Breathing

The function of breathing is a vital one, and it immediately concerns the continuance of life. We can live many hours without sleeping, and many days without eating or drinking, but only a few minutes without breathing. The act of breathing is involuntary, but the manner of it, and the provision of the proper conditions for its healthy performance, falls within the scope of volition. Man will continue to breathe involuntarily, but he can voluntarily determine what he shall breathe, and how deeply and thoroughly he shall breathe; and he can, of his own volition, keep the physical mechanism in condition for the perfect performance of the function.

Breathing is vital and directly necessary for life to continue. We can live many hours without sleep and many days without food or water, but only a few minutes without breathing. Breathing is involuntary, but we can choose how we breathe and provide the right conditions for healthy breathing. We continue to breathe involuntarily, but we can choose what we breathe and how deeply and thoroughly we breathe. We can also choose to keep our bodies in condition to breathe perfectly.

It is essential, if you wish to breathe in a perfectly healthy way, that the physical machinery used in the act should be kept in good condition. You must keep your spine moderately straight, and the muscles of your chest must be flexible and free in action. You cannot breathe in the right way if your shoulders are greatly stooped forward and your chest hollow and rigid. Sitting or standing at work in a slightly stooping position tends to produce hollow chest; so does lifting heavy weights—or light weights.

To breathe in a perfectly healthy way, you must keep the parts of your body used for breathing in good condition. Keep your spine moderately straight and your chest muscles flexible and free to move. You cannot breathe properly if your shoulders are badly hunched forward and your chest is sunken and stiff. Sitting or standing slightly stooped while working tends to make your chest sunken. So does lifting heavy weights or even light ones.

The tendency of work, of almost all kinds, is to pull the shoulders forward, curve the spine, and flatten the chest; and if the chest is greatly flattened, full and deep breathing becomes impossible, and perfect health is out of the question.

Almost all kinds of work tend to pull the shoulders forward, curve the spine, and flatten the chest. If the chest becomes very flat, full, deep breathing becomes impossible, and perfect health is out of the question.

Various gymnastic exercises have been devised to counteract the effect of stooping while at work; such as hanging by the hands from a swing or trapeze bar, or sitting on a chair with the feet under some heavy article of furniture and bending backward until the head touches the floor, and so on. All these are good enough in their way, but very few people will follow them long enough and regularly enough to accomplish any real gain in physique. The taking of "health exercises" of any kind is burdensome and unnecessary; there is a more natural, simpler, and much better way.

Various exercises have been devised to counteract the effects of stooping while working. For example, you can hang by your hands from a swing or trapeze bar. Or you can sit on a chair with your feet under a heavy piece of furniture. Then you bend backward until your head touches the floor. All these exercises are good enough in their way. But very few people will do them long enough and regularly enough to make any real improvement in their physique. Doing "health exercises" of any kind is burdensome and unnecessary. There is a more natural, simpler, and much better way.

This better way is to keep yourself straight, and to breathe deeply. Let your mental conception of yourself be that you are a perfectly straight person, and whenever the matter comes to your mind, be sure that you instantly expand your chest, throw back your shoulders, and "straighten up." Whenever you do this, slowly draw in your breath until you fill your lungs to their utmost capacity; "crowd in" all the air you possibly can; and while holding it for an instant in the lungs, throw your shoulders still further back, and stretch your chest; at the same time try to pull your spine forward between the shoulders. Then let the air go easily.

The better way is to stand straight and breathe deeply. Think of yourself as a perfectly straight person. Whenever you think of it, immediately expand your chest, throw back your shoulders, and "straighten up." Each time you do this, slowly breathe in until your lungs are completely full. "Crowd in" as much air as you possibly can. Hold it in your lungs for a moment, throw your shoulders even farther back, and stretch your chest. At the same time, try to pull your spine forward between your shoulders. Then let the air out easily.

This is the one great exercise for keeping the chest full, flexible, and in good condition. Straighten up; fill your lungs FULL; stretch your chest and straighten your spine, and exhale easily. And this exercise you must repeat, in season and out of season, at all times and in all places, until you form a habit of doing it; you can easily do so. Whenever you step out of doors into the fresh, pure air, BREATHE. When you are at work, and think of yourself and your position, BREATHE. When you are in company, and are reminded of the matter, BREATHE. When you are awake in the night, BREATHE. No matter where you are or what you are doing, whenever the idea comes to your mind, straighten up and BREATHE. If you walk to and from your work, take the exercise all the way; it will soon become a delight to you; you will keep it up, not for the sake of health, but as a matter of pleasure.

This is the one great exercise for keeping your chest full, flexible, and in good condition. Stand up straight and fill your lungs FULL. Stretch your chest, straighten your spine, and breathe out easily. Repeat this exercise at all times and in all places until it becomes a habit. You can easily do this. Whenever you step outside into the fresh, pure air, BREATHE. When you are working and notice yourself and your posture, BREATHE. When you are with others and are reminded of it, BREATHE. When you are awake at night, BREATHE. No matter where you are or what you are doing, straighten up and BREATHE whenever you think of it. If you walk to and from work, do the exercise all the way. You will soon find it delightful. You will keep doing it, not for your health, but for pleasure.

