects of Kumbhak?

There are no side effects of kumbhak because it is the mechanism with which the body functions.  It is the body’s own mechanism so it will only help you to function better. There are no side effects of kumbhak as this is not from outside. You cannot create difficulty with kumbhaka, unless you go beyond a threshold which the body is allowing. Most of the time we can’t cross the threshold unless and until we are compelled through external force.

What all diseases can be cured / treated with Kumbhak?

Diseases that can be cured through kumbhak are

  • Ankylosing Spondylitis
  • Slip Disc
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Parkinsons
  • Muscular Dystrophy
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Myasthenia Gravis
  • Frozen Shoulder
  • Tennis Elbow
  • Cervical Spondylitis
  • Drop Foot
  • Sciatica
  • Osteoporosis
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Paralysis
  • Vertigo
  • Varicose Veins
  • Restless Leg Syndrome
  • Lumbar Spondylosis

Disease means some distortion in functioning. Disease means you have lost the strength of some organ or function, balance of some body or function and rhythm of body function. All these are regulated through kumbhak only. We can literally treat any disease with kumbhak. 

Can a person with Asthma, BP, heart condition, lung issues do kumbhak?

A person with these conditions must do kumbhak. He or she will be able to come out of the problem, and will not need any medicine and life will get transformed.

How much time is needed to do kumbhak practices for therapy? How long do i have to continue doing the practice?

Time duration depends from therapy to therapy. It can be from a few seconds to a few hours. Ideally you are doing kumbhak throughout the day.