Speaker 1: 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 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 its life
giving properties, and then exhales it in a long wail
and low 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 breath. Breathing may be considered the most important
of all 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 is contract in proper 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 today 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 contractedests
and stooping shoulders, and the terrible increase in diseases of
the respiratory organs, including that dread monster consumption the white scourge.
Imminent 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 showed 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 the correct habits
of breathing, man's mental power, happiness, self control, clear sightediness, 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
physiologists and hygienis, 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, et cetera, 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 in 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.