KRIYAS (BREATHING EXERCISES) FROM ASTRANGA YOGA PRACTICES KRIYANS.TXT ***************************************************************************** THESE BREATHING EXERCISES YIELD THE BEST RESULTS IF PERFORMED JUST BEFORE DOING MEDITATION. THEY CAN BE PERFORMED ALONE AS A SEPARATE PRACTICE. ONE SITS IN ONE OF THE MEDITATION POSITIONS TO DO THE EXERCISES. *********************************************************************** 1. SIT WITH A STRAIGHT SPINE, KEEPING HEAD, NECK AND TRUNK ALIGNED. 2. ALWAYS BREATHE SLOWLY AND GENTLY. THE INHALATIONS SHOULD BE DEEP. 3. WHEN YOU BREATHE INTO THE CHEST, PULL THE LOWER STOMACH SLIGHTLY UPWARD. 4. WHEN YOU BREATHE INTO THE STOMACH, LET THE DIAPHRAGM GO OUT; WHEN YOU BREATHE OUT, PULL THE DIAPHRAGM IN. 5. NO PART OF THE BODY SHOULD BE STIFF OR PRESSED DURING THE EXERCISES. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- KRIYA 1: INHALE INTO THE CHEST GENTLY, SLOWLY AND DEEPLY THROUGH BOTH NOSTRILS, PULLING THE LOWER ABDOMEN SLIGHTLY UPWARD. EXHALE SLOWLY AND GENTLY THROUGH BOTH NOSTRILS. REPEAT FIVE TIMES. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- KRIYA 2: INHALE INTO THE CHEST GENTLY, SLOWLY AND DEEPLY THROUGH BOTH NOSTRILS, PULLING THE LOWER ABDOMEN SLIGHTLY UPWARD. EXHALE SLOWLY AND GENTLY THROUGH THE MOUTH. REPEAT FIVE TIMES. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- KRIYA 3: INHALE INTO THE STOMACH GENTLY, SLOWLY AND DEEPLY THROUGH THE MOUTH WITH SLIGHTLY EXTENDED LIPS, LETTING THE DIAPHRAGM GO OUT. EXHALE SLOWLY AND GENTLY THROUGH BOTH NOSTRILS. REPEAT FIVE TIMES. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- KRIYA 4: PRESSING THE RIGHT NOSTRIL SHUT, INHALE INTO THE CHEST GENTLY, SLOWLY AND DEEPLY THROUGH THE LEFT NOSTRIL, PULLING THE LOWER ABDOMEN SLIGHTLY UPWARD. PRESSING THE LEFT NOSTRIL SHUT. EXHALE SLOWLY AND GENTLY THROUGH THE RIGHT NOSTRIL. REPEAT FIVE TIMES. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- KRIYA 5: PRESSING THE LEFT NOSTRIL SHUT, INHALE INTO THE CHEST GENTLY, SLOWLY AND DEEPLY THROUGH THE RIGHT NOSTRIL, PULLING THE LOWER ABDOMEN SLIGHTLY UPWARD. PRESSING THE RIGHT NOSTRIL SHUT, EXHALE SLOWLY AND GENTLY THROUGH THE LEFT NOSTRIL. REPEAT FIVE TIMES. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- KRIYA 6: EXHALE THROUGH BOTH NOSTRILS, COMPLETELY EMPTYING THE LUNGS. THE DIAPHRAGM SUCKS IN. INHALE NATURALLY, LETTING THE DIAPHRAGM GO OUT. REPEAT FIVE TIMES. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- KRIYA 7: INHALE INTO THE STOMACH GENTLY, SLOWLY AND DEEPLY THROUGH THE MOUTH WITH SLIGHTLY EXTENDED LIPS, LETTING THE DIAPHRAGM GO OUT. EXHALE SLOWLY AND GENTLY THROUGH THE MOUTH, PULLING THE DIAPHRAGM IN. REPEAT FIVE TIMES. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- KRIYA 8: INHALE INTO THE CHEST THROUGH BOTH NOSTRILS IN FIVE SIPS, PULLING THE LOWER ABDOMEN SLIGHTLY UPWARD. EXHALE SLOWLY AND GENTLY THROUGH THE MOUTH. REPEAT FIVE TIMES. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: THESE EXERCISES WORK WITH WHAT THE YOGIS CALL "PRANA ENERGY". THESE EXERCISES SHOULD BE PERFORMED EACH AND EVERY DAY CONSISTENTLY FOR FULL BENEFITS TO BE OBTAINED FROM THEM!