According to Yogic Literature though, a combination of the three is needed to perform breathing exercises. (Although from my experience a subtle involvement of the last 2 will be sufficient)

As much emphasis as is being laid on inhalation, exhalation also plays an important role as the very bottom of the lungs are rarely emptied since mostly the apex of these vital organs are usually involved in exhalation.

This according to medical reports may be one of the main causes of consumption. This is why in yoga, long, deep exhalations are emphasized so that the stagnant air is eliminated which automatically allows for introduction of fresh air naturally; as there cannot be any vacuum in the air sacs.

Minor Breathing Exercises:

1. Inhalation and Exhalation:

-Either laying flat on a bed or sitting erect, commence to breathing deeply (emphasis on the method outlined in Test #1) using a stop-watch or metronome to keep track of the time. The desired ratio here is 1:2. Minimum time for inhalation should be 4 seconds gradually building up to 16. (With time for exhalation now being 8 seconds gradually building up to 32) consciously perform this exhilarating exercise for several weeks.

2. Inhalation-Retention-Exhalation

-When you are properly established in exercise #1 the next stage included is retention. In ancient yogic texts, the required ratio would be 1:4:2 (inhalation, retention and exhalation) The minimum schedule again for this exercise is 4 seconds, gradually building up to a maximum of 16 seconds (inhalation that is) Practice this for several days or weeks till you master it and it becomes second nature. (Always perform this and any other exercises on an empty stomach!)

Now For some more advanced exercises:

Alternate Nose Breathing:

For people engaged in yoga, not unless you perform the Shat kriyas (physical cleansing exercises which are only referenced but not given with instructions) and perform hours of asanas, it is quite advisable to perform this exercise as an alternate.

Yogis in their impeccable analysis of the human body have deduced that a human breathes alternatively per nostril approximately every hour and fifty minutes, meaning only one nostril is used at a time for respiratory purposes. The right nostril is dubbed the hot one while the left is dubbed the cool one.

Now when the breath flows without the afore mentioned alternations for more than 2 hours in one nostril, it is a symptom of disease or derangement, thus when the right nostril is more active the heat of the body increases leading to nervous and mental disturbances, when the left nostril is more active, the metabolic activities of the body becomes low, thus producing cold and lethargy.

(One sure way of checking against this will be in executions of Sun Exercises and Neti)

Alternate Nose Breathing (aka Anuloma Viloma Pranayama) is an effective way to combat such irregularities and maintain equilibrium.

Description:

-Sit with the spine erect.

-Block the right nostril with the thumb and inhale through the left nostril for a count of 4 seconds.

-Immediately, slightly pinch the nostrils and hold the breath for a count of 16 seconds.

-Now exhale through the right nostril for a count of 8 seconds, now without stopping repeat the same respiratory procedure inhaling through the right nostril, holding the breath and exhaling through the left nostril in the same ratio 4:16:8. This completes one round perform fifteen rounds of this exercise.

Perform this for several weeks and now proceed to the next exercise.

Ensure that while undertaking Alternate Nose Breathing, Your right hand is in this ‘Mudra'(hand pose) for proper execution

Thus far I have discussed the implementing of some basic and fundamental yoga breathing exercises, in the next article we'll take things a step further.

To Health,

Foras Aje