This kriya, Purifying the Lungs, works on the gallbladder, spleen, liver, kidneys, pancreas, and the glandular system. It is intended to clean the respiratory system and increase lung capacity. Greater lung capacity optimizes the intake of oxygen, which helps clean the blood, and strengthens our immune response to infection.
This is to be done on a completely empty stomach.
Before you begin your practice, tune-in by chanting the mantra Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo
How to chant the mantra Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo
Sit in Easy Pose with your spine straight. Press your palms together in Prayer Pose at the center of the chest, sides of the thumbs pressed against the sternum. With your eyes closed, focus your concentration at the Third Eye Point located between the eyebrows at the root of the nose, about a half inch under the skin. Inhale deeply and as you exhale chant Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo, on one breath. The sound Dev is chanted a minor third higher than the other sounds. If you cannot chant it all on one breath, take a short breath after Ong Namo. Repeat the mantra three times. The meaning of Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo is: I call on the creative infinite consciousness of the universe. I call on the divine wisdom within me.
Part One
Posture: Sit in Easy Pose with your hands resting on your knees, palms down. Keep your spine straight, lift your ribcage, and expand your ribcage all around, making your chest area as expanded as you comfortably can.
This expansion gives the lungs “room to breathe.” With the chest lifted, the chin can automatically rest in the hollow at the base of the neck (chin lock). You will feel that the rib cage and shoulder area have a feeling of separation from the lower body. The posture is very meditative when correctly done.
Eyes: The eyes are nine-tenths closed.
Breath: Inhale deeply through the nose and hold your breath in as long as you comfortably can. Exhale completely through the mouth, holding the breath out for an equal amount of time. Continue, establishing your own breath rhythm, making sure that you hold your breath in for the same amount of time that you hold your breath out.
Your own lung capacity will guide your rhythm, and once you have established it, you must maintain it. (When this meditation was taught, the inhalation was about 3 seconds, the hold in about 7 seconds, the exhalation about 3 seconds and the hold out about 7 seconds.)
The lift and spread of the rib cage must be maintained, both on the inhalation and on the exhalation. If you use your navel point to guide the exhalation, it will balance the tendency of the chest to collapse as the breath leaves the lungs. Keep the rib cage from falling on the exhalation; this will give the lungs a powerful reaction which can purify material which is stuck. It is a procedure to clean the lungs.
Time
Continue for 15 minutes.
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