Clarity of Thought: Expanding the Lung Capacity

This kriya expands and purifies the lungs. The greater the lung capacity, the greater is the intake of oxygen. In turn this allows the blood to be more effectively cleaned, allowing for a greater resistance to disease. Cleaner and more oxygenated blood helps the brain and other organs work better. Practice this kriya on an empty stomach.

Part 1

Posture: Sit straight in Easy Pose with the hands resting on the knees. Pull the lower rib cage forward as far as possible and keep it forward throughout. Do not lean. Hold the head and neck in chin lock.

Eyes: 1/10th open.

Breath: Inhale deeply through the nose and hold the breath in. Then exhale completely through the mouth and hold the breath out. Create your own rhythm, timing your breath in equal halves. First inhale-hold, then exhale-hold. Set a consistent maximum length duration based on your lung capacity.

Time: Continue for 15 minutes.

To End: Inhale deep, then exhale. Again, inhale deep, then exhale.

Immediately begin part 2.

Part 2

Continue holding the posture, ribs forward, eyes 1/10th open, and begin a powerful
Breath of Fire.

Time: Continue for 3 minutes.

To End: Inhale and relax.

“If you can keep the ribcage forward during both the inhale and exhale, your lungs can have a powerful reaction. You can purify the entire material which is stuck there. Otherwise, we don’t have any procedure to clean the lungs. Everybody can talk about it, nobody can do it. This is one procedure you can do.

“You have to basically understand, our body is based on prana and prana enters our body through the breath of life. Air is not prana. Air is the medium for prana. Some people think air is the prana. No, air is the medium for prana and because of this graceful medium we live and God has made lungs. If you look at them, they are like two big mangoes hanging with one cord—biggest organ in the body. Their purpose is to clean the air and take out of it the pranic energy and the oxygen, both. Oxygen purifies the blood, gives back to its red corpuscles. The prana gives the life.

All movements in the body are because of the prana. If only oxygen could do it, then every problem is solved. Then all we have to do is put a cylinder of oxygen at the back of a person, he will live. No. It doesn’t work that way…The contact of the cosmic body, which we call the subtle body or auric body, with the physical body is very unique. But if your lung capacity shrinks, the rate of oxygen you can take in will shrink and clean blood will be less. Less clean blood will expose you to infections.”
~Yogi Bhajan