Correct Breathing
The lungs are to the body what the bellows are to the fires of the
forge. The more regularly and vigorously the air is forced through
the bellows and through the lungs, the livelier burns the flame in
the smithy and the fires of life in the body.
Practice deep, regular breathing systematically for one week, and
you will be surprised at the results. You will feel like a different
person, and your working capacity, both physically and mentally,
will be immensely increased.
A plentiful supply of fresh air is more necessary than food and
drink. We can live without food for weeks, without water for days,
but without air only a few minutes.
The Process of Breathing
With every inhalation, air is sucked in through the windpipe or
trachea, which terminates in two tubes called bronchi, one leading
to the right lung, one to the left. The air is then distributed over
the lungs through a network of minute tubes, to the air cells, which
are separated by only a thin membrane from equally fine and minute
blood vessels forming another network of tubes.
The oxygen contained in the inhaled air passes freely through these
membranes, is absorbed by the blood, carried to the heart and thence
through the arteries and their branches to the different organs and
tissues of the body, fanning the fires of life into brighter flame
all along its course and burning up the waste products and poisons
that have accumulated during the vital processes of digestion,
assimilation and elimination.
After the blood has unloaded its supply of oxygen, it takes up the
carbonic acid gas which is produced during the oxidation and
combustion of waste matter and carries it to the lungs, where the
poisonous gases are transferred to the air cells and expelled with
the exhaled breath. This return trip of the blood to the lungs is
made through another set of blood vessels, the veins, and the blood,
dark with the sewage of the system, is now called venous blood.
In the lungs the venous blood discharges its freight of
excrementitious poisons and gases, and by coming in contact with
fresh air and a new supply of oxygen, it is again transformed into
bright, red arterial blood, pregnant with oxygen and ozone, the
life-sustaining elements of the atmosphere.
This explains why normal, deep, regular breathing is all-important
to sustain life and as a means of cure. By proper breathing, which
exercises and develops every part of the lungs, the capacity of the
air cells is increased. This, as we have learned, means also an
increased supply of life-sustaining and health-promoting oxygen to
the tissues and organs of the body.
Bad Effects of Shallow Breathing
Very few people breathe correctly. Some, especially women, with
tight skirtbands and corsets pressing on their vital organs, use
only the upper part of their lungs. Others breathe only with the
lower part and with the diaphragm, leaving the upper structures of
the lungs inactive and collapsed.
In those parts of the lungs that are not used, slimy secretions
accumulate, irritating the air cells and other tissues, which become
inflamed and begin to decay. Thus a luxuriant soil is prepared for
the tubercle bacillus, the pneumococcus and other disease-producing
bacilli and germs.
This habit of shallow breathing, which does not allow the lungs to
be thoroughly permeated with fresh air, accounts in a measure for
the fact that one-third of all deaths result from diseases of the
lungs. To one individual perishing from food starvation, thousands
are dying from oxygen starvation.
Lung culture is more important than other branches of learning and
training which require more time and a greater outlay of time, money
and effort. In the Nature Cure regimen, breathing exercises play an
important part.
Breathing Exercises
General Directions
The effectiveness of breathing exercises and of all other kinds of
corrective movements depends upon the mental attitude during the
time of practice. Each motion should be accompanied by the conscious
effort to make it produce a certain result. Much more can be
accomplished with mental concentration, by keeping your mind on what
you are doing, than by performing the exercises in an aimless,
indifferent way.
Keep in the open air as much as possible and at all events sleep
with windows open.
If your occupation is sedentary, take all opportunities for walking
out of doors that present themselves. While walking, breathe
regularly and deeply, filling the lungs to their fullest capacity
and also expelling as much air as possible at each exhalation. Undue
strain should, of course, be avoided. This applies to all breathing
exercises.
Do not breathe through the mouth. Nature intends that the outer air
shall reach the lungs by way of the nose, whose membranes are lined
with fine hairs in order to sift the air and to prevent foreign
particles, dust and dirt, from irritating the mucous linings of the
air tract and entering the delicate structures of the lungs. Also,
the air is warmed before it reaches the lungs by its passage through
the nose.
Let the exhalations take about double the time of the inhalations.
This will be further explained in connection with rhythmical
breathing.
Do not hold the breath between inhalations. Though frequently
recommended by teachers of certain methods of breath culture, this
practice is more harmful than beneficial.
The Proper Standing Position
Of great importance is the position assumed habitually by the body
while standing and walking. Carelessness in this respect is not only
unpleasant to the beholder, but its consequences are far-reaching in
their effects upon health and the well-being of the organism.
On the other hand, a good carriage of the body aids in the
development of muscles and tissues generally and in the proper
functioning of cells and organs in particular. With the weight of
the body thrown upon the balls of the feet and the center of gravity
well focused, the abdominal organs will stay in place and there will
be no strain upon the ligaments that support them.
