The Complete Yogi Breath - The Practice

1. Stand or sit erect.
2. Breathing through the nostrils, inhale steadily, first filling the lower part of the lungs, which is accomplished by utilising the diaphragm, which when descending, exerts a gentle pressure on the abdominal organs, pushing forward the front walls of the abdomen.
3. Then fill the middle part of the lungs, pushing out the lower ribs breast, bone and chest.
4. Now fill the higher portion of the lungs, expanding the upper chest, thus lifting the chest, including the upper six or seven pairs of ribs.
5. In the final movement, the lower part of the abdomen will be slightly drawn in which gives the lungs support and also helps to fill the highest part of the lungs.
6. This inhalation is continuous, the entire chest cavity from the lowered diaphragm to the highest point of the chest in the region of the collar bone, being expanded with a uniform movement.
   

N.B. Avoid a jerky series of inhalations, and strive to attain a steady continuous action. Practice will soon overcome the tendency to divide the inhalation into three movements and will result in a uniform continuous breath.

1. Retain the breath for a few seconds.
2. Exhale quite slowly, holding the chest in a firm position and drawing the abdomen in a little and lifting it upward slowly as the air leaves the lungs. When the air is entirely exhaled, relax the chest and abdomen.
   

As you can see, this method of breathing brings all parts of the respiratory apparatus into action, and all parts of the lungs, including the most remote air cells are exercised. The chest cavity is expanded in all directions.