Kundalini Yoga Glossary
Breath of Fire
A rapid, rhythmic breath using equal abdominal contractions, both invigorating and purifying.
Meaning
What Breath of Fire Means
Breath of Fire, also known as Agni Pran, is a breathing technique that's both invigorating and purifying. It uses rhythmic, balanced abdominal contractions, and works as a powerful tool against anxiety, nervousness, worry, fear, sorrow and sadness.
This breath revitalizes the nervous and glandular systems, purifying the blood in the process. Practiced alongside certain postures or movements, it puts gentle pressure on different nerve plexuses and glands, filling those areas of the body with vitality.
In Practice
How It’s Used
On the exhale, the abdomen and Navel Point contract lightly toward the spine and slightly upward. On the inhale, the abdomen relaxes forward as the diaphragm lowers, filling the lungs. Both the inhale and exhale should sound the same, and once mastered, the diaphragm moves like a piston, roughly 2 to 3 times per second.
The spine stays elongated and the rest of the body relatively still while the breath does the work. Scientific tests measuring brain waves and blood chemistry have shown that Breath of Fire isn't the same as hyperventilation. Dizziness, tingling, or rigidness in the hands or face are signs the technique isn't being done correctly, most often from contracting the navel on the inhale instead of the exhale, or pumping the abdomen too forcefully.
