ONCE UPON A TIME THERE LIVED A WISE MAN. One day he said:
"Every man on earth is given a particular quantity of breaths to last him his entire life." Not one breath less or more.
I can hear you slow your breathing. After all, you don't want to use them up - all your breaths at once. "The slower you breathe, the longer you live!" - this is what that wise man was talking about.

Try it now and feel the difference!
NOW: Close right nostril with your finger (right thumb) and breathe in slowly through the left nostril. Now close your left nostril with your middle finger and, without a pause, breathe out slowly through your right nostril. Now reverse. Start breathing in through right and breathe out through left. Repeat 5-7 times. Try to relax your whole body while practicing. Lower your shoulders. Sit with your back straight.

NEXT: We need to practice to breathe with pauses. Hold your breath after inhailing for 4-6 seconds. Count for yourself. Then slowly exhale. After all the air is gone, hold your breath again for 4-6 sec. Count. Watch your shoulders, lower them. Relax all the muscles. Repeat 3-5 times.  When you master just two of these exercises, it'll change the way you feel.  Believe it!

What will it do for you? Do this at a break in the action of the game. It will relax and energize you, and help combat encroaching fatigue and excess emotionality. When tired it can rejuvenate coordination and spirit, and possibly avoid injury. This is a great quick pickup when you have only a few minutes. If you do it 2 or 3 times a day at strategic times (before meals, after bath, after nap, etc.) and when you begin to feel tired, you will notice a big difference in the way you feel. Do it between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. to avoid the late afternoon pass-out-syndrome.

How to do it: Sit straight. Place the palms together at the heart center with the fingers pointing up. Focus at the brow point with eyelids lightly closed.  Inhale, breaking the breath into 4 equal parts of sniffs, filling the lungs as completely as possible on the 4th. As you exhale, release the breath equally in 4 parts, emptying the lungs on the 4th. On each part of both the inhale and exhale, pull the navel point toward the spine. (The stronger you pump the navel the more energy you will generate.) One full breath cycle (in and out) takes about 7-8 seconds. Continue for 2-3 minutes.

If you press the hands very hard, and do it vigorously, 1 minute will recharge you. If the mind has a lot of anxiety or confusion, add the mantra "Sa -Ta - Na -Ma" mentally on both the inhale and the exhale.

Then  inhale deeply, press the palms together with force for 10-15 seconds.  Create a tension in the whole body by pressing as hard as you can. Hold as long as possible. Exhale powerfully and repeat the inhale, hold, press. Exhale, relax and allow the tension in the body to vanish. If you need rest, immediately lie on the back with the eyes closed and relax for 2-5 minutes. Take a few deep breaths, stretch, and you will be ready for action.

Sit with your spine erect and heartspace open (chest expanded). Hands on your thighs, palms up! Elbows
in, close to your sides, but relaxed.  Remember to breathe through your nose, long, deep, and slow.

First, fill your tummy, like a balloon, as you inhale. Stretch it! Continue inhaling until you have expanded
your chest completely, as well. Press the backs of your hands into your thighs for leverage! Now, "sip" in even more air a couple times! STRETCH those lungs! Hold it without "bearing down" or "locking up." As
if you are sitll on the inhale cycle. (Not as if you are "blocking" the exhale cycle.) Gradually increase the
time you hold it from a few seconds... up to several minutes(!) as you progress in your practice.

Then exhale completely. Contracting first your anus, then your "sexual muscles," and finally your diaphragm ("bearing down" intensely). Squeeze it all out!

Do this from three to eleven times. Repeat this technique two or threetimes each hour while at your computer!

Sit in any comfortable position.  Keep back erect and equal pressure on the seat bones.  Stretch the arms out and rest the back of the wrists on the knees.  Join index finger and tips of the thumbs.( This is known as Jnana Mudra, the symbol of knowledge. The index finger represents the individual soul and the thumb the Universal Soul, union=knowledge)  Close the eyes and look inwards. Exhale completely.  Take a slow, deep steady breath through
both nostrils. The passage of the incoming air is felt on the roof of the palate and makes a sound (saaa) This sound should be heard.  Fill the lungs up, be careful not to bloat the abdomen in the process of inhalation.  The entire abdominal area from the pelvic wall up to the sternum should be pulled back towards the spine.  Hold the breath for a second or two.  Exhale slowly, deeply and steadily, until the lungs are completely empty. Keep the abdomen tight for a few seconds, relax the diaphragm slowly. The out going air should brush the upper palate making a (ha).  Wait a moment before drawing in another breath.  Repeat the cycles for 5-10 minutes keeping the eyes closed.  Lie on the floor in Savasana (corpse pose)

This type of Pranayama opens the lungs, removes phlegm, gives endurance, soothes the nerves and tones the system.
Ujjayi without the retention of the breath and reclining position of the body is ideal for people with high blood pressure
or coronary troubles. Be sure to consult your acting physician.