Ani

BREATHING AND BEAUTY Breathing is a reflection of the beauty of the posture of the human body and it is very easy to explain why. Breathing brings harmony to the physical and psychic life of man and naturally this brings beauty to the form because the form expresses the inner life of elevated thoughts, feelings and attitudes. The Master gives the following enlightenment: Correct breathing makes the face beautiful and if man doesn't breathe correctly, the skin of the face and hands become prematurely wrinkled. If the top of the hands are wrinkled, this is due to malfunctioning of the liver. When man begins to breathe correctly the wrinkles of the face and hands will disappear gradually. A man who has a liaison with God becomes beautiful. Correct breathing is a very important method because it makes man receptive to God's thoughts and his inner life is elevated, making new forms and lines of the body.

BREATHING WITH ELECTRIC / MAGNETIC CURRENT First, breathing with predominantly electric current has a purifying effect on the lungs. The position of the mouth takes a form similar to when we want to moisten a glass surface with our breath. Blowing with the mouth open like a funnel, expel the air coming directly from the throat in one forceful exhalation, with the sound "Hooo." The second kind of breathing predominantly engages the magnetic current, and harmonizes the nervous system. With the mouth flat as if to pronounce "ee", the air comes freely over the top teeth, making the sound "Huh", as in a hiss.

BREATHING AND WALKING We mentioned before that during the day it is advisable from time to time to do some deep breathing. This can be applied when you walk. Whether you walk on a street or in a forest where the air is pure, stop from time to time and do deep breathing. It is abnormal to walk very quickly without stopping to take deep breaths.

The Six Basic Gymnastic Exercises Given By the Master (See Paneurhythmy - Book II, Addendum, by Viola Jordanoff Bowman for details.) In the first exercise when lifting the hands upward, inhale, and while the hands are upward, retain the air. When the hands go down and while bending of the knees, exhale. Also, when straightening the body and uplifting the hands, inhale, etc. The same thing is true when doing the second and the third exercise. In the fourth exercise, with both arms horizontally forward at shoulder level, the right leg steps backward as you thrust both arms briskly to the right and inhale. In this position retain the air for a very short time. Then bend the right knee slowly, lightly touching the ground, while thrusting the arms briskly to the left and exhaling. Then the body rises as the hands move sharply to the right while you inhale and then retain the air. The right leg is still back, with the weight on the right leg. The left leg steps back, with the knee bending to lightly touch the ground; the arms move sharply to the left and you exhale. The body slowly rises, and you inhale. This should be done six times, three times backward, three times forward. The body returns to the starting position. At the fifth exercise, with fingers touching the shoulders, inhale. While retaining the air, move the right foot back behind the calf of the left leg and make three semi-circles in the air. Then step backward on the right foot, letting the knee touch the ground lightly, as you exhale. As you straighten up again, inhale. Repeat on the left side. Do this six times, three on each side. At the sixth exercise the connection between breathing and movement is very clearly explained. (See p. 62 "Breathing with Electric/Magnetic Current.") I. If the six basic gymnastic exercises are done very slowly, rhythmically and are accompanied with breathing, then you will obtain good results. They will be even more effective if done with concentration. II. Inhale, and at the same time gradually lift your hands over your head parallel and straight. Retain the air in this position and then slowly bring the hands down and exhale. III. Inhale, as you put your hands in front of your chest, palms downward. Move them to the side, back as far as possible. Retain the air in this position and then when the hands come back in front of the chest, exhale. IV. The hands are raised in horizontal position while you inhale. Then the hands come slowly down, as you exhale. Do these two exercises, inhaling and exhaling, with strong concentration. While exhaling count to fifteen or twenty. V. The hands are lifted vertically while you inhale. When they become horizontally aside, retain the air, and when you move the hands downward, exhale. VI. Starting position is with the body erect, the hands loosely at the sides. Then they slowly move upward until they connect over the head. At the same time you slowly inhale. Then the hands go slowly to the side horizontally with the palms down, while you retain the air. While the hands come slowly together in front of the chest, palms inward, you slowly exhale. This is repeated several times. VII. The hands with fingers closed move vertically upward as you inhale, then horizontally with fingers straight as you retain the air. And finally they come slowly downward as you slowly exhale. This exercise is done several times. VIII. The starting position is with the hands in front of the chest, fingers touching and palms down. Slowly open the hands horizontally to the side while you inhale. As you bring your hands in front of your chest again, exhale. Repeat this exercise three times, then slowly move the hands downward. IX. Lift the hands to the side with fingers open and put them over your shoulder as you inhale. While keeping them in this position retain the air. Then the hands open and come slowly down while you exhale. X. The right leg goes backwards as the hands stretch forward, with palms up as if scooping something. When they go over the head the palms turn forward. When the hands are lifted the body is a little forward, and when the hands are upward over the head the body is bent backwards; also the hands. When the hands are lifted going forward, inhale. When they are over the head retain the air, and when the hands make a small circle downward, exhale. This exercise is repeated several times. XI. While the hands are going in a horizontal position, inhale. When over the head in the form of a triangle, retain and when they are open to go to either side of the body, exhale. XII. The two hands are extended to the side horizontally with open palms upward. Inhale slowly as you simultaneously curve your thumb to touch your first two fingers. As the hands with curved fingers go slowly in front of the chest, retain the air. Gradually extend the hands horizontally with fingers slowly spreading as you exhale. During all this time of inhaling, retaining and exhaling think about God's love. Repeat these exercises several times.

BREATHING WITH BODY MOVEMENTS The happy combination of breathing and gymnastics gives beautiful and flexible results because it accompanies both actions. It is good when breathing is connected with body movements. These two general rules apply to a11 breathing with body movements: 1. When you lift your hands upward, inhale, and when you put them down, exhale. 2. When straightening the body, inhale, and when you bend the knee, exhale. There are many exercises for this and here we will recite a few of them.

