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MY BREATH ING SYSTEM

exhalation comprise, each of them. two abdominal move-ments—four in all ! And to protnide the npper chest is much harder work than my upward stretching of thc thorax ; furthermore, I am convinced that the latter movement is much morę effective for the purpose of filling the upper lobes. And why should we fail to avail ourselves of the natural elasticity of the thorax, and the good intercostal muscles, for exhaling ? I will not deny that the Yogi books contain several good hints on hygienic matters. But lt is rathcr difficult to find them and pick them out amongst the abundant flow of language wherein they are concealed. The Yogis have, amongst other things, tliree special modes of rcspiration, viz., “ thc Yogi cleansing breath,” “ the Yogi nerve vitalising breath,” and “ the Yogi vocal breath.” each of them elaborately and profusely describcd. But I will undertake to prove to anyone who is intcrested that the " nerve vitalisii*g ” and the " vocal ” breaths are of just as much (or as little) usc for ventilating the lungs as the “ cleansing ” breath ; that the “ vocal ” and the " cleansing ” breaths are just as much (or as little) stimulating to the nervcs as the “ nerve vitalising ” breath ; or that the “ cleansing ” and the " nerve vita1ising ” breaths are of just as much (or as little) scrvice in developing the voice as the " vocal breath.” In most of the Yogi breaths instruction is given to exhale vigorously through the mouth, sometimes there is even added : “ in one great breath through the wide opened mouth.” That this method is wrong, and cven in thc long run dangerous, I have proved in the fore-going chapters. The greatest part of the Yogi philosophy consists of words, words, words. But very plausible words. I concede.

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