A Praanayam for These Times - Purifying the Lungs For 40-Days

Sat Nam,
Shabad Kaur came across this Praanayam for a virtual class she taught. We both realized how significant this practice is as it is an uncomplicated tool for keeping the lungs open and, yes, pure! As we know one of the most dangerous effects of the COVID-19 is respiratory failure. This is the daily “brushing the teeth” of lung care!

If you like you can practice this self-care with us for 40-days.

Purifying the Lungs
(Praana, Praanee, Praanayam, 2/20/78)

Note:  This meditation may only be done with a completely empty stomach.

Part 1:
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 in all directions, 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 totally 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.

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.)

Eyes: The eyes are nine-tenths closed.

Time: 15 Minutes.

To Finish: Hold the position, inhale (2 seconds), exhale (2 seconds), inhale (2 seconds), exhale (2 seconds).

Notes on Practice: 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 in itself can purify the entire material which is stuck there. It is a procedure to clean the lungs."

Part 2: Maintain the lifted and expanded position of the ribcage and begin Breath of Fire. Continue Breath of Fire for 3 Minutes.  "Breath of Fire massages the organs and the glands."

Relax.  

Comments: This exercise creates the opportunity for good health. It helps the gall bladder, spleen, Liver, kidneys, and pancreas. It is very good for the entire glandular system.
        It cleans the respiratory system.  It is a heavy exercise equivalent to playing a game of basketball. Try to open up the lung capacity. The lungs are the biggest organs in the body, but we don't fully use them. Many problems come from not using the lungs to capacity. The lungs keep the blood clean, and when the blood is clean the brain acts faster.
       Our body is based on Praana and Praana enters our body through the breath of life. Air is not Praana, air is the medium for Praana, and because of this graceful medium, we live.
        If you look atthe lungs, they are like two big mangoes and are the biggest organ in the body. Their purpose is to take both the Praana and the oxygen out of the air.
       Oxygen purifies the blood and puts the red back in the corpuscles. If your lung-capacity shrinks, the amount of oxygen you can intake will shrink, and your blood will not be cleansed well. This will expose you to infections. If the physical body has a problem that it can't get rid of, then it will start adjusting around the problem, and it gets more messed up.
        The Praana gives life. All movements in the body are because of Praana. If oxygen alone can do it, then every problem is solved. But it doesn't work that way. The contact of the Cosmic Body with the physical body is very unique.
       According to Praanic law, there is 'x' amount of energy which the body has for its use. You can use up this Praanic energy in one day, or you an use it in 50-60 years. It depends upon that breath of life. As long as the Praanas are given, we live, enjoy, and relax.