BREATHING AND PRAYER When breathing is accompanied with a sacred feeling of reverence and gratitude and love toward the great rationality, isn't this already a prayer? Man must start the day with breathing exercises which will bring him renewal, purification and uplifting of his consciousness, and if he does the exercises consciously they will bring him liaison with the great rationality of the world. This is the explanation by the Master: Breathing must be conscious. If your consciousness is not alert, the benefits which are hidden in Nature will not reach your lungs. From those people who are negligent in life and have not the least love toward God, God hides his benefits. And if He did give them benefits, they would not be able to use them. He who gets up early in the morning at daybreak and will connect himself with God, he will gain the qualities of God. Then he will have God's disposition and His benevolence. In this way man even in the early morning doing breathing exercises will connect himself with the great rationality of the world and he will be happy and bright all day. Three times a day, morning, noon and evening, man has to breath consciously for ten or fifteen minutes and thank the great rationality. There are many people who think that books and money are everything and from these come happiness. They don't realize where real happiness comes from. The Master says the following: Everyone should contemplate for ten to fifteen minutes morning and evening to answer the question of what the meaning of life is and why he was put on this earth, etc. Through thought man derives energy from Nature. In this way he will tunnel himself through difficult places. If you cannot answer some of the questions, be persistent. Continue three or four times until you become connected with the greatest and the mightiest of nature. When you do conscious breathing, your consciousness has to be with God's divine thoughts. To do this you can use some sacred sentences. It is possible to take one deep breath, retain the air and exhale, while pronouncing certain words. At every inhaling man must accept one gift from the rational nature, but those who take must give. Why doesn't man, when he receives something precious, give something back from himself? In this way he will become a coworker in the building of a new life on Earth. The Master says: When you accept the air and when you inhale and exhale, use the best of your mind. Retain the air for a certain time and afterwards expel it as you pronounce the following slowly: I want to think well, I want to feel well, I want to act well. What you want will be realized because breathing is powerful and a magic key to open the door to all possibilities. There is another method, even more effective. Here it is: Accompany the whole process of breathing - inhaling, retaining, exhaling - with prayer. When you inhale, retain and exhale, pronounce mentally certain sentences, even a whole prayer. These highly elevated thoughts occupy the consciousness and they become alive in you. We should perceive the inner sense which has a deep effect over the whole human being and thus awaken our hidden powers. Breathing can be converted into a method for connecting with the great rationality in the world. It is very good for man, while inhaling, retaining and exhaling, to find a way of preparing conversation with the living Nature and being in contact with the Rational Beings of the world, since at this time he is very concentrated and in prayerful contemplation with the divine. The influence of concentration, contemplation and prayer is fortified when connected with deep breathing.

BREATHING AND DIVINE LOVE If man doesn't breathe correctly then his love cannot be projected outwards. Correct breathing brings the possibility of divine love beginning to speak to man. Deep breathing with the participation of thought is necessary to bring into blossom the beauty of man's soul and enable him to become a channel for divine love. When man accepts this gift consciously with gratitude, love begins to act in him, and this love expands his consciousness. While breathing consciously with gratitude, and keeping the thought that everything in nature is penetrated by divine love, favorable conditions are created to express the divine love in man.

BREATHING AND DIVINE THOUGHT When we breath and inhale air with an alert consciousness, we will find God. When man breathes in this way he begins to think. When man begins to think he begins to have faith. Those who breathe consciously can find God. God says to man: When you breathe through your nose and think about me you will find and hear me when I am speaking to you. The air is the carrier of electric and magnetic forces. This energy passes through your nose and renews and ennobles your nervous system. When people breathe correctly they don't quarrel. To avoid arguments and disagreements, everybody has to start breathing deeply. You have to be very attentive to the air which enters through your nose because this is the way toward divine thinking. Through breathing man is receptive to God's thought and the divine thought enters within man and brings light to his thinking and a new impulse to renovate him.

BREATHING AND THE ASCENDING PART OF MAN From everything we have said above, we see a great tie between breathing and understanding of man's life. The Master's words: In many of us the lungs do not function correctly and consequently we do not have the correct view of life. The religious and scientific understanding of man depends on his breathing. Those who cannot breathe correctly cannot understand new ideas.

BREATHING AND DEVELOPING OUR ABILITIES Deep, rhythmical breathing activates and awakens the development of talents and the potential excellence in man. First, correct breathing, in addition to developing a man's nervous system, activates our brain centers and awakens other activities in connection with the blossoming of talents. Second, with correct breathing, man is connected with the supreme force which penetrates the air and helps the development of the deep forces in man's nature. Breathing brings, in general, activism and life to all organs and capabilities in man. Everyone who works conscientiously on the development of his abilities and talents should practice deep breathing at the same time. To do correct deep breathing he must pay special attention to the inner side of the breathing which leads to achievement, health, developed intellect and spirituality. Thus are awakened the potential and mystic centers hidden in man's nature and the treasures which are within him are displayed. Man is much more than what we see, but work is needed to awaken and express this richness which man hides in his sacred place.

ONE USEFUL RULE Man could prevent many mistakes and eliminate many barriers, inner and outer, if he practiced deep breathing before he begins any activity. The Master says: Cure yourself before you become sick If someone becomes angry and irritable to this and that person, afterwards he must begin to breathe. No! Before you become angry start to breathe. Fill your lungs with air and then speak If you don't keep this rule, your words will not have a good effect on yourself or on other people. Be very forgiving and excuse others for their faults so you protect yourself from confusion and troubles of your heart. If you think about their mistakes, begin to breathe deeply and clarify your thinking. When a man is angry and nervous and has negative thoughts, the cause is his incorrect breathing. Before you shake hands with somebody, breathe deeply. Before you enter into a room also take a deep breath. Before you start to speak also. Good orators breathe deeply. Those who don't breathe deeply, don't speak well. When you breath deeply several times you will connect yourself with the prime cause, and you will have harmony, strength and light. Before you meet somebody, take several deep breaths. Before you want to commit some act, take several deep breaths so your actions will be ennobled. If you want to make a decision, do some breathing exercises and then make the decision. Breathing will activate your creative possibilities. If you want to write, do some deep breathing and then begin to write your letter. This will give you several precious thoughts. If you want to play, to sing, to paint (design) or to write poetry, to make a scientific analysis or begin a newenterprise, begin always with deep, conscious breathing.

