The first goal of breathing exercises is to cleanse and strengthen your respiratory system. The exercises here and on page 32 are good ways to cleanse your nasal passages and sinus cavities before starting any other breathing exercise.
Practitioners of the Buteyko method (see page 157) recommend practising the following cleansing method 3–5 times daily. Keeping your mouth closed, simply breathe in through your nose, then out. Now pinch your nostrils closed. Imagine trying to blow your nose and maintain a gentle pressure for about 5 seconds, with your nose and mouth closed. Release your nostrils and very gently breathe in through your nose.
Many people like to cleanse the nasal passages and sinuses with a salt-water solution after brushing their teeth in the morning. This removes dust, pollen and excess mucus and can help if you have asthma, allergies or respiratory problems. You can buy neti pots from health-food shops, pharmacies or online. Practise in front of a mirror so that you can see your nostrils.
Dissolve ½ teaspoon of fine sea-salt into a cup of lukewarm water and then pour it into the neti pot. Leaning over a sink, inhale and hold your breath, making sure that you keep your mouth closed. Tighten the back of your throat as if to gargle. Tilt your head left and slowly pour the water into your right nostril. Let gravity drain the water out through your left nostril. Do not inhale. Blow your nose and repeat the process on the left nostril, this time tilting your head to the right.
This breathing technique cleanses your respiratory system while strengthening and increasing your lung capacity. With regular practice, it can purify your entire system so thoroughly that your face starts to shine with good health and inner radiance (the Sanskrit word kapala means “skull” and bhati means “shining”). Practise this purifying breath before you begin other breathing exercises. If you find the mechanics of the “pumping” difficult to grasp, seek out the guidance of an experienced yoga teacher to practise with.
1 Begin sitting with your back straight and your head erect, preferably in a cross-legged position (see pages 35–7). Take 2–3 deep breaths in and out through your nose.
2 Inhale, and begin the rhythmic pumping by contracting your abdominal muscles quickly and then immediately releasing them – about 20–25 times. Contracting quickly causes your diaphragm to move up into your thoracic cavity, emptying the stale air from your lungs and forcefully pushing it out of your nostrils. Make every exhalation brief, active and audible. After each forceful exhalation, immediately relax your abdominal muscles – inhalation will then take place automatically. Do not forcefully inhale, simply allow your lungs to open and fill with fresh air. Your inhalation is always best when it is passive and silent.
3 After completing approximately 20–25 pumpings, end on an exhalation and then take 2–3 deep breaths to bring your breathing back to normal. This completes one round.
4 Start by trying to do 2–3 rounds (of 20–25 pumpings each) before you practise other breathing exercises, gradually increasing the number of abdominal pumps in each round to 30–50, and then relax.
CAUTION: DO NOT PRACTISE DURING PREGNANCY.