Kapalbhati Pranayam can treat libido and orgasm issues in women

Kapalbhati Pranayam is sometimes written as Kapal Bhati Pranayam and

Pranayam is often pronounced and written as Pranayama. 

Sex and orgasm for women is a much more complex issue compared to men. For most men sex is penis centric whereas for women it is a full body experience or at least it inevitably involves the breasts and genitalia. In men the shaft of the penis and the “glans penis” are combined whereas in women the vaginal opening and the “glans clitoridis”, are two separate organs. Women also need breast stimulation which results in release of oxytocin and induces arousal and relaxation. Thus in men once penetration takes place the glans which is the most sensitive part of the organ gets the desired stimulation whereas in women even after penetration the glans may remain un-stimulated, thereby making it difficult for a woman to climax. If the man has deposited sperm before the woman has an orgasm, the orgasm of the woman helps movement of sperm increasing chances of fertilization taking place. Women usually cannot climax without clitoral stimulation; simple vaginal penetration is not stimulation enough. Some sex positions provide the stimulation naturally whereas in others you need to make a conscious effort to help a woman achieve orgasm thru clitoral stimulation. Stimulation of the glans clitoridis is sufficient through the clitoral hood. Unlike men the glans in most women is too sensitive to be stimulated with direct contact. When performing “Orgasmic Meditation” the glans clitoridis is always stimulated thru the hood the top left being the most sensitive. The clitoris is the female equivalent of the penis without the external length of the organ. Women do have the erectile tissue which remains inside the body and surrounds the vaginal opening. The clitoris and the erectile tissue become erect or engorged with blood as sexual excitement builds up, just like the penis. In some women, with a large clitoris, it is more easily detectable than in others. The hood of the clitoris may not be easy to move to reveal the clitoris, unlike the foreskin in men. In addition to increased blood flow to the clitoris and pelvis during sexual activity, there is spontaneous increase of blood flow to the breasts as a result of which the nipples become erect. Let me add here that a large number of women can achieve orgasm simply with breast stimulation alone, so the breasts are a very important part of the overall act of sexual intercourse.

Libido issues in women can be a result of improper blood flow to the pelvic area, clitoral insensitivity and hormonal imbalance, especially low Oxytocin levels. Anemia is one major cause for lack of Libido in women. A low sex drive may also be the result of medication for other ailments like hypertension diabetes etc., and due to taking birth control pills which inevitably affect the hormonal balance. In addition it may be the result of psychological or physical stress. While some of the issues will resolve themselves without any action in other cases you may need to use techniques like Sexual Qigong also called Female Deer Exercise, Breast massage and Kapalbhati Pranayam. Lastly, it is important to highlight that some women have a low sex drive for no apparent reason. Many women enjoy sex but will not or are unable to initiate sex, and often feel inadequate or guilty. In a majority of women sexual excitement is triggered only after foreplay, especially involving breast and in other cases the excitement and need may come on even after penetration has taken place. However, once they get into the act, most women are able to enjoy sex and climax successfully. Many women may feel that they need to feel excited and initiate sex and that can be resolved, with regular practice of Sexual Qigong, breast massage and Kapalbhati Pranayama. You can read about Sexual Qigong in my post on “How to perform the Female Deer exercise”. Very often, if no major medical issues are involved, the problem of sexual excitement and climaxing can be resolved with better blood flow to the pelvic region and regular breast massage. Kapalbhati Pranayama is a yoga pranayama or breathing exercise which helps increase blood flow through the body, especially to the pelvic area. In addition to increasing blood flow kapalbhati also stimulates the abdominal and reproductive organs due to the movement of the lower and upper abdominal areas during the exercise. A healthy man will usually get an erection after about 5 or 10 minutes of Kapalbhati. Similarly a woman will get better blood flow to the pelvis including better flow to the clitoris and a ‘tingle’ in the groin. In addition to Kapalbhati, Orgasmic Meditation may be a good idea for women; I will discuss it in another post.