BREATHING AND MEMORY Correct, deep, rhythmical breathing enforces the memory because: 1. It enforces the intellect and all psychic processes which are part of the intellect, of which memory is included. 2. Through deep breathing man liberates himself from all worries, troubles and confusion, etc. Instead he will have peace and calmness, which are the proper conditions to fortify his memory which was weakened by the worries and confusion. 3. There is a relationship between the ability to concentrate and correct breathing, as we have said. It is known that there is one psychic law. As much as the ability to concentrate is strong, that strong is his memory. 4. There is a relationship between a weak memory and breathing. In weak breathing the flow of prana is weak in the brain and naturally with deep breathing the brain is penetrated by prana and fortifies all the centers in the memory.

EXPERIMENTS Man must study the methods of breathing through his own experiments. As the science of breathing is very broad and has many-sided applications in the many areas of life, so there is a very broad field for investigation. You must study the process of breathing very well to be able to experiment in all the physiology and psychology. Study the different methods of breathing to see which ones are the best to apply. The Master gives interesting experiments of breathing with the light: Make an experiment with inhalation to think about the Light and in this way connect with its energies. These energies exist in the air from where you have to extract them. While you think about the beautiful scent of flowers, inhale the air. When you think of certain words as you breathe, you will see how each one has a different influence over the pulse of your heart. When man is inspired by highly elevated thoughts and emotions, the beating of his heart is rhythmical and the pulse is correct. When man lives in rough and low emotions, his pulse is inharmonious and incorrect. The Master has an analogy with this exercise: Inhale and exhale while thinking that you are accepting a white color, that this color falls over you as a shower. Then your inhalation is rhythmical. You count to four and with every inhalation and exhalation you will think about a white color and purity. It is advisable to do this exercise outside in the pure air if you have a garden. The color yellow represents wisdom; red represents love and the color of life; and green is for growth. Behind every color there is one rational force in nature and the color is only one mask for this energy. During breathing you can think about different kinds of colors and connect with the different energies which are hidden within the colors. You will absorb them. Similar trials could be done for many other areas. In general there is one law. Whatever problem man thinks about, if his thinking is accompanied by deep breathing, the intellectual process is in force and man can obtain greater light on the problem and connect with its inner side. When he connects with other energy he gains something. Thinking, accompanied by deep breathing, is one of the ways toward achievement.

DEEP BREATHING STRENGTHENS THE WILL A man who breathes fast is a man who has a weak will. If he wants to develop a strong will he must learn how to breathe. Those who are not in condition to control their breathing, also have a weak will because their will is toughened through resistance. This is obvious because when it is necessary to do regular, daily exercises, it requires man's will and persistance. Or put another way, man's breathing activates his spiritual nature, which includes the rational will. * * * Because the ennoblement of the thoughts, feelings and will has a great effect on forming the character, breathing has a very important part to play. The Master says: Correct breathing reinforces the light of the intellect and the warmth in the heart, and fortifies the will thus helping the formation of the human character. Therefore there is a connection between breathing and developing of the virtues of man because they depend on the correct directing of the intellectual, emotional and volitional life of man. Goodness makes a man capable of breathing correctly as a proper condition. But there is a certain interaction. Before a man is good, he must breathe as a good man. Breathing is the first condition which gives man the possibility of developing his virtues.

DEEP BREATHING UPLIFTS THOUGHT The lungs have a connection with the brain, which has been proven by the history of the development of man's brain. It is known that in the Atlantean age and the Fourth Race, man was not developed intellectually. The air at that time was not as transparent as it is today. It was permeated by water vapors. As the earth gradually cooled, this water vapor became thicker and covered the earth. Toward the end of the Atlantean age, the fog receded, and the clear blue sky was visible for the first time. Purification of the Atlantean fog and the appearance of pure air is connected with the development of the intellect, and this was not by chance. There is a tie between these two occurrences. Breathing depends on thinking and the thinking depends on breathing. A correct thought gives the condition for correct breathing and vice versa. Between them is an interaction. Correct thinking and feeling have an influence over the breathing, as we have mentioned. But now we will say a few words about the influence of breathing over the process of thinking, as the following enlightenment given by the Master states: You cannot change your thoughts if you don't change your breathing and vice versa. If you don't change your breathing you cannot change your thoughts. If man has an incorrect tempo of breathing he loses his correct thinking. Man breathes consciously because he thinks. Animate breathe unconsciously. They have no idea what breathing is or why they breathe. If man doesn't know why he breathes he is like an animal Our thoughts and the quality of these thoughts depend on the quality of the lungs, since the lungs are the transformers of the energy which goes to the nervous system. The ability to concentrate your thoughts depends on your breathing. As deeply as a man breathes, that much easier he can concentrate.

