The art of Breathing

This is for the total beginners who have very little experience of yogic principles, and have done nothing of such yogic practices.

About Breath
Breath is Life itself. Stop Breathing and you are as good as dead.
Therefore you can understand that if you are able to control your breathing process with your own mind.... then you can control your mind well. And since everything is in the mind.... stress, peace, anger, tension, pleasure, hate, jealousy, ignorance, compassion, and so many more qualities, it is up to you to choose what you want to be... a tense person or a relaxed person, a person full of hate or a person full of love. The opposites are what the mind is made of, and you must understand that the mind in turn is being directed by an energy called the Pranic Energy....Life Force... which causes the breath to enter the body and leave it in rhythmic cycles. You are actually a vibrating pulsating soul full of energy and you don’t know this. So start with learning how to control breath.

The process
As you inhale slowly... you will find that breath has a focal point in your body. It goes downwards. Then you hold it for a moment and watch ...it remains there..... tickling your stomach... but the other force takes over and you have to exhale.... the cycle is complete. You have taken in so many oxygen atoms that will now recharge your body!
Now notice that we always breathe so stressfully. Why? This is bad habit #1 which has to be stopped. How?
We waste a lot of time thinking and don’t really breathe properly. We waste time in useless activities at times and don’t even realize it.
We forget how to breathe! That is the problem. We must remember to breathe well again and all will be fine with us..... I guarantee that.
Sit erect on a chair, and if you can sit in the Lotus Posture, please do that.
Keep the backbone straight. Hold your neck up. Look straight at any point which is in front of you... on the wall....eyesight level. Now inhale fast repeatedly and empty out your lungs fast....as if you are running....... This hyperventilation helps a lot in refreshing your mind. As you begin to breathe consciously you will be surprised to notice that many times you don't even breathe...you stop as if waiting for something to happen. Your breath has been disrupted by years of forgetfullness.

So now you have to learn the secret of breathing again. This came to you first when you were born... with your very first breath you inhaled...you took in the secret.... it is still in your memory...your fresh childlike mind is still the same...but you are so different...you have a body that is big..... it is cumbersome....therefore now you need to learn the secret again.....
After completing Hyperventilation..... you need to start with breath control.

The first step is to learn how to take a deep breath...hold it for a few seconds...and release it slowly. This is actually simple....You breath in deeply.... hold it...count till you feel you must exhale...then release it. Don't force it to remain for too long...don’t overdo the holding breath part. it can be harmful too.
Once your rhythm is restored to normal breathing you will be so relaxed...you will say how I have missed this.....
The advanced steps in breath control demand some serious study...especially the Patanjali Yoga Sutras...., which hold the key to a good life. This is a small article for beginners..... ..............