This breathing practice is a “cleansing breathing” – very much about letting go or getting rid of the stuff currently in you that is no longer useful to you. The exhalation is
fast and forced – which leads to efficient emptying of the lungs and can also be quite warming. Slight danger with this practice is that it takes one in the direction of
hyperventilation. So do stop practice at any signs of strangeness or dizziness in the head – and if these signs are significant or persist then cup hands loosely over mouth
and nose to encourage re-breathing of air. In any case one would not really be looking to do more than six rounds of this breathing at any one time – once you have
emptied yourself of the stuff you are ready to let go of, you are freed of it and don’t need to do more.
Stand in Tadasana, that is, with your feet parallel and your body long, or, sit on a chair with your trunk tall and vertical. (If you are practising the version with leg
movement then you need to be standing in Tadasana). Allow your arms to be relaxed by your sides, palms facing backwards. If you wish, you can close your eyes.
Think about the earth’s amazing ability to transform waste products into life-sustaining nutrients and goodness for the things of the earth. Think about the things currently
in you or a part of you that are getting in the way of you enjoying life to the full and imagine that you have the ability to gather these things into your hands and then
send them into the earth.
INHALING
Inhale through your nose at the same time as you :
- Bend your elbows to bring the backs of your hands to your shoulders and close your hands into fists as though drawing into your fists from all parts
of your being those things you wish to let go of and send down into the earth.
EXHALING
Exhale through your mouth, making a fast “shoo” sound at the same time as :-
- straightening your arms at about 45 degrees to the floor and opening hands as if to press palms to the floor.
INHALING
Inhale through your nose at the same time as you :
- Bend your elbows to bring the backs of your hands to your shoulders, and close your hands into fists as though drawing into your fists from all parts of your
being those things you wish to let go of and send down into the earth.
- Lift one knee up (bending it as you do so) as close to your chest as you can.
EXHALING
Exhale through your mouth, making a fast “shoo” sound at the same time as :-
- straightening your arms at about 45 degrees to the floor and opening hands as if to press palms to the floor;
- straightening your lifted leg downwards and somewhat forward towards the earth, with the foot active as though pressing stuff down into the earth with the foot.
Obviously you should practise the same number of times with one leg as with the other.
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