Raja-Yoga

THE CONTROL OF PSYCHIC PRANA. 57
months practice. After practising this first breathing
for a few days, you take up a higher one. Slowly fill
the lungs with breath through the Idd, the left nostril,
and at the same time concentrate the mind on the
nerve current. You are, as it
were, sending the nerve
current down the spinal column, and striking violently
on that last plexus, the basic lotus, which is triangular
in form, the seat of the Kundalini. Then hold the
current there for some time. Imagine that you are
slowly drawing that nerve current with the breath
through the other side, then slowly throw it out through
the right nostril. This you will find a little difficult to
practise. The easiest way is to stop the right nostril
with the thumb, and then slowly draw in the breath
through the left; then close both nostrils with thumb
and forefinger, and imagine that you are sending that
current down, and striking the base of the SuSumnd;
then take the thumb off, and let the breath out through
the right nostril. Next inhale slowly through that
nostril, keeping the other closed by the forefinger, then
close both, as before. The way the Hindus practise
this would be very difficult for this country, because
they do it from their childhood, and their lungs are
prepared for it. Here it is well to begin with four
seconds, and slowly increase. Draw in four seconds,
hold in sixteen seconds, then throw out in eight
seconds. This rr .kes one Prdndydma. At the same time
think of the Liangle, concentrate the mind on that
centre. The imagination can help you a great deal.
The next breathing is slowly drawing the breath in, and