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Immediately afterwards breathe in with the same force. Forceful inhalation results from fully expanding the abdominal muscles and forceful exhalation from firm contraction of the abdominal muscles. Do not strain. During inhalation, the diaphragm descends and the abdomen moves outward. During exhalation, the diaphragm moves upward and the abdomen moves inward. The movements should be slightly exaggerated. Continue in this manner, counting 10 breaths. Take a deep breath in and breathe out slowly. This is one round. Breathe normally in between each round.
Practise up to 5 rounds. Practice note: Practise slowly at first, with approximately one
breath every two seconds, observing the push-pull of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles. Beginners may take several normal breaths in between rounds, so there is no strain. As one becomes -accustomed to the breathing, gradually increase the speed to one breath per second, then two breaths per second, without the breath becoming shallow. The action of the diaphragm and the abdominal muscles are exactly like bellows. The ribcage muscles play only a minimal role. The diaphragm is used to create equal force on inhalation (relaxing on exhalation) and the abdominal muscles are used to create force on exhalation (relaxing on inhalation). Both create a pull-push action. Concentration just below the sternum will help. Only the abdomen moves in and out during the practice. There should be no other movement in the body; it should be like a statue, regardless of the velocity bhastrika attains. One may close the eyes during the practice. If the eyes are kept open, they should be fixed on a point. In either case, there should be total steadiness throughout the practice. When attempting bhastrika for the first time, a loss in power and coordination of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles may be felt after a few rounds. This occurs due to
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