Chapter 15. More Phenomena of Yogi Psychic Breathing.
(1) THOUGHT PROJECTION.
Thoughts may be projected by following the last mentioned method
(Distant Healing) and others will feel the effect of thought so sent
forth, it being remembered always that no evil thought can ever injure
another person whose thoughts are good. Good thoughts are always
positive to bad ones, and bad ones always negative to good ones. One
can, however, excite the interest and attention of another by sending
him thought waves in this way, charging the prana with the message he
wishes to convey. If you desire another’s love and sympathy, and
possess love and sympathy for him, you can send him thoughts of this
kind with effect, providing your motives are pure. Never, however,
attempt to influence another to his hurt, or from impure or selfish
motives, as such thoughts only recoil upon the sender with redoubled
force, and injure him, while the innocent party is not affected.
Psychic force when legitimately used is all right, but be aware of
"black magic" or improper and unholy uses of it, as such attempts are
like playing with a dynamo, and the person attempting such things will
be surely punished by the result of the act itself. However, no person
of impure motives ever acquires a great degree of psychic power, and a
pure heart and mind is an invulnerable shield against improper psychic
power. Keep yourself pure and nothing can hurt you.
(2) FORMING AN AURA.
If you are ever in the company of persons of a low order of mind,
and you feel the depressing influence of their thought, breathe
rhythmically a few times, thus generating an additional supply of
prana, and then by means of the mental image method surround yourself
with an egg-shaped thought aura, which will protect you from the gross
thought and disturbing influences of others.
(3) RECHARGING YOURSELF.
If you feel that your vital energy is at a low ebb, and that you
need to store up a new supply quickly, the best plan is to place the
feet close together (side by side, of course) and to lock the fingers
of both hands in any way that seems the most comfortable. This closes
the circuit, as it were, and prevents any escape of prana through the
extremities. Then breathe rhythmically a few times, and you will feel
the effect of the recharging.
(4) RECHARGING OTHERS.
If some friend is deficient in vitality you may aid him by sitting
in front of him, your toes touching his, and his hands in yours. Then
both breathe rhythmically, you forming the mental image of sending
prana into his system, and he holding the mental image of receiving the
prana. Persons of weak vitality or passive will should be careful with
whom they try this experiment, as the prana of a person of evil desires
will be coloured with the thoughts of that person, and may give him a
temporary influence over the weaker person. The latter, however, may
easily remove such influence by closing the circuit (as before
mentioned) and breathing a few rhythmic breaths, closing with the
Cleansing Breath.
(5) CHARGING WATER.
Water may be charged with prana, by breathing rhythmically, and
holding the glass of water by the bottom, in the left hand, and then
gathering the fingers of the right hand together and shaking them
gently over the water, as if you were shaking drops of water off of
your finger tips into the glass. The mental image of the prana being
passed into the water must also be held. Water thus charged is found
stimulating to weak or sick persons, particularly if a healing thought
accompanies the mental image of the transfer of the prana. The caution
given in the last exercise applies also to this one, although the
danger exists only in a greatly lessened degree.
(6) ACQUIRING MENTAL QUALITIES.
Not only can the body be controlled by the mind under direction of
the will, but the mind itself can be trained and cultivated by the
exercise of the controlling will. This, which the Western world knows
as "Mental Science," etc., has proved to the Western portions of that
truth which the Yogi has known for ages. The mere calm demand of the
Will accomplishes wonders in this direction, but if the mental exercise
is accompanied by rhythmic breathing, the effect is greatly increased.
Desirable qualities may be acquired by holding the proper mental image
of what is desired during rhythmic breathing. Poise and Self Control,
desirable qualities; increased power, etc., may be acquired in this
way. Undesirable qualities may be eliminated by cultivating the
opposite qualities. Any or all the "Mental Science" exercises,
"treatments "and "affirmations "may be used with the Yogi Rhythmic
Breath.
The following is a good general exercise for the acquirement and development of desirable mental qualities.
Lie in a passive attitude, or sit erect. Picture to yourself the
qualities you desire to cultivate, seeing yourself as possessed of the
qualities, and demanding that your mind develop the quality. Breathe
rhythmically, holding the mental picture firmly. Carry the mental
picture with you as much as possible, and endeavour to live up to the
ideal you have set up in your mind. You will find yourself gradually
growing up to your ideal. The rhythm of the breathing assists the mind
in forming new combinations, and the student who has followed the
Western system will find the Yogi Rhythmic Breathing a wonderful ally
in his "Mental Science "works.
