Many of these exercises can be found online and in various books. I have taken from my own experiences, what my Yoga teacher taught me, and favorite techniques as excerpts from books.

If you have read through the entire Breath Series on this site, you now know how to do The Complete Yoga Breath and have learned many breathing techniques that are also healing. This section is about using breath specifically to heal.

NERVOUS SYSTEM STIMULATION

This exercise stimulates your entire nervous system and sends energy to all parts of your body. The force you use with your fists will determine the extent of power you experience when you have completed this several times.

• Stand straight and inhale a Complete Yoga Breath (by now you have been to the first part of this series and learned this specific breath technique). Hold it.
• Stretch your arms straight out in front of you, but allow them to be a bit limp and relaxed with only enough nerve power to hold them there in front of you.
• Draw your hands back slowly to your shoulders as you gradually contract your arm muscles and clench your fists. By the time your hands reach your shoulders, your arms and fists are tight with a trembling feeling.
• Holding this tension with your muscles, push your fists out slowly, and then draw them back quickly (remaining tight and tense) several times.
• Exhale with force and vigor through the mouth. (This should sound like you are telling someone to shut up by making a powerful sh! sound with your lips as you expel all air out.)
• Follow this exercise with the Lung Cleansing Breath.

 

TO WARM YOUR BODY WHEN IT'S COLD OUTSIDE

When it's cold outside and you feel chilled to the bone, breathe quite vigorously for a few minutes. This will warm your body sufficiently.

POWERFUL LUNG STIMULATION

This breath exercise is so powerful and stimulates the lungs to such a degree that you shouldn't overdo it. You will see why here. If you get dizzy, wait a while before you do try it again.

• Stand straight with your hands by your sides.
• Inhale slowly and deeply.
• While you inhale, take your fingertips and gently tap on your chest all over from one place to another.
• When you have finished inhaling, use the palms of your hand and pat your chest in the same way, gently.
• Practice the Cleansing Breath after (see link above).

Yogi Ramacharaka: “This exercise is very bracing and stimulating to the whole body... Many of the air cells of the lungs become inactive from incomplete breathing, and often become almost atrophied. One who has practiced imperfect breathing for years will find it is not so easy to stimulate all these ill-used air cells into activity all at once by the Complete Breath, but this exercise will do much toward bringing about the desired result, and is worth study and practice.

 

STIMULATING CIRCULATION

• Stand erect and inhale a Complete Breath and retain the breath.
• Bend forward slightly and grasp a stick or cane steadily and firmly, and gradually exert your entire strength upon the grasp.
• Relax the grasp, return to first position, and slowly exhale.
• Repeat several times.
• Finish with the Cleansing Breath (link given above).

“This exercise may be performed without the use of a stick or cane, by grasping an imaginary cane, using the will to exert the pressure. The exercise is a favorite Yogi plan of stimulating the circulation by driving the arterial blood to the extremities, and drawing back the venous blood to the heart and lungs that they may take up the oxygen which has been inhaled with the air. In cases of poor circulation, there is not enough blood in the lungs to absorb the increased amount of oxygen inhaled, and the system does not get the full benefit of the improved breathing. In such cases, particularly, it is well to practice this exercise, occasionally with the regular Complete Breathing exercise.”—Yogi Ramacharaka

POWER BREATHING

I had found a remarkable breathing exercise called Charger Breath, but it no longer exists online. It was a long article with 2 phenomenal breathing exercises to purify the lungs. It's one article in two parts. There is no design and the images don't work (from 1989), but the exercises are spectacular. I just deleted the link because it no longer works. I have the article in my computer. I can't find any information on the page, except the author's name, Morra Talion. However, I also found it in PDF format in a huge file—607 pages from a book by Michael Topper, Magnum Organum. If you have a slow computer, don't even attempt it, but it is available online, free! If you can get into the PDF file, just type Power Breathing in the FIND (under EDIT), and it should take you there. Without knowing who owns the copyright, and no way to find out, I don't feel comfortable offering it as part of my site. If you know anything about it, let me know! And if you can tell me it's okay to include, I'll create a page for it. Thanks.