DEEP BREATHING ENNOBLES THE EMOTIONS When a man loses his hope, his faith, becomes doubtful and is heartbroken, he should take several deep breaths, which will uplift his spirit. Naturally it is expected that he will concentrate while doing this exercise. When he is agitated, angry and apathetic, if he takes several deep breaths, all these negative states will disappear. A man who begins to breathe correctly, begins to become peaceful. This is because all the physical functions of his organism are correct and in addition, deep breathing brings harmony, strength and a musical condition into his psychic life. With deep, correct and rhythmical breathing a man not only develops his mental abilities, but he gains a certain softness, tenderness arid becomes magnetic and very cordial in his relationship toward others. In this way he liberates himself from apathy. Here is what the Master spoke of regarding this: Many people complain of indisposition of the spirit. They look for the cause of this state, but will not find it. The indisposition is in themselves - in the stomach, the lungs or the brain, which is not working correctly. If they improve the condition of their stomach, brain and respiratory systems, immediately all their indisposition will disappear. It is noticeable that people who have some defect in their breathing system are nervous, agitated, short-tempered and irritable, and the smallest cause will put them in an imbalanced state. With correct breathing the nervous system is reinforced. Every nervousness disappears. Here is one very easy method for those who are nervous and irritable. The Master says: A man could gain a good disposition from the air inhaled through his nose. Through breathing we could oblige our brain to think and our heart to feel correctly and our stomach to work normally. There are many people who become nervous and don't think properly. Why? They don't breath correctly. Here is another method which could be successfully applied. When somebody is insulted, when he is provoked, he could bring the other person out of his unbalanced state by breathing deeply. To the extent to which he loses his self-control he needs to do deep breathing. You will have great results. You will be calm, be able to control your nerves and feel a flow of new strength. Every time you lose control and are out of balance you become weak. The lungs are connected with man's feelings; there is interplay between them. The emotions influence the breathing and naturally influence the lungs. Conversely, the lungs have an influence on the emotions. Good feelings depend on this - how your breathing system is built. If your lungs are well developed, you will have a good disposition in general, and vice versa. When someone has an unexpected setback in his feelings, for example, losing a loved one, or some other crisis in his life, this could really influence his breathing and his whole respiratory function. If these negative feelings are not transformed, they could destroy the lungs. This is one of the causes of tuberculosis. When the causes of tuberculosis are the emotions of man, then man can cure himself through bringing harmony into his feelings, raising them, ennobling them and at the same time breathing deeply. In this case deep breathing has a double action. On the one hand it will reinforce the lungs and on the other hand it will transform the negative feelings, bringing harmony among them and the causes of the disharmony will be alleviated. Deep breathing has a great influence over the feelings, and correct breathing will bring warmth and vitality to them.

DEEP BREATHING AND PSYCHIC UPLIFTING Above everything, deep breathing liberates the nervous system of all the accumulated poisonous products which prevent it from functioning properly. Secondly, breathing brings an influx of prana into the brain, into the nervous system and into all organs and thus improves the spiritual development since every organ is connected with some psychic force. The organs are instruments to express our spirituality and psychic life, and when they are in the best condition, naturally our spiritual life is expressed better. Through deep breathing - and when the psychic condition of the breathing is secure, man connects with the rational forces in Nature and they also help to reconstruct his inner world. Conscious breathing fundamentally rejuvenates the organism and the spiritual inner life, and the thoughts, feelings and desires of men are regulated. It is natural to think that this will bring inner harmony and a bright disposition of spirit. The Master says this: Whoever breathes regularly and correctly, is gradually renewing himself. But if he does not breathe correctly he does not have a rhythmical pulse and has no harmony. When he secures harmony in himself, no other outside condition can influence him.

BREATHING AND REJUVENATION Deep breathing rejuvenates because: 1. Fast and shallow breathing causes insufficient burning in the tissues because of an insufficient flow of oxygen. Because of this more poisons are accumulated in the body, poisons which lead to tissue degeneration and premature aging. With deep breathing there is a full burning in the tissues and in this way the accumulation of poisonous products in the organism is prevented. The organic products at the time of oxygenation decompose into end products and are thrown out by the body. It is known that the physiological age of man is measured not according to calendar age but by the tissue deformation due to toxicity and prevention of the vital forces from reinforcing the body. 2. Through a very abundant flow of prana and deep breathing, the vital force of the body is uplifted. 3. Deep breathing leads to psychic uplifting which refreshes and reorganizes the material in the body. Naturally, in this sense there are many other factors that have a role, which we will not discuss at this time.

BREATHING AND RELAXATION Through deep breathing man can free himself from tiredness. When a man feels tired he should take several deep breaths and immediately he will be refreshed. This is easy to explain. We know from physiology that fatigue is due to the assimilation of toxic residues. The elimination which occurs in the kidneys and the sweat glands help with the elimination of the toxins. With deep breathing there is a rich supply of oxygen in the tissues. It increases the oxygenation of poisonous residues and the organism is freed of them. In addition, through deep breathing the tissues absorb more prana which rejuvenates the organism. The rest which man feels after deep breathing is similar to the feeling man has after a good deep sleep.

