SCIENCE OF BREATH. 15 



the proper condition to be eliminated from the system. 

 Lack of sufficient oxygen means imperfect nutrition, im- 

 perfect elimination and imperfect health. Verily, "breath 

 is life." 



The combustion arising from the change in the waste 

 products generates heat and equalizes the temperature of 

 the body. Good breathers are not apt to "take cold," and 

 they generally have plenty of good warm blood whicn 

 enables them to resist the changes in the outer tempera- 

 ture. 



In addition to the above-mentioned important processes, 

 the act of breathing gives exercise to the internal organs 

 and muscles, which feature is generally overlooked by the 

 Western writers on the subject, but which the Yogis fully 

 appreciate. 



In imperfect or shallow breathing, only a portion of 

 the lung cells are brought into play, and a great portion of 

 the lung capacity is lost, the system suffering in proportion 

 to the amount of under-oxygenation. The lower animals, 

 in their native state, breathe naturally, and primitive man 

 undoubtedly did the same. The abnormal manner of liv- 

 ing adopted by civilized man the shadow that follows upon 

 civilization has robbed us of our natural habit of breath- 

 ing, and the race has greatly suffered thereby. Man's only 

 physical salvation is to "get back to Nature." 



