HATHA YOGA/PART 16
CHAPTER 16.
BREATHING EXERCISES
We give below three forms of breath, quite popular among
the Yogis. The first is the well-known Yogi Cleansing Breath, to which is
attributed much of the great lung endurance found among the Yogis. They usually
finish up a breathing exercise with this Cleansing Breath, and we have followed
this plan in this book. We also give the Yogi Nerve Vitalizing Exercise, which
has been handed down among them for ages, and which has never been improved on
by Western teachers of Physical Culture, although some of them have
"borrowed” it from teachers of Yogi. We also give the Yogi Vocal Breath,
which accounts largely for the melodious, vibrant voices of the better class of
the Oriental Yogis. We feel that if this book contained nothing more than these
three exercises, it would be invaluable to the Western student. Take these
exercises as a gift from your Eastern brothers and put them into practice.
The Yogi Cleansing Breath.
The Yogis have a favorite form of breathing which they
practice when they feel the necessity of ventilating and cleansing the lungs.
They conclude many of their other breathing exercises with this breath, and we
have followed this practice in this book. This Cleansing Breathing ventilates
and cleanses the lungs, stimulates the cells and gives a general tone to the
respiratory organs, and is conducive to their general healthy condition.
Besides this effect, it is found to greatly refresh the entire system.
Speakers, singers, etc., will find this breath especially restful, after having
tired the respiratory organs.
·
Inhale a complete breath.
·
Retain the air a few seconds.
·
Pucker up the lips as if for a whistle (but
do not swell out the cheeks), then exhale a little air through the opening,
with considerable vigor. Then stop for a moment, retaining the air, and then
exhale a little more air.
Repeat until the air is completely exhaled. Remember that
considerable vigor is to be used in exhaling the air through the opening in the
lips.
This breath will be found quite refreshing when one is
tired and generally "used up.” A trial will convince the student of its
merits. This exercise should be practiced until it can be performed naturally
and easily, as it is used to finish up a number of other exercises given in
this book, and it should be thoroughly understood.
The Yogi Nerve Vitalizing Breath.
This is an exercise well known to the Yogis, who consider
it one of the strongest nerve stimulants and invigorants known to man. Its
purpose is to stimulate the Nervous System, develop nerve force, energy and
vitality. This exercise brings a stimulating pressure to bear on important nerve
centers, which in turn stimulate and energize the entire nervous system, and
send an increased flow of nerve force to all parts of the body.
·
Stand erect.
·
Inhale a Complete Breath, and retain same.
·
Extend the arms straight in front of you,
letting them be somewhat limp and relaxed, with only sufficient nerve force to
hold them out.
·
Slowly draw the hands back toward the
shoulders, gradually contracting the muscles and putting force into them, so
that when they reach the shoulders the fists will be so tightly clenched that a
tremulous motion is felt.
·
Then, keeping the muscles tense, push the
fists slowly out, and then draw them back rapidly (still tense) several times.
·
Exhale vigorously through the mouth.
·
Practice the Cleansing
Breath. The efficiency of this exercise depends greatly upon the speed of the
drawing back of the fists, and the tension of the muscles, and, of course, upon
the full lungs. This exercise must be tried to be appreciated. It is without
equal as a "bracer,” as our Western friends put it.
The Yogi
Vocal Breath.
The Yogis have a form of breathing to develop the voice.
They are noted for their wonderful voices, which are strong, smooth and clear,
and have a wonderful trumpet-like carrying power. They have practiced this
particular form of breathing exercise which has resulted in rendering their
voices soft, beautiful and flexible, imparting to it that indescribable,
peculiar floating quality, combined with great power. The exercise given below
will in time impart the above-mentioned qualities, or the Yogi Voice, to the
student who practices it faithfully. It is to be understood, of course, that
this form of breath is to be used only as an occasional exercise, and not as a
regular form of breathing.
·
Inhale a Complete Breath very slowly, but
steadily, through the nostrils, taking as much time as possible in the
inhalation.
·
Retain for a few seconds.
·
Expel the air vigorously in one great breath,
through the wide opened mouth.
·
Rest the lungs by the Cleansing Breath.
Without going deeply into the Yogi theories of
sound-production in speaking and singing, we wish to say that experience has
taught them that the timbre, quality and power of a voice depends not alone
upon the vocal organs in the throat, but that the facial muscles, etc., have
much to do with the matter. Some men with large chests produce but a poor tone,
while others with comparatively small chests produce tones of amazing strength and
quality. Here is an interesting experiment worth trying: Stand before a glass
and pucker up your mouth and whistle, and note the shape of your mouth and the
general expression of your face. Then sing or speak as you do naturally, and
see the difference. Then start to whistle again for a few seconds, and then, without changing the position of your lips or face,
sing a few notes and notice what a vibrant, resonant, clear and beautiful tone
is produced.
The following are the
seven favorite exercises of the Yogis for developing the lungs, muscles,
ligaments, air cells, etc. They are quite simple but marvelously effective.
Do not let the simplicity of these exercises make you lose interest, for they
are the result of careful experiments and practice on the part of the Yogis,
and are the essence of numerous intricate and complicated exercises, the
non-essential portions being eliminated and the essential features retained.
(1) The Retained Breath.