BREATHING AND PHYSICAL HEALTH Breathing and health have a great interaction. The Master says: Whatever pain you have, with proper breathing you can cure it. Deep breathing reflects benevolence upon the health of man for these reasons: 1. Accepting enough oxygen to oxygenate the tissues liberates a certain amount of necessary energy. We mentioned earlier that in the organism there are two processes which are parallel - assimilation (or construction) and dissimilation (or destruction) of the tissues. Dissimilation occurs through the oxygen absorbed through breathing connecting with the organic contents of the tissues and oxidizing them. The end products of this burning are carbon dioxide, water, creatine, acids and the destruction of albumen and toxicities in the urine. The residue from the burning of fat and protein is eliminated through the urine and perspiration. About one to two grams of creatine are discarded every day and eighty to ninety percent is urine. Usually the creatine and urine are the least poisonous to the organism. Breathing brings a big flow of oxygen into the blood. The necessity of deep breathing is clear. When breathing is shallow and fast, it doesn't allow a rich flow of oxygen to enter the blood and tissues and burning in the tissues is insufficient. As the burning is not complete, the acids and creatine are not dissolved completely and stay in the tissues in greater quantity. Naturally some is thrown out through the urine, but a sediment remains in the tissues which may cause them to become sick, especially with rheumatism and gout. To avoid this insufficient burning and the residue of poisonous products in the organism which can cause sickness and premature aging, we need to assure Jul! burning in the tissues through deep breathing. 2. It is known from time immemorial that there is a connection between a healthy state and the absorption of the vital strength of the prana. When the organs become low in vital force they are susceptible to illness. Indisposition can also be caused by something outside, but the basic cause of illness is the reduction of prana in the organs. One source of prana is the air. Through correct breathing we can prevent some illnesses. There is not any state in a human organism which is not susceptible to illness through the loss of prana, and this is avoidable through deep breathing. This loss can also affect other processes which are functioning incorrectly. Deep and rhythmical breathing, a big flow of life and vital energy, will protect the organism from illness. 3. Through deep, rhythmical breathing the psychic life of man becomes very intensive and harmonious. Then the superiority of the human eminence is projected. There are two causes of sickness, inner and outer. The inner has a psychic character, but this too causes interaction and very often is the main cause of sickness. Through deep breathing harmony, calmness and brightness are restored, which give a new condition for curing the organism of sickness. Deep breathing has a mighty psychic influence over man. It raises his vibration and this leads to healing because the high vibration of the organism conquers the low and weak vibration of the sickness. 4. Through the total regulation of the rhythm of the whole organism, as we saw above, the rhythm of deep breathing benefits all organs because it causes the vibrations to be in harmony with the general rhythm of the body. The correct rhythm of breathing spreads through all the organs and becomes a factor to protec the body from disease and to harmonize the whole organism. It is advisable as a general rule - whatever sickness a man has - that he begin to breathe deeply. Naturally you have to consider the character and the degree of the sickness. The Master says: If man doesn't breathe correctly he has foul breath. Also his perspiration has odor. But he who breathes correctly has good blood circulation and is healthy. Deep lung breathing cures rheumatism, chest and stomach diseases, headaches and anemia. There is no sickness which cannot be cured by deep breathing. If your leg has pain, the reason is incorrect breathing. The spinal cord, the same. In general all sickness is due to incorrect breathing. Fast and shallow breathing is very dangerous for the organism. It leads to different diseases. Try an experiment to cure yourself with breathing. If you have a headache, stomachache or other indisposition, do the following exercises six times each in the morning, afternoon and evening. Inhale, retain and exhale the air, and do this breathing with consciousness. If you are not experienced, do a total of six exercises. The Master gives the following advice: When you become sick, breathe and sing. If you hear that somebody is sick advise him before anything else to breathe deeply. If he doesn't know how to breathe he lies on his back and says, "It is God's will," which means he doesn't wish to make any effort to cure himself. If he thinks as God thinks he will make this effort. There is a connection between breathing and the position of the diaphragm. In incorrect breathing the diaphragm is expanded upward more than is necessary and this is very bad for the heart. The diaphragm separates the chest cavity from the stomach cavity and when you inhale, this prevents pressure on the heart because the diaphragm goes down and is not so extended. There is a difference between shallow and deep breathing. In shallow breathing the diaphragm goes down a little, but in deep breathing it contracts more and goes down toward the stomach cavity. This is important because with this the diaphragm doesn't press the lungs and the heart and they can function correctly. Fast and shallow breathing, because of the pressure of the diaphragm, very often causes the heart to become overworked. This is one of the important causes of heart disease. In some heart disease deep breathing is recommended so that the diaphragm can take its normal place and in this way stop pressing the heart and lungs. Consequently, this creates a condition which can cure some heart disease. Deep breathing, connected with some other favorable methods, can be applied with success in cases of blood pressure. With deep, rhythmical breathing the diaphragm descends toward the stomach and brings a flow of blood to them which activates them, nourishes them and they become healthy. Therefore, there is a liaison between deep breathing and a good digestive system. Whoever breathes correctly can change the condition of his digestive organs and be a master of the low forces in himself. Sometimes to cure some organ we can practice deep breathing and at the same time put our hand over the sick organ because the vital force which comes from the fingers acts to heal. The Master gave this exercise: You have to practice to cure yourself with deep breathing. If you have a stomach ache, do six breathing exercises four times a day. When you do this exercise put your left hand on your abdomen or on the stomach with your palm against your body and your right hand over your left hand. When you have chills do deep breathing exercises and you will raise the temperature of your body. * * * Even in nervous disorders it is possible to apply deep breathing. This may be done with other therapy, for example, with early morning walking, exposing yourself to the sun at sunrise or an hour or two after dawn. Even in cases of paralysis, deep breathing can be used in accord with other methods. In paralysis the nerves are affected. With deep, correct breathing all organs of the body are enriched by the prana, including the center of the brain, where the nerves of this sick organ are directed. The whole nervous system is enforced and this revives the nerves of the sick organ. * * * In tuberculosis, deep breathing is also recommended, but under the guidance of a very competent person. For a man sick with tuberculosis, the Master says, People with weak lungs must live in high altitude places, above 2,000 meters, where the air is pure and light. With these conditions great reactions occur in the organism. The electromagnetic currents are stronger at high altitudes than in the low places and they enforce the circulation of the blood in the organism. Tuberculosis is a sickness of the sentiments. This is why with the connection of breathing, curing the tuberculosis is possible. In contagious diseases deep breathing helps because it increases the whole vitality of the organism and this increases its resistance against the sick process. It is known that in curing a disease the main factor is to increase the vitality of the organism.