(7) ACQUIRING PHYSICAL QUALITIES.
Physical qualities may be acquired by the same methods as above
mentioned in connection with mental qualities. We do not mean, of
course, that short men can be made tall, or that amputated limbs may be
replaced, or similar miracles. But the expression of the countenance
may be changed; courage and general physical characteristics improved
by the control of the Will, accompanied by rhythmic breathing. As a man
thinks so does he look, act, walk, sit, etc. Improved thinking will
mean improved looks and actions. To develop any part of the body,
direct the attention to it, while breathing rhythmically, holding the
mental picture that you are sending an increased amount of prana, or
nerve force, to the part, and thus increasing its vitality and
developing it. This plan applies equally well to any part of the body
which you wish to develop. Many Western athletes use a modification of
this plan in their exercises. The student who has followed our
instructions so far will readily understand how to apply the Yogi
principles in the above work. The general rule of exercise is the same
as in the preceding exercise (Acquiring Mental Qualities). We have
touched upon the subject of the cure of physical ailments in preceding
pages.
(8) CONTROLLING THE EMOTIONS.
The undesirable emotions, such as Fear, Worry, Anxiety, Hate, Anger,
jealousy, Envy, Melancholy, Excitement, Grief, etc., are amenable to
the control of the Will, and the Will is enabled to operate more easily
in such cases if rhythmic breathing is practiced while the student is
"willing."
The following exercise has been found most effective by the Yogi
students, although the advanced Yogi has but little need of it, as he
has long since gotten rid of these undesirable mental qualities by
growing spiritually beyond them. The Yogi student, however, finds the
exercise a great help to him while he is growing.
Breathe rhythmically, concentrating the attention upon the Solar
Plexus, and sending to it the mental command "Get Out." Send the mental
command firmly, just as you begin to exhale, and form the mental
picture of the undesirable emotions being carried away with the exhaled
breath. Repeat seven times, and finish with the Cleansing Breath, and
then see how good you feel. The mental command must be given "in
earnest," as trifling will not do the work.
(9) TRANSMUTATION OF THE REPRODUCTIVE ENERGY.
The Yogis possess great knowledge regarding the use and abuse of the
reproductive principle in both sexes. Some hints of this esoteric
knowledge have filtered out and have been used by Western writers on
the subject, and much good has been accomplished in this way. In this
little book we cannot do more than touch upon the subject, and omitting
all except a bare mention of theory, we will give a practical breathing
exercise whereby the student will be enabled to transmute the
reproductive energy into vitality for the entire system, instead of
dissipating and
wasting it in lustful indulgences in or out of the marriage
relations. The reproductive energy is creative energy, and may be taken
up by the system and transmuted into strength and vitality, thus
serving the purpose of regeneration instead of generation. If the young
men of the Western world understood these underlying principles they
would be saved much misery and unhappiness in after years, and would be
stronger mentally, morally and physically. This transmutation of the
reproductive energy gives great vitality to those practicing it. They
will be filled with great vital force, which will radiate from them and
will manifest in what has been called "personal magnetism." The energy
thus transmuted may be turned into new channels and used to great
advantage. Nature has condensed one of its most powerful manifestations
of prana into reproductive energy, as its purpose is to create. The
greatest amount of vital force is concentrated in the smallest area.
The reproductive organism is the most powerful storage battery in
animal life, and its force can be drawn upward and used, as well as
expended in the ordinary functions of reproduction, or wasted in
riotous lust. The majority of our students know something of the
theories of regeneration, and we can do little more than to state the
above facts, without attempting to prove them.
The Yogi exercise for transmuting reproductive energy is simple. It
is coupled with rhythmic breathing, and can be easily performed. It may
be practiced at any time, but is specially recommended when one feels
the instinct most strongly, at which time the reproductive energy is
manifesting and may be most easily transmuted for regenerative
purposes. The exercise is as follows.
Keep the mind fixed on the idea of Energy, and away from ordinary
sexual thoughts or imaginings. If these thoughts come into the mind do
not be discouraged, but regard them as manifestations of a force which
you intend using for the purposes of strengthening the body and mind.