A word of caution here; before you start practicing Kapal Bhati please consult your doctor. Kapal Bhati can raise blood pressure and may not be right in some medical conditions like if you have hernia. It should not be practiced if you are pregnant. Also take care not to do it too rapidly or with too much force. Do not practice it when you are menstruating or if there is discomfort before or after the menstrual cycle is complete. As you start doing Kapalbhati Pranayam regularly, taking the precautions listed here you will find a decline in the Pre and Post Menstrual issues you may be facing. It may be a good idea to practice deep breathing for 5 to 10 minutes during times when you are not supposed to do Kapalbhati.

Kapalbhati is a fairly simple rapid breathing exercise. However, it has far reaching benefits which include hormonal changes if practiced regularly and for a substantial period of time. The immediate benefit is that it increases blood flow and oxygen supply throughout the body, starting with the pelvic area or the “Mooladhara Chakra”. Better blood flow to the “Mooladhara Chakra” will not only affect sexual desire and potential of orgasm but will also cure many other problems of the reproductive, urinary and digestive systems. In addition it can help manage diabetes, high cholesterol level, induce weight loss and promote general health. It is important to understand here that sexual health has a direct relation to overall health. Kapalbhati will also reduce your need to take excessive stimulants like alcohol, cigarettes, coffee etc.

Let us see how to perform this simple but valuable exercise. Do consult your doctor before you start practicing it. It should be done in the morning on an empty stomach or any time with a 5 hour gap after eating. Drink a glass or 2 of water when you wake up, freshen up and then start. You may do it sitting in a chair with your legs on the floor, on a bed, on the floor in any sitting posture. The best however is if you sit on the floor in fresh open air with your legs crossed, as explained here: Place your left leg with the heel pressing the perineum (refer to my post “How to isolate the perineum muscles” if you need to), as close to the anus as possible or the vagina and the right leg above the left, with the toe of the right between the thigh and calf muscle of the left leg. If you find this difficult place a tennis ball (or a similar object) behind your left heel to press the vagina and place the right leg in any manner comfortable to you. Sit straight and you are ready to start Kapalbhati Pranayama.

Breathe deeply for 2 to 3 minutes. Clear your throat and nose. Check that both your nostrils are open by closing one at a time and breathing through the other. If a nostril is constricted press the index or pointing finger of the hand on that side and breathe normally till it opens. If you do not succeed you can still start Kapala bhati pranayama, but expect fewer results and be ready to practice for a longer period of time to see tangible results.

Kapalabhati Pranayama: Place your wrist on your knees with the palms facing upward. Join the tip of the thumb with the index figure of both hands. Breathe in normally and quickly force the air out from both nostrils as if you were coughing or clearing your nose. The breath in is normal and natural whereas the breath out is a short burst. You simply need to concentrate on the quick exhale and try to do about 60 repetitions a minute. Initially if you do less than 60 it is okay. Do not worry about the abdominal movement you may see in the videos on youtube. The abdominal movement is a result of the proper breathing so concentrate on the breathing. Make sure you are not moving your shoulders too much. Your objective is to do Kapal Bhati for 15 minutes at a stretch with one stroke every second. Start with 1 or 2 minutes and slowly increase the number of sets and the duration of each set. It may take you 2 to 3 months of practice to do Kapal Bhati for 15 minutes at a stretch. Make sure you do not strain yourself. If you feel any discomfort stop and rest. Do only as much as you can comfortably take. Before you end breathe out and pull your abdomen in while contracting your vaginal muscles and pulling up your perineum muscles, hold as long as possible. You may repeat it 2 to 5 times. Once you finish lay down flat on your back close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Breathe normally but a little deeper than usual.  At the end of your session you should feel more energetic and your energy levels should remain higher through the day after a few days of regular practice. If this is not happening there is something wrong. So you should either stop or reduce the duration or number of sets. Also check if you are following the steps correctly. As you keep practicing Kapal Bhati regularly your desire to indulge in and initiate sexual activity will increase, you will be able to have orgasms more readily and will generally feel healthier. Your fertility level will also increase so take necessary precautions if you are not intending to get pregnant. I recommend including a breast massage or the Female Deer exercise for even better results.

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