This is a very important exercise which tends to
strengthen and develop the respiratory muscles as well as the lungs, and its
frequent practice will also tend to expand the chest. The Yogis have found that
an occasional holding of the breath, after the lungs have been filled with the
Complete Breath, is very beneficial, not only to the respiratory organs but to
the organs of nutrition, the nervous system and the blood itself. They have
found that an occasional holding of the breath tends to purify the air which has
remained in the lungs from former inhalations, and to more fully oxygenate the
blood. They also know that the breath so retained gathers up all the waste
matter, and when the breath is expelled it carries with it the effete matter of
the system, and cleanses the lungs just as a purgative does the bowels. The
Yogis recommend this exercise for various disorders of the stomach, liver and
blood, and also find that it frequently relieves bad breath, which often arises
from poorly ventilated lungs. We recommend students to pay considerable
attention to this exercise, as it has great merits. The following directions
will give you a clear idea of the exercise:
(1) Stand erect.
·
Inhale a Complete Breath.
·
Retain the air as long as you can
comfortably.
·
Exhale vigorously through the open mouth.
·
Practice the Cleansing Breath.
At first you will be able to retain the breath only a
short time, but a little practice will also show a great improvement. Time
yourself with a watch if you wish to note your progress.
(2) Lung Cell
Stimulation.
This exercise is designed to stimulate the air cells in
the lungs, but beginners must not overdo it, and in no case should it be
indulged in too vigorously. Some may find a slight dizziness resulting from the
first few trials, in which case let them walk around a little and discontinue
the exercise for a while.
(1) Stand erect, with
hands at sides.
(2) Breathe in very
slowly and gradually.
·
While inhaling, gently tap the chest with the
finger tips, constantly changing position.
·
When the lungs are filled, retain the breath
and pat the chest with the palms of the hands.
·
Practice the Cleansing Breath.
This exercise is very bracing and stimulating
to the whole body, and is a well-known Yogi practice. Many of the air cells of
the lungs become inactive by reason of incomplete breathing, and often become
almost atrophied. One who has practiced imperfect breathing for years will find
it not so easy to stimulate all these ill-used air cells into activity all at
once by the Complete Breath, but this exercise will do much toward bringing
about the desired result, and is worth study and
practice.
(3) Rib Stretching.
We have explained that the ribs are fastened
by cartilages, which admit of considerable expansion. In proper breathing, the
ribs play an important part, and it is well to occasionally give them a little
special exercise in order to preserve their elasticity. Standing or sitting in
unnatural positions, to which many of the Western people are addicted, is apt
to render the ribs more or less stiff and inelastic, and this exercise will do
much to overcome same.
·
Stand erect.
·
Place the hands one on each side of the body,
as high up under the armpits as convenient, the thumbs reaching toward the
back, the palms on the side of the chest and fingers to the front over the
breast.
·
Inhale a Complete Breath.
·
Retain the air for a short time.
·
Then gently squeeze the sides, at the same
time slowly exhaling.
·
Practice the Cleansing Breath. Use moderation
in this exercise and do not overdo it.
(4) Chest Expansion
The chest is quite apt to be contracted from bending over
one's work. This exercise is very good for the purpose of restoring natural
conditions and gaining chest expansion.
(1) Stand erect.
(2) Inhale a Complete
Breath.
(3) Retain the air.
(4) Extend both arms
forward and bring the two clenched fists together on a level with the shoulder.
·
Then swing back the fists vigorously until
the arms stand out straight sideways from the shoulders.
·
Then bring back to Position 4, and swing to
Position 5. Repeat several times.
·
Exhale vigorously through the opened mouth.
·
Practice the Cleansing Breath.
Use moderation and do not overdo this exercise.
(5) Walking Exercise.
·
Walk with head up, chin drawn slightly in,
shoulders back, and with measured tread. (2) Inhale a Complete Breath, counting
(mentally) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, one count to each step, making the
inhalation extend over the eight counts.
·
Exhale slowly through the nostrils, counting
as before—1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8—one count to a step.
·
Rest between breaths, continuing walking and
counting, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, one count to the step.
·
Repeat until you begin to feel tired. Then
rest for a while, and resume at pleasure. Repeat several times a day.
Some Yogis vary this exercise by retaining
the breath during a 1, 2, 3, 4, count, and then exhale in an eight-step count.
Practice whichever plan seems most agreeable to you.
·
Morning Exercise.
·
Stand erect in a military attitude, head up,
eyes front, shoulders back, knees stiff, hands at sides.
·
Raise body slowly on toes, inhaling a
Complete Breath, steadily and slowly.
·
Retain the breath for a few seconds,
maintaining the same position.
·
Slowly sink to the first position, at the
same time slowly exhaling the air through the nostrils.
·
Practice Cleansing Breath.
·
Repeat several times, varying by using right
leg alone, then left leg alone.
·
Stimulating Circulation.
·
Stand erect.
·
Inhale a Complete Breath and retain.
·
Bend forward slightly and grasp a stick or
cane steadily and firmly, and gradually exerting your entire strength upon the
grasp.
·
Relax the grasp, return to first position,
and slowly exhale.
·
Repeat several times.
(6) Finish with the
Cleansing Breath.
This exercise may be performed without the use of a stick
or cane, by grasping an imaginary cane, using the will to exert the pressure.
The exercise is a favorite Yogi plan of stimulating the circulation by driving
the arterial blood to the extremities, and drawing back the venous blood to the
heart and lungs that it may take up the oxygen which has been inhaled with the
air. In cases of poor circulation there is not enough blood in the lungs to
absorb the increased amount of oxygen inhaled, and the system does not get the
full benefit of the improved breathing. In such cases, particularly, it is well
to practice this exercise, occasionally with the regular Complete Breathing
exercise.
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