Relationship Between the Inner Psychic Life of Man and Breathing The Master says: Belief, hope, love and knowledge are the shields which protect men from the destructive forces of Nature. If man does not have this shield, it is very possible that these destructive forces will reach him and he will become a toy for them. To prevent this destruction man has to have Faith, Belief, Hope, Love, Knowledge, Life and Freedom. Correct breathing is connected to correct thinking, correct feeling and correct acting. When thoughts, emotions and actions are not correct, then the breathing is not correct and can be explained in this way. The prana which infuses the air is retained in a man who has correct thinking, feeling and actions. Otherwise man accepts only the superficial air without being able to be in touch with the prana and use it rationally. This is a fundamental law of breathing. He who breathes deeply and consciously is called a true man. If man does not apply correct breathing, this will ajfect all his work. In order for man to be able to achieve correct breathing and thinking, he has to have a new outlook on life, new ideas which will renew humanity and elevate his consciousness. Man must reach for the sublime and live for one high ideal. When man comes to this resolution he already knows how to inhale correctly, to retain the air in his lungs for a long time - even up to half an hour. This man is already master of his body. His body obeys him, no matter what. For this kind of man the body is a good servant and he is a good master. The man can really control his body. From all the above, we can conclude that an interrelationship exists between the psychological state of man and the process of thinking. When man shows a right thought his breathing changes immediately. Every thought which is present in man's consciousness reflects upon his breathing. The correct thought exerts physiological changes in the circulation of the blood, in the heart and in the muscles, etc. The right thought reflects upon the rhythm of man's breathing. Here are some explanations. You can experiment which of your thoughts are correct and which are not. Pass one thought through your consciousness and begin to breathe. If your breathing is not rhythmical and your heart does not beat regularly, your thought is not correct. If you have a good thought, immediately verify how your breathing is. Those thoughts which give impulse to life make your breathing correct. This thought is correct too. If correct thought reflects correct thinking, so correct breathing gives the correct condition for a right thought. There is an interrelationship between the two. The Master says: Correct breathing explains the correct thinking of man. When man thinks properly he elevates himself above the normal state and begins to live not only for himself but for the good of his neighbor. To realize a better relationship between man and the divine forces which are infusing the air, the best thing is the breathing exercises to concentrate on God's truth. Breathe consciously and with love. When you get up from your sleep, before you begin any kind of work, take several breaths. With breathing we understand the following. When you do deep breathing your heart has to be filled with love and gratitude toward the Unbounded, who is giving us everything. In breathing man has to be filled with love and gratitude toward the air through which the Unbounded sends us all blessings. There is one law in the world. You cannot benefit from anything you don't love. You can use only those things which you love. In breathing we have to have the best thoughts, feelings, and desires to act well. Some people like to achieve everything with ease. Mechanical breathing is not enough. We have to take into consideration the laws of Nature. For true compliance with the laws of breathing requires that we have to have certain philosophical preparation and a rich inner spiritual experience, and be able to concentrate. The Master called the presence of the divine thought in our consciousness a fulcrum. The Master expresses the following words: When you are in a difficult situation, ask yourself, "Is this a fulcrum for God's thought?" What is the difference between divine and human thoughts? Divine thoughts are distinguished from man's thought by their intensity, width, length and depth and meaning. To see the exact difference between these two kinds of thinking you have to know the divine thoughts and the pure state in which they reach the human soul. To accept the one divine thought means you have to climb the highest peak of a mountain and from there to accept it. If one divine thought enters your mind, it will be the light to guide you throughout your whole life. It is very powerful. He who can live with the divine is always strong. In general, at breathing we can accept the divine blessing by the measure that our consciousness is in harmony with the cosmos. The supreme high expression of harmony is love. That's why when you do breathing exercises with love you will have the greatest achievement. For this problem the Master gives us the following enlightenment: Breathing is a double process - physical and psychological The end purpose of breathing is to purify your thoughts. What is the best breathing ? The full and deep breathing, and the best condition for this is to have love. When man breathes, he should appreciate that the air is a great blessing. Then the air penetrates into the farthest cells of the lungs and infuses them with its vital energy which the cells "suck" and then spread through the whole organism. Divine energy which descends from above has to pass through the breathing system before going to the brain and then down to the heart. Breathe with love if you want to always have a good disposition. If you become angry for a short time the whole harmony in your organism is affected and the breathing becomes irregular. What is the new method of breathing? Intelligent forces stand behind all Nature's processes. These forces actually flow from the love of the cosmic heart. We are deeply immersed in God's love. All Nature exhibits intelligence and love. Also the air is this kind of expression of love and intelligent cosmic force, which is behind all visible occurrences. The creative intelligence gives as a gift and bestows on all humanity the air which is penetrated by this love and force. This idea must awaken in you a sacred feeling of gratefulness toward the great rational Being. That's why you have to breathe with love. This universal heart prepared in advance all the possibilities for her children with a tender and loving hand for living in the bright spheres of light and joy. When this idea vividly fills your consciousness, then your breathing is with love. Then this kind of breathing becomes a sacred ritual. Then breathing becomes a dialogue between man and God. Then the breathing becomes a magic key for great achievement in the realms of the spirit. This is the new way of breathing. When we have assimilated this way of breathing, it has tremendous consequences as we are able to derive the vital energies in the air. The absorption in this way has great meaning for constructing the new man and will become a major factor in awakening the inner man, the man of compassion, mercy and sacrifice, the brother of all beings. This psychological condition gives new possibilities for the full application of breathing and to apply Helmholz’ Law because we are in harmony and ideal attunement to the vital energies and intelligent force in Nature, and can make direct contact with them. Then the soul opens to the whole world, to the force of the living Nature and opens the doors to the Great One who comes from the celestial world and we are ready to accept Him. To make these ideas and psychic conditions more concrete and clear, man must dress this idea in vocal form, in words which he can pronounce and think when he inhales and exhales. We have seen the great meaning of this psychic condition at the time of breathing when man enters into direct contact with vital intelligent forces which permeate the air. But it has another meaning also. Here is the explanation: Which is the impulse for breathing? Without the alert participation of our consciousness, our chest and our lungs constantly contract and expand in order to support the breathing process. Who directs this kind of rhythm? Those who don't know the source of this rhythm will say this is a reflex. But here the Master throws light on the subject: The rhythm of breathing, the contraction and expansion of the lungs, muscles and diaphragm, is directed by the rhythm which exists in the etheric body of man. And the rhythm of our etheric body is connected with the rhythm which reigns in the whole cosmos. The etheric body, through the nervous system of man, supports and directs man's breathing. But the negative states of his thoughts and feelings influence the etheric body and break its regular rhythm, making it irregular. This explains why when we are troubled, or have worries, fear, anger, hate etc., our breathing is immediately changed and its rhythm becomes irregular, fast and shallow. With other negative states such as sadness, breathing completely fades, sometimes stops, as the chest is empty of air. When keeping the positive condition, when the good psychic conditions are respected, the rhythm of the etheric is doubled. It is not broken, but is in harmony with the cosmic rhythm, which influences the whole organism. Then breathing is deep, slow and rhythmical. Therefore the conclusion is that it is of very great importance that we breath with calmness, have a good disposition and right thoughts, and maintain love, not only at the time of doing breathing exercises, but at any other time so man can be accustomed to breathe correctly. This is an important reason why a bad man has bad breath and a good man has good breath.

