The Science of Breath

First published in 1903, “The Science of Breath” is the first of many titles on yoga and Hinduism by the mysterious Yogi Ramacharaka. There are no official records of this author and many scholars believe that he did not exist and the name is instead a pseudonym for the true writer, William Walker Atkinson, the famed occultist and pioneer of the American New Thought movement. Regardless of the identity of the author, “The Science of Breath” is an in-depth and well-written guide on both the science and philosophy of breathing in yoga and contains numerous lessons and exercises that remain useful over 100 years after its publication. This manual on the science of controlling your breathing includes chapters on both the spiritual aspect to yoga and breathing, as well as on the practical aspect of how to include these concepts into your yoga practice. Chapters contain lessons on such important practices as nostril vs. mouth-breathing, the Yogi complete breath, Yogi rhythmic breathing, and Yogi spiritual breathing. Both experienced and beginner yoga enthusiasts will discover a treasure of useful advice in this thoughtful guide.