Deep
Breathing
The state of the mind at all times is dependent
physiologically upon these things: the brain,
the spinal cord, and the breath; these three must work in absolute
harmony before the mind
can fully concentrate itself upon itself or any object without.
Concentration is the goal.
If you are in a class for development of deep breathing, on
entering the class room have no
conversation with any one, but quietly take your accustomed seat and
put yourself in a
receptive mood. After all are seated in the class the first exercise
should be the deep
breathing one, which is as follows:
The instructor, or leader, should always stand where he can be
seen by all the class and
should count thus: One, two, three, four. Now slowly inhale the breath,
stopping instantly
when the leader stops counting. Now hold the breath a space of two
counts, then as the
leader, counts, four, three, two, one, slowly'exhale the breath. Keep
up the breathing
exercise for four or'five minutes at a time for the first sitting. Add
one count each day
until you can take ten counts easily. You should not sit over an hour.
Pause frequently during the hour's sitting for normal
breathing, and if any one should
feel dizzy let that one stop the exercise until he has recovered. This
is for the purpose
of making uniform the vibration of the class. Everything in nature is
subject to this law of
vibration, and when it is correctly understood it can be made to serve
man, not hinder
him. Remember, a steady breathing exercise taken each day at the exact
time,
according to need, will help to correct many conditions of inharmony.
It has been found that the brain, the spinal cord and the
breathing can be cultivated to
work in such unison that a powerful rythmic flow of nerve energy can be
created. This
tremendous current of nerve upon reaching the brain produces entirely
new reactions.
Every thought or idea produced by means of the brain is the result of
some sort of
reaction taking place. The vividness of such ideas depends upon the
intensity of the
reaction, and the intensity of the reaction depends upon the strength
of the nerve
current producing it.
These nerve currents are rushing to the brain and resulting in
reactions every moment
of our lives, although we are many times not conscious of it. If any
one can manage to
send new and greatly increased nerve currents to the brain he is sure
to produce new
and greater reactions. That is just what occurs when the brain, the
spinal cord and the
breathing are working in harmony, for the motion of the current is
rythmic, circulating
from foot to head. The manner of breathing has much to do with the
result.
When the breath passes into the lungs opposite the thorax it
keeps in motion the two
nerve currents which pass up and down the spinal cord to the brain and
other parts of
the body. Every inhalation and exhalation completely controls the
motion of these
currents. If the inhalation and exhalation are irregular the currents
are of necessity
irregular. Irregular currents are without rythm, and it is the rythmic
motion of the currents
which produces the wonderful thrilling reaction of the brain. What is
the rythm in this
case?
All electric currents are by nature rythmic—that is, the motion
is all in the same direction.
In an ordinarily quiet room there is a good deal of motion,
almost enough to knock us
down if it were all in the same direction; but being in all directions
we do not notice it or
feel it. Let it move all in the same direction and a whirlwind would
take possession of the
room. Just such motion — uninterrupted electric motion—is wanted for
the nerve current.
There are but few people who breathe in a rythmic manner, or who
have control over the
breath. This can be acquired by continuous practice. One of the
greatest difficulties for an
unhealthy person to overcome in acquiring the art of rythmic breathing
is the irregular
change of breath from one nostril to the other, but persistent practice
of these exercises
will overcome this difficulty.