Relationship Between the Inner Psychic Life of Man and Breathing The Master says: Belief, hope, love and knowledge are the shields which protect men from the destructive forces of Nature. If man does not have this shield, it is very possible that these destructive forces will reach him and he will become a toy for them. To prevent this destruction man has to have Faith, Belief, Hope, Love, Knowledge, Life and Freedom. Correct breathing is connected to correct thinking, correct feeling and correct acting. When thoughts, emotions and actions are not correct, then the breathing is not correct and can be explained in this way. The prana which infuses the air is retained in a man who has correct thinking, feeling and actions. Otherwise man accepts only the superficial air without being able to be in touch with the prana and use it rationally. This is a fundamental law of breathing. He who breathes deeply and consciously is called a true man. If man does not apply correct breathing, this will affect all his work. In order for man to be able to achieve correct breathing and thinking, he has to have a new outlook on life, new ideas which will renew humanity and elevate his consciousness. Man must reach for the sublime and live for one high ideal. When man comes to this resolution he already knows how to inhale correctly, to retain the air in his lungs for a long time - even up to half an hour. This man is already master of his body. His body obeys him, no matter what. For this kind of man the body is a good servant and he is a good master. The man can really control his body. From all the above, we can conclude that an interrelationship exists between the psychological state of man and the process of thinking. When man shows a right thought his breathing changes immediately. Every thought which is present in man's consciousness reflects upon his breathing. The correct thought exerts physiological changes in the circulation of the blood, in the heart and in the muscles, etc. The right thought reflects upon the rhythm of man's breathing. Here are some explanations. You can experiment which of your thoughts are correct and which are not. Pass one thought through your consciousness and begin to breathe. If your breathing is not rhythmical and your heart does not beat regularly, your thought is not correct. If you have a good thought, immediately verify how your breathing is. Those thoughts which give impulse to life make your breathing correct. This thought is correct too. If correct thought reflects correct thinking, so correct breathing gives the correct condition for a right thought. There is an interrelationship between the two. The Master says: Correct breathing explains the correct thinking of man. When man thinks properly he elevates himself above the normal state and begins to live not only for himself but for the good of his neighbor. To realize a better relationship between man and the divine forces which are infusing the air, the best thing is the breathing exercises to concentrate on God's truth. Breathe consciously and with love. When you get up from your sleep, before you begin any kind of work, take several breaths. With breathing we understand the following. When you do deep breathing your heart has to be filled with love and gratitude toward the Unbounded, who is giving us everything. In breathing man has to be filled with love and gratitude toward the air through which the Unbounded sends us all blessings. There is one law in the world. You cannot benefit from anything you don't love. You can use only those things which you love. In breathing we have to have the best thoughts, feelings, and desires to act well. Some people like to achieve everything with ease. Mechanical breathing is not enough. We have to take into consideration the laws of Nature. For true compliance with the laws of breathing requires that we have to have certain philosophical preparation and a rich inner spiritual experience, and be able to concentrate. The Master called the presence of the divine thought in our consciousness a fulcrum. The Master expresses the following words: When you are in a difficult situation, ask yourself, "Is this a fulcrum for God's thought?" What is the difference between divine and human thoughts? Divine thoughts are distinguished from man's thought by their intensity, width, length and depth and meaning. To see the exact difference between these two kinds of thinking you have to know the divine thoughts and the pure state in which they reach the human soul. To accept the one divine thought means you have to climb the highest peak of a mountain and from there to accept it. If one divine thought enters your mind, it will be the light to guide you throughout your whole life. It is very powerful. He who can live with the divine is always strong. In general, at breathing we can accept the divine blessing by the measure that our consciousness is in harmony with the cosmos. The supreme high expression of harmony is love. That's why when you do breathing exercises with love you will have the greatest achievement. For this problem the Master gives us the following enlightenment: Breathing is a double process - physical and psychological The end purpose of breathing is to purify your thoughts. What is the best breathing ? The full and deep breathing, and the best condition for this is to have love. When man breathes, he should appreciate that the air is a great blessing. Then the air penetrates into the farthest cells of the lungs and infuses them with its vital energy which the cells "suck" and then spread through the whole organism. Divine energy which descends from above has to pass through the breathing system before going to the brain and then down to the heart. Breathe with love if you want to always have a good disposition. If you become angry for a short time the whole harmony in your organism is affected and the breathing becomes irregular. What is the new method of breathing? Intelligent forces stand behind all Nature's processes. These forces actually flow from the love of the cosmic heart. We are deeply immersed in God's love. All Nature exhibits intelligence and love. Also the air is this kind of expression of love and intelligent cosmic force, which is behind all visible occurrences. The creative intelligence gives as a gift and bestows on all humanity the air which is penetrated by this love and force. This idea must awaken in you a sacred feeling of gratefulness toward the great rational Being. That's why you have to breathe with love. This universal heart prepared in advance all the possibilities for her children with a tender and loving hand for living in the bright spheres of light and joy. When this idea vividly fills your consciousness, then your breathing is with love. Then this kind of breathing becomes a sacred ritual. Then breathing becomes a dialogue between man and God. Then the breathing becomes a magic key for great achievement in the realms of the spirit. This is the new way of breathing. When we have assimilated this way of breathing, it has tremendous consequences as we are able to derive the vital energies in the air. The absorption in this way has great meaning for constructing the new man and will become a major factor in awakening the inner man, the man of compassion, mercy and sacrifice, the brother of all beings. This psychological condition gives new possibilities for the full application of breathing and to apply Helmholz' Law because we are in harmony and ideal attunement to the vital energies and intelligent force in Nature, and can make direct contact with them. Then the soul opens to the whole world, to the force of the living Nature and opens the doors to the Great One who comes from the celestial world and we are ready to accept Him. To make these ideas and psychic conditions more concrete and clear, man must dress this idea in vocal form, in words which he can pronounce and think when he inhales and exhales. We have seen the great meaning of this psychic condition at the time of breathing when man enters into direct contact with vital intelligent forces which permeate the air. But it has another meaning also. Here is the explanation: Which is the impulse for breathing? Without the alert participation of our consciousness, our chest and our lungs constantly contract and expand in order to support the breathing process. Who directs this kind of rhythm? Those who don't know the source of this rhythm will say this is a reflex. But here the Master throws light on the subject: The rhythm of breathing, the contraction and expansion of the lungs, muscles and diaphragm, is directed by the rhythm which exists in the etheric body of man. And the rhythm of our etheric body is connected with the rhythm which reigns in the whole cosmos. The etheric body, through the nervous system of man, supports and directs man's breathing. But the negative states of his thoughts and feelings influence the etheric body and break its regular rhythm, making it irregular. This explains why when we are troubled, or have worries, fear, anger, hate etc., our breathing is immediately changed and its rhythm becomes irregular, fast and shallow. With other negative states such as sadness, breathing completely fades, sometimes stops, as the chest is empty of air. When keeping the positive condition, when the good psychic conditions are respected, the rhythm of the etheric is doubled. It is not broken, but is in harmony with the cosmic rhythm, which influences the whole organism. Then breathing is deep, slow and rhythmical. Therefore the conclusion is that it is of very great importance that we breath with calmness, have a good disposition and right thoughts, and maintain love, not only at the time of doing breathing exercises, but at any other time so man can be accustomed to breathe correctly. This is an important reason why a bad man has bad breath and a good man has good breath.

