Science of Breath
CHAPTER
II.
“Breath is life.”
Life
is absolutely dependent upon the act of
breathing. “Breath is Life.”
Differ as they may upon details of theory and
terminology, the Oriental and the Occidental
agree upon these fundamental principles.
To breathe is to live, and without breath
there is no life. Not only are the
higher animals dependent upon breath for life
and health, but even the lower forms of animal
life must breathe to live, and plant life is
likewise dependent upon the air for continued
existence.
The infant draws in a long, deep breath,
retains it for a moment to extract from it its
life-giving properties, and then exhales it in
a long wail, and lo! its life upon earth has
begun. The old man gives a faint gasp,
ceases to breathe, and life is over.
From the first faint breath of the infant to
the last gasp of the dying man, it is one long
story of continued breathing. Life is
but a series of breaths.
Breathing may be considered the most important
of all of the functions of the body, for,
indeed, all the other functions depend upon
it. Man may exist some time without
eating; a shorter time without drinking; but
without breathing his existence may be
measured by a few minutes.
And not only is Man dependent upon Breath for
life, but he is largely dependent upon correct
habits of breathing for continued vitality and
freedom from disease. An intelligent
control of our breathing power will lengthen
our days upon earth by giving us increased
vitality and powers of resistance, and, on the
other hand, unintelligent and careless
breathing will tend to shorten our days, by
decreasing our vitality and laying us open to
disease.
Man in his normal state had no need of
instruction in breathing. Like the lower
animal and the child, he breathed naturally
and properly, as nature intended him to do,
but civilization has changed him in this and
other respects. He has contracted
improper methods and attitudes of walking,
standing and sitting, which have robbed him of
his birthright of natural and correct
breathing. He has paid a high price for
civilization. The savage, to-day,
breathes naturally, unless he has been
contaminated by the habits of civilized man.
The percentage of civilized men who breathe
correctly is quite small, and the result is
shown in contracted chests and stooping
shoulders, and the terrible increase in
diseases of the respiratory organs, including
that dread monster, Consumption, “the white
scourge.” Eminent authorities have
stated that one generation of correct
breathers would regenerate the race, and
disease would be so rare as to be looked upon
as a curiosity. Whether looked at from
the standpoint of the Oriental or Occidental,
the connection between correct breathing and
health is readily seen and explained.
The Occidental teachings show that the
physical health depends very materially upon
correct breathing. The Oriental teachers
not only admit that their Occidental brothers
are right, but say that in addition to the
physical benefit derived from correct habits
of breathing, Man’s mental power, happiness,
self-control, clear-sightedness, morals, and
even his spiritual growth may be increased by
an understanding of the “Science of
Breath.” Whole schools of Oriental
Philosophy have been founded upon this
science, and this knowledge when grasped by
the Western races, and by them put to the
practical use which is their strong point,
will work wonders among them. The theory
of the East, wedded to the practice of the
West, will produce worthy offspring.
This work will take up the Yogi “Science of
Breath,” which includes not only all that is
known to the Western physiologist and
hygienist, but the occult side of the subject
as well. It not only points out the way
to physical health along the lines of what
Western scientists have termed “deep
breathing,” etc., but also goes into the less
known phases of the subject, and shows how the
Hindu Yogi controls his body, increasing his
mental capacity, and develops the spiritual
side of his nature by the “Science of Breath.”
The Yogi practices exercises by which he
attains control of his body, and is enabled to
send to any organ or part an increased flow of
vital force or “prana,” thereby strengthening
and invigorating the part or organ. He
knows all that his Western scientific brother
knows about the physiological effect of
correct breathing, but he also knows that the
air contains more than oxygen and hydrogen and
nitrogen, and that something more is
accomplished than the mere oxygenating of the
blood. He knows something about “prana,”
of which his Western brother is ignorant, and
he is fully aware of the nature and manner of
handling that great principle of energy, and
is fully informed as to its effect upon the
human body and mind. He knows that by
rhythmical breathing one may bring himself
into harmonious vibration with nature, and aid
in the unfoldment of his latent powers.
He knows that by controlled breathing he may
not only cure disease in himself and others,
but also practically do away with fear and
worry and the baser emotions.
To teach these things is the object of this
work. We will give in a few chapters
concise explanations and instructions, which
might be extended into volumes. We hope
to awaken the minds of the Western world to
the value of the Yogi “Science of Breath.”
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