In assuming the proper standing position, stand with your back to
the wall, touching it with heels, buttocks, shoulders and head. Now
bend the head backward and push the shoulders forward and away from
the wall, still touching the wall with buttocks and heels.
Straighten the head, keeping the shoulders in the forward position.
Now walk away from the wall and endeavor to maintain this position
while taking the breathing exercises and practicing the various arm
movements.
Take this position as often as possible during the day and try to
maintain it while you go about your different tasks that must be
performed while standing. Gradually this position will become second
nature, and you will assume and maintain it without effort.
When the body is in this position, the viscera are in their normal
place. This aids the digestion materially and benefits indirectly
the entire functional organism.
Persistent practice of the above will correct protruding abdomen and
other defects due to faulty position and carriage of the body.
The following breathing exercises are intended especially to develop
greater lung capacity and to assist in forming the habit of
breathing properly at all times. The different movements should be
repeated from three to six times, according to endurance and the
amount of time at disposal.
(1) With hands at sides or on hips, inhale and exhale slowly and
deeply, bringing the entire respiratory apparatus into active play.
(2) (To expand the chest and increase the air capacity of the
lungs.)
Jerk the shoulder forward in several separate movements, inhaling
deeper at each forward jerk. Exhale slowly, bringing the shoulders
back to the original position.
Reverse the exercise, jerking the shoulders backward in similar
manner while inhaling. Alternate the movements, forcing the
shoulders first forward, then backward.
(3) Stand erect, arms at sides. Inhale, raising the arms forward and
upward until the palms touch above the head, at the same time
raising on the toes as high as possible. Exhale, lowering the toes,
bringing the hands downward in a wide circle until the palms touch
the thighs.
(4) Stand erect, hands on hips. Inhale slowly and deeply, raising
the shoulders as high as possible, then, with a jerk, drop them as
low as possible, letting the breath escape slowly.
(5) Stand erect, hands at shoulders. Inhale, raising elbows
sideways; exhale, bringing elbows down so as to strike the sides
vigorously.
(6) Inhale deeply, then exhale slowly, at the same time clapping the
chest with the palms of the hands, covering the entire surface.
(These six exercises are essential and sufficient. The following
four may be practiced by those who are able to perform them and who
have time and inclination to do so.)
(7) Stand erect, hands at sides. Inhale slowly and deeply, at the
same time bringing the hands, palms up, in front of the body to the
height of the shoulders. Exhale, at the same time turning the palms
downward and bringing the hands down in an outward circle.
(8) Stand erect, the right arm raised upward, the left crossed
behind the back. Lean far back, then bend forward and touch the
floor with the right hand, without bending the knees, as far in
front of the body as possible. Raise the body to original posture,
reverse position of arms, and repeat the exercise. Inhale while
leaning backward and changing position of arms, exhale while bending
forward.
(9) Position erect, feet well apart, both arms raised. Lean back,
inhaling, then bend forward, exhaling, touching the floor with both
hands between the legs as far back as possible.
(10) Horizontal position, supporting the body on palms and toes.
Swing the right hand upward and backward, flinging the body to the
left side, resting on the left hand and the left foot. Return to
original position, repeat the exercise, flinging the body to the
right side. Inhale while swinging backward, exhale while returning
to position.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
The diaphragm is a large, flat muscle, resembling a saucer, which
forms the division between the chest cavity and the abdominal
cavity. By downward expansion it causes the lungs to expand likewise
and to suck in the air. The pressure of air being greater on the
outside of the body than within, it rushes in and fills the vacuum
created by the descending diaphragm. As the diaphragm relaxes and
becomes contracted to its original size and position, the air is
expelled from the body.
(11) (To stimulate the action of the diaphragm)
Lie flat on floor or mattress, the head unsupported. Relax the
muscles all over the body, then inhale deeply with the diaphragm
only, raising the wall of the abdomen just below the ribs without
elevating either the chest or the lower abdomen. Take about four
seconds to inhale, then exhale in twice that length of time,
contracting the abdomen below the ribs.
(12) (Internal massage)
Lie on your back on a bed or couch, knees raised. Relax thoroughly,
exhale and hold the breath after exhalation. While doing so, push
the abdomen out and draw it in as far as possible each way. Repeat
these movements as long as you can hold the breath without
straining, then breathe deeply and regularly for several minutes,
then repeat the massage movements.
Next to deep breathing, I consider this practice of greater value
than any other physical exercise. It imparts to the intestines an
other abdominal organs a "washboard" motion which acts as a powerful
stimulant to all the organs in the abdominal cavity. Internal
massage is especially beneficial in chronic constipation. This
exercise may be performed also while standing or walking. It should
be practiced two or three times daily.
Breathing Exercises to Be Taken in Bed
(13) With hands at side, inhale slowly and deeply, as directed in
Exercise Number (1), filling and emptying the lungs as much as
possible, but without straining. Practice first lying on the back,
then on each side.
