Exercise 2: Alternating Nostril Breathing

After a month of practising Exercise 1, move on to the alternate breathing exercise. You no longer need to practice Exercise 1, single nostril breathing.

Close the right nostril with your right thumb and inhale through the left nostril. Now, close the left nostril, immediately, with your right ring finger and little finger. Remove your thumb from the right nostril and exhale through that nostril. This is a half round.

Now without pausing, inhale through the right nostril. Close the right nostril with your right thumb and exhale through the left, as previously. This makes one full round.

The proportion of breathing in and out is 1:2, as in exercise No. 1, or six seconds inhalation and twelve seconds exhalation.

The same general rules for Exercise 1 apply for Exercise 2, as well. Do fifteen to twenty rounds.

When you are able, without difficulty, to do fifteen to twenty rounds at six seconds inhalation and twelve seconds exhalation, then increase to seven and fourteen seconds, and then to eight and sixteen seconds. These increases must be slowly undertaken. You should practice this exercise from two to three months before increasing to eight and sixteen seconds.

Within this period, you can see tremendous change taking place in your body and mind. The breathing will become perfect, especially the movement of the diaphragm. The body will become very light and the eyes will shine.