Lie passively or sit erect, and fix your mind on the idea of drawing
the reproductive energy upward to the Solar Plexus, where it will be
transmuted and stored away as a reserve force of vital energy. Then
breathe rhythmically, forming the mental image of drawing up the
reproductive energy with each inhalation. With each inhalation make a
command of the Will that the energy be drawn upward from the
reproductive organization to the Solar Plexus. If the rhythm is fairly
established and the mental image is clear, you will be conscious of the
upward passage of the energy, and will feel its stimulating effect. If
you desire an increase in mental force, you may draw it up to the brain
instead of to the Solar Plexus, by giving the mental command and
holding the mental image of the transmission to the brain.
The man or woman doing mental creative work, or bodily creative
work, will be able to use this creative energy in their work by
following the above exercise, drawing up the energy with the inhalation
and sending it forth with the exhalation. In this last form of
exercise, only such portions as are needed in the work will pass into
the work being done, the balance remaining stored up in the Solar
Plexus.
You will understand, of course, that it is not the reproductive
fluids which are drawn up and used but the etheric pranic energy which
animates the latter, the soul of the reproductive organism, as it were.
It is usual to allow the head to bend forward easily and naturally
during the transmuting exercise.
(10) BRAIN STIMULATING.
The Yogis have found the following exercise most useful in
stimulating the action of the brain for the purpose of producing clear
thinking and reasoning. It has a wonderful effect in clearing the brain
and nervous system, and those engaged in mental work will find it most
useful to them, both in the direction of enabling them to do better
work and also as a means of refreshing the mind and clearing it after
arduous mental labour. Sit in an erect posture, keeping the spinal
column straight, and the eyes well to the front, letting the hands rest
on the upper part of the legs. Breathe rhythmically, but instead of
breathing through both nostrils as in the ordinary exercises, press the
left nostril closed with the thumb, and inhale through the right
nostril. Then remove the thumb, and close the right nostril with the
finger, and then exhale through the left nostril. Then, without
changing the fingers, inhale through the left nostril, and changing
fingers, exhale through the right. Then inhale through right and exhale
through left, and so on, alternating nostrils as above mentioned,
closing the unused nostril with the thumb or forefinger. This is one of
the oldest forms of Yogi breathing, and is quite important and
valuable, and is well worthy of acquirement. But it is quite amusing to
the Yogis to know that to the Western world this method is often held
out as being the "Whole secret" of Yogi Breathing. To the minds of many
Western readers, "Yogi Breathing " suggests nothing
more than a picture of a Hindu, sitting erect, and alternating
nostrils in the act of breathing. "Only this and nothing more." We
trust that this little work will open the eyes of the Western world to
the great possibilities of Yogi Breathing, and the numerous methods
whereby it may be employed.
(11) THE GRAND YOGI PSYCHIC BREATH.
The Yogis have a favourite form of psychic breathing which they
practice occasionally, to which has been given a Sanscrit term of which
the above is a general equivalent.
We have given it last, as it requires practice on the part of the
student in the line of rhythmic breathing and mental imagery, which he
has now acquired by means of the preceding exercises. The general
principles of the Grand Breath may be summed up in the old Hindu saying
"Blessed is the Yogi who can breathe through his bones." This exercise
will fill the entire system with prana, and the student will emerge
from it with every bone, muscle, nerve, cell, tissue, organ and part
energized and attuned by the prana and the rhythm of the breath. It is
a general housecleaning of the system, and he who practices it
carefully will feel as if he had been given a new body, freshly
created, from the crown of his head to the tips of his toes. We will
let the exercise speak for itself.
1. Lie in a relaxed position, at perfect ease.
2. Breathe rhythmically until the rhythm is perfectly established.
3. Then, inhaling and exhaling, form the mental image of the
breath being drawn up through the bones of the legs, and then forced
out through them; then through the bones of the arms; then through the
top of the skull; then through the stomach; then through the
reproductive region; then as if it were travelling upward and downward
along the spinal column; and then as if the breath were being inhaled
and exhaled through every pore of the skin, the whole body being filled
with prana and life.
4. Then (breathing rhythmically) send the current of prana to
the Seven Vital Centres, in turn, as follows, using the mental picture
as in previous exercises
a. To the forehead.
b. To the back of the head.
c. To the base of the brain.
d. To the Solar Plexus.
e. To the Sacral Region (lower part of the spine). To the region of the navel. g. To the reproductive region.
Finish by sweeping the current of prana, to and fro from head to feet several times.
5. Finish with Cleansing Breath.
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