Pranayama: breathing exercises

Pranayama is the yoga of the breath. It is an excellent preparation for meditation or psychedelics, and a very valuable practice in its own right. All the teachers will tell you that it needs to be performed carefully and following the instructions to the letter, otherwise it may be dangerous.

What follows comes from the excellent Yoga, Tantra and Meditation in daily life, by Swami Janakananda, Rider Books,
ISBN 0 7126 9872 8
(reproduced without permission)

"Instructions

1. You will get the most out of breathing exercises if you do them regularly-and at the same time every day.
2. They should be done after physical exercises and before meditation.
3. Never do breathing exercises until three or four hours after a large meal.
3. Make sure you are not sitting in a cold ar draughty place, but always exercise in a well ventilated room.
5. Don't do them when you are excited or short of breath.
6. Don't drink cold water right after the exercises.
7. Wait for a while, about 45 minutes, after these exercises, before you eat a main meal or take a bath. Bathe preferably before the exercises , rather than afterwards. Always take it easy for at least 20 minutes after breathing exercises ,or continue with a meditation.

1.Spontaneous Breathing
This is a breathing, relaxation and meditation exercise. Start by lying on you back with your hands at your sides:

(breathe through the nose if possible)

Experience your whole body,
the whole body at once,
feel how motionless it is -
concentrate for a long time on the motionlessness.

Then begin to experience that
this motionless body is alive, it is breathing;
let it breathe
freely,
avoid slowing down
or speeding up your breathing,
avoid controlling it,
breathe freely,
spontaneously -
go on
go on
as long as possible
ten minutes- fifteen minutes- half an hour.

After a while
make sure you are breathing wih the stomach.
Otherwise use your will a little,

but avoid disturbing
the free rhythm of your breath,
feel -
that you breathe with the stomach;
let your stomach expand
as you inhale
and let the rest follow;
let your stomach sink down and relax
when you exhale ;
do not bother about your mind;
breathe freely and spontaneously
with your attention on
your stomach,
go on,
now notice how yout stomach rises and falls with natural breathing,
go on -

Use this exercise as often as you like
any time-
but preferably at regular times.

2. Alternate Breathing
  Sit with your back straight in as harmonious a pose as possible. Use your right hand in this exercise: the thumb and ring finger are used to close the nostrils, the index and second fingers rest on your forehead.
  Close your right nostril with your thumb and inhale slowly and soundlessly through your left nostril, then shut the left with your ring finger and open your right nostril by releasing your thumb.
  Exhale as slowly, soundlessly and thoroughly as possible , thorugh your right nostril. Then inhale through the same nostril, shut it with your thumb, open the left nostril and exhale as slowly, soundlessly and thoroughly as you can.
  This is one round:at first , do a sequence of five rounds and when you have mastered this quite well, slowly raise the number to eleven. the to sixteen, and finally if you wish to 22 rounds. Do not go beyond this number. "

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