STRAIGHT THOUGHTS AND RIGHT EMOTION BREATHING WITH LOVE The goodness of man is a very important condition in order for him to contact the vital energy and the God-mind which penetrate the air and to absorb them within himself. If man is not good, he will have a mechanical relationship with the air because he is not in harmony with the vibration of God's mind. Therefore, a man who generally has a good character will have a better chance to absorb more elements from the air than a man who is not good.

III. Gratitude Gratitude is an important and necessary condition to enable the absorption of those blessings which are bestowed upon us from above. Gratefulness creates the most favorable condition for us to be able to accept the blessings in which we are immersed. The Master says: A man should know how to think properly, how to concentrate his thoughts deeply in himself and how to say, "Thank you that you are within me." Then he is able to absorb the air and all God's blessings within himself. When he exhales he says, "Thank you that you left your blessings within me." All day he will call on God and keep conversation with Him and thank Him for all that happens. If you have a sick leg, breathe and thank God that He blesses you to breathe deeply and call on Him.

II. Awakening the Human Consciousness This means that man, in order to be conscious of the breathing process, should know that when he inhales the air he inhales all its vital energies and highly spiritual thoughts. According to one law, everything that we Eire conscious of we are better able to accept. When man breathes and is conscious that by doing so he accepts the highly elevated thoughts of the air, he makes immediate contact with these thoughts and adjusts his radio antenna to accept those radio waves which are from above. If a man doesn't keep this condition, he will return to the mechanical exercise of breathing oxygen and nitrogen. Consciousness of breathing has another side also. It is not enough that man has to be conscious of absorbing the benefits of the air, he must keep the following: When inhaling the air he must imagine how the vital energies are penetrating through his entire organism and going through all his systems. When retaining the air he must imagine how the prana is accepted by all the cells of his body and organs and how this prana is giving strength, life, love and refreshment. When he exhales he should imagine how all his cells, organs and systems are absorbing the prana and being activated. His participation with conscious thinking and his thoughts in this process facilitate it. How is it possible, some people might ask, to have our mind have such a great influence upon our body? Research proves that there is a very close link between psychological and physiological processes; that the mind does influence the physical process, and vice versa. In time it could have anatomical effects. The famous physicist Pavlov made some experiments with a dog. He showed a piece of meat to the dog from a distance and just looking at it, the dog's emotions had an effect on its stomach glands. The scientist observed how the dog's stomach juice increased and even the walls of the stomach were influenced by only seeing the piece of meat. The French doctor Fokachon made the following experiment to demonstrate the influence of thought upon the physical processes. He put a person in a hypnotic state and wrote on a note one word - "hand". He commented that "at four o'clock this afternoon on the place where I wrote, blood will spring out." At four o'clock blood sprang out from the person's hand. At the inhaling, retaining and exhaling, our conscious mind must be present with the purpose of making contact with the prana in the air. In a logical way this could be applied in our relationship toward the God-thought and love. The unbounded God is omnipresent. He permeates everything in the air and as His thought permeates the air, so does His love. His love is limitless. If man in breathing is conscious that God's thought infuses the air, he will enter into this thought and this thought will bring light to his mind. If man in his breathing is conscious that God's love infuses the air, he also will be in contact with this love and this love will transform him.