THE FOUR-FOLD BREATH

With physical exercise too, moderation is advised.
(You should be cautious, or not attempt it if you have a
respiratory or heart condition. Check with your physician if in
doubt, and don't overdo.) One of the most useful physical
exercises is pranayama, or controlled breathing (actually a type
of hatha yoga exercise). For this and any other calesthentics or
hatha yoga which you might choose to do a 'kitchen timer' is
suggested (many of these aren't accurate for under three
minutes, but are helpful for longer periods).
The main purpose of pranayama is to relax the body and
mind. There are many kinds of pranayama, but a simple one called
the 'four-fold breath' will suffice. This consists of four short
quick inhallations, then four short quick exhallations; then
repeat, continuing until the allotted time is used up. It will
take about 1 1/2 seconds for the four inhallations, and about
1 1/2 seconds for the four exhallations; or about 3 seconds for
the complete in-out cycle ('rep' for repetition). There should
be no strain of any kind during your pranayama. You will
probably notice a slight dizziness, particularly at first, since
the effect of pranayama is to hyperventilate. Try sitting back
in a chair with your eyes closed when you do your pranayama.
Begin a minute a day for the first week and gradually increase
up to about five minutes a day. If you do the pranayama befor
your magical activity, it will help you to get 'into the mood'.
It is also an excellent aid to relaxation and tension release.
Pranayama should not be done during heavy air pollution. Other
exercises you might consider are hatha yoga, calesthentics,
walking or jogging