(14) Using one-or two-pound dumbbells, position recumbent on back,
arms extended sideways, dumbbells in hands. Raise the arms with
elbows rigid, cross arms over the chest as far as possible, at the
same time expelling the air from the lungs. Extend the arms to the
sides, inhaling deeply and raising the chest.
(15) Lie flat on the back, arms at sides. Grasping the dumbbells,
extend the arms backward over the head, inhaling. Leave them in this
position for a few seconds, then raise them straight above the
chest, and lower them slowly to the original position. Exhale during
the second half of this exercise.
As a variation, cross the arms in front of the body instead of
bringing to sides.
Rhythmical Breathing
It is a fact not generally known to us western people (our attention
had to be called to it by the "Wise Men of the East"), that in
normal, rhythmical breathing exhalation and inhalation take place
through one nostril at a time: for about one hour through the right
nostril and then for a like period through the left nostril.
The breath entering through the right nostril creates positive
electro-magnetic currents, which pass down the right side of the
spine, while the breath entering through the left nostril sends
negative electro-magnetic currents down the left side of the spine.
These currents are transmitted by way of the nerve centers or
ganglia of the sympathetic nervous system, which is situated
alongside the spinal column, to all parts of the body.
In the normal, rhythmical breath exhalation takes about twice the
time of inhalation. For instance, if inhalation require four
seconds, exhalation, including a slight natural pause before the new
inhalation, requires eight seconds.
The balancing of the electro-magnetic energies in the system depends
to a large extent upon this rhythmical breathing, hence the
importance of deep, unobstructed, rhythmic exhalation and
inhalation.
In order to establish the natural rhythm of the breath when it has
been impaired through catarrhal affections, wrong habits of
breathing, or other causes, the following exercise, practiced not
less than three times a day (preferably in the morning upon arising,
at noon, and at night), will prove very beneficial in promoting
normal breathing and creating the right balance between the positive
and the negative electro-magnetic energies in the organism.
The Alternate Breath
Exhale thoroughly, then close the right nostril and inhale through
the left. After a slight pause change the position of the fingers
and expel the breath slowly through the right nostril. Now inhale
through the right nostril and, reversing the pressure upon the
nostrils, exhale through the left.
Repeat this exercise from five to ten times, always allowing twice
as much time for exhalation as for inhalation. That is, count three,
or four, or six for inhalation and six, eight, or twelve,
respectively, for exhalation, according to your lung capacity. Let
your breaths be as deep and long as possible, but avoid all strain.
This exercise should always be performed before an open window or,
better yet, in the open air, and the body should not be constricted
and hampered by tight or heavy clothing.
Alternate breathing may be practiced standing, sitting, or in the
recumbent position. The spine should at all times be held straight
and free, so that the flow of the electro-magnetic currents be not
obstructed. If taken at night before going to sleep, the effect of
this exercise will be to induce calm, restful sleep.
While practicing the "alternate breath," fix your attention and
concentrate your power of will upon what you axe trying to
accomplish. As you inhale through the right nostril, will the
magnetic currents to flow along the right side of the spine, and as
you inhale through the left nostril, consciously direct the currents
to the left side.
There is more virtue in this exercise than one would expect,
considering its simplicity. It has been in practice among the Yogi
of India since time immemorial.
The wise men of India knew that with the breath they absorbed not
only the physical elements of the air, but life itself. They taught
that this primary force of all forces, from which all energy is
derived, ebbs and flows in rhythmical breath through the created
universe. Every living thing is alive by virtue of and by partaking
of this cosmic breath.
The more positive the demand, the greater the supply. Therefore,
while breathing deeply and rhythmically in harmony with the
universal breath, will to open yourself more fully to the inflow of
the life force from the source of all life in the innermost parts of
your being.
This intimate connection of the individual soul with the great
reservoir of life must exist. Without it life would be an
impossibility.
Warning
While the alternate breathing exercises are very valuable for
overcoming obstructions in the air passages, for establishing the
habit of rhythmic breathing and for refining and accelerating the
vibratory activities on the physical and spiritual planes of being,
they must be practiced with great caution. These, and other "Yogi"
breathing exercises, are powerful means for developing abnormal
psychical conditions. They are therefore especially dangerous to
those who are already inclined to be physically and mentally
negative and sensitive. Such persons must avoid all practices which
tend to refine excessively the physical body and to develop
prematurely and abnormally the sensory organs of the spiritual body.
The most dangerous of these methods are long extended fasting, raw
food diet, that, is, a diet consisting of fruits, nuts, oils and raw
vegetables and excluding the dalry products, "Yogi" breathing, and
"sitting in the silence." That is, sitting in darkness, in seclusion
or in company with others, while keeping the mind in a passive,
receptive condition for extraneous impressions. These practices tend
to develop very dangerous phases of abnormal and subjective
psychism, such as clairvoyance, clairaudience, mediumship and
obsession.