The Power of Breath The Art of Breathing Well for Harmony, Happiness, and Health

by Saradananda, Swami

• ISBN13: 9781844837984
• ISBN10: 184483798X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-03-03
• Publisher: RANDOM HOUSE

Summary

Learn to transform your life through the amazing power of breath-the often neglected but all-important key to health and well-being

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 8
The importance of breathing well	p. 10
The body-breath-mind connection	p. 12
Understanding your breath	p. 14
Exploring Your Breath	p. 16
How your breath works	p. 18
Your energetic breath	p. 22
Breathing for stress-relief	p. 26
Assessing your breath	p. 28
Cleansing your respiratory system	p. 31
Preparing for breathing	p. 33
The art of sitting	p. 34
Your Vitalizing Breath: Understanding Prana	p. 38
Your dynamic life-force	p. 40
Prana visualization	p. 42
Prana fable	p. 44
Coping with negative emotions	p. 46
Directing prana	p. 48
Letting go	p. 50
Aligning your energies	p. 52
Integrating your complementary halves	p. 54
Breathing for balance	p. 56
Prana exercise sequence	p. 58
Your Nourishing Breath: Understanding Samana	p. 62
Your digesting breath	p. 64
Samana visualization	p. 66
Samana fable	p. 68
Drawing on the warmth of the sun	p. 70
Firing up positive energy	p. 72
Igniting motivation	p. 74
Cooling your anger	p. 76
Samana exercise sequence	p. 78
Your Expansive Breath: Understanding Vyana	p. 82
Breathing from your heart	p. 84
Vyana visualization	p. 86
Vyana fable	p. 88
Thinking outside the box	p. 90
Walking with your breath	p. 92
Enhancing your self-image	p. 94
Opening your lungs	p. 96
Breathing with compassion	p. 98
Vyana exercise sequence	p. 100
Your Cleansing Breath: Understanding Apana	p. 104
Clearing out your system	p. 106
Apana visualization	p. 108
Releasing tension	p. 110
Overcoming stress	p. 112
Breathing for new life	p. 114
Rooting your breath	p. 116
Climbing the breath ladder	p. 118
Eliminating negative thoughts	p. 120
Apana exercise sequence	p. 122
Your Expressive Breath: Understanding Udana	p. 128
Tapping your inspirational energy	p. 130
Udana visualization	p. 132
Udana fable	p. 134
Breathing for success	p. 136
Your upward-flying breath	p. 138
The sounds of silence	p. 140
Preserving positive energy	p. 142
Floating on air	p. 144
Prana exercise sequence	p. 146
Directory: Health and Performance Programs	p. 148
A.D.D./A.D.H.D.	p. 148
Anger	p. 148
Anxiety/panic attacks	p. 149
Asthma/skin disorders	p. 149
Chronic fatigue/lack of energy/lethargy	p. 150
Circulatory issues	p. 150
Concentration	p. 150
Depression	p. 151
Digestive problems	p. 151
Dyslexia	p. 152
Grief	p. 152
Hay fever/allergies	p. 152
High blood pressure	p. 153
Insomnia	p. 153
Meditation	p. 153
Migraines/headaches	p. 154
Pregnancy/childbirth	p. 154
Pre-menstrual syndrome	p. 154
Sports performance	p. 155
Stress	p. 155
Weight problems	p. 155
Glossary	p. 156
Further Reading/Resources	p. 157
Index	p. 158
Acknowledgments	p. 160
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.