Liber E vel Exercitiorum

4

IV

Pranayama — Regularisation of the Breathing

1
At rest in one of your positions, close the right nostril with the thumb of the right hand and breathe out slowly and completely through the left nostril, while your watch marks 20 seconds. Breathe in through the same nostril for 10 seconds. Changing hands, repeat with the other nostril. Let this be continuous for one hour.
2
When this is quite easy to you, increase the periods to 30 and 15 seconds.
3
When this is quite easy to you, but not before, breathe out for 15 seconds, in for 15 seconds, and hold the breath for 15 seconds.
4
When you can do this with perfect ease and comfort for a whole hour, practice breathing out for 40, in for 20 seconds.
5
This being attained, practice breathing out for 20, in for 10, holding the breath for 30 seconds.

When this has become perfectly easy to you, you may be admitted for examination, and should you pass, you will be instructed in more complex and difficult practices.

6
You will find that the presence of food in the stomach, even in small quantities, makes the practices very difficult.
7
Be very careful never to overstrain your powers; especially never get so short of breath that you are compelled to breathe out jerkily or rapidly.
8
Strive after depth, fulness, and regularity of breathing.
9
Various remarkable phenomena will very probably occur during these practices. They must be carefully analysed and recorded.
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