Do not consider this a "health exercise"; never take health exercises, or do gymnastics to make you well. To do so is to recognize sickness as a present fact or as a possibility, which is precisely what you must not do. The people who are always taking exercises for their health are always thinking about being sick. It ought to be a matter of pride with you to keep your spine straight and strong; as much so as it is to keep your face clean. Keep your spine straight, and your chest full and flexible for the same reason that you keep your hands clean and your nails manicured; because it is slovenly to do otherwise. Do it without a thought of sickness, present or possible. You must either be crooked and unsightly, or you must be straight; and if you are straight your breathing will take care of itself. You will find the matter of health exercises referred to again in a future chapter.

Do not think of this as a "health exercise." Never exercise or do gymnastics to make yourself well. Doing so means accepting sickness as a present fact or a possibility. That is exactly what you must not do. People who are always exercising for their health are always thinking about being sick. You should take as much pride in keeping your spine straight and strong as you do in keeping your face clean. Keep your spine straight and your chest full and flexible for the same reason you keep your hands clean and your nails manicured. It is sloppy to do otherwise. Do it without thinking about sickness, whether present or possible. You must either be crooked and unsightly or be straight. If you are straight, your breathing will take care of itself. You will find more about health exercises in a later chapter.

It is essential, however, that you should breathe AIR. It appears to be the intention of nature that the lungs should receive air containing its regular percentage of oxygen, and not greatly contaminated by other gases, or by filth of any kind. Do not allow yourself to think that you are compelled to live or work where the air is not fit to breathe. If your house cannot be properly ventilated, move; and if you are employed where the air is bad, get another job; you can, by practicing the methods given in the preceding volume of this series—"THE SCIENCE OF GETTING RICH." If no one would consent to work in bad air, employers would speedily see to it that all work rooms were properly ventilated. The worst air is that from which the oxygen has been exhausted by breathing; as that of churches and theaters where crowds of people congregate, and the outlet and supply of air are poor. Next to this is air containing other gases than oxygen and hydrogen—sewer gas, and the effluvium from decaying things. Air that is heavily charged with dust or particles of organic matter may be endured better than any of these. Small particles of organic matter other than food are generally thrown off from the lungs; but gases go into the blood.

It is essential, however, that you breathe AIR. Nature seems to intend for the lungs to receive air with its normal percentage of oxygen. The air should not be heavily contaminated by other gases or dirt of any kind. Do not think you are forced to live or work where the air is unfit to breathe. If your house cannot be properly ventilated, move. If you work where the air is bad, get another job. You can do this by practicing the methods given in the preceding volume of this series, "THE SCIENCE OF GETTING RICH." If no one would agree to work in bad air, employers would quickly ensure that all workrooms were properly ventilated. The worst air is air whose oxygen has been used up by breathing. This happens in churches and theaters where crowds gather and air does not flow in and out properly. Next worst is air containing gases other than oxygen and hydrogen, such as sewer gas and fumes from decaying things. Air heavily filled with dust or particles of organic matter is easier to endure than either of these. Small particles of organic matter other than food are generally expelled from the lungs, but gases enter the blood.

I speak advisedly when I say "other than food." Air is largely a food. It is the most thoroughly alive thing we take into the body. Every breath carries in millions of microbes, many of which are assimilated. The odors from earth, grass, tree, flower, plant, and from cooking foods are foods in themselves; they are minute particles of the substances from which they come, and are often so attenuated that they pass directly from the lungs into the blood, and are assimilated without digestion. And the atmosphere is permeated with the One Original Substance, which is life itself. Consciously recognize this whenever you think of your breathing, and think that you are breathing in life; you really are, and conscious recognition helps the process. See to it that you do not breathe air containing poisonous gases, and that you do not rebreathe the air which has been used by yourself or others.

I choose my words carefully when I say "other than food." Air is largely a food. It is the most fully alive thing we take into our bodies. Every breath brings in millions of microbes, and many of them are absorbed by the body. The odors of earth, grass, trees, flowers, plants, and cooking foods are foods in themselves. They are tiny particles of the substances they come from. They are often so fine that they pass directly from the lungs into the blood. There, they are absorbed without digestion. The atmosphere is also filled with the One Original Substance, which is life itself. Whenever you think about your breathing, consciously recognize this and think that you are breathing in life. You really are, and consciously recognizing it helps the process. Make sure you do not breathe air containing poisonous gases. Also, do not breathe air that has already been breathed by you or others.

That is all there is to the matter of breathing correctly. Keep your spine straight and your chest flexible, and breathe pure air, recognizing with thankfulness the fact that you breathe in the Eternal Life. That is not difficult; and beyond these things give little thought to your breathing except to thank God that you have learned how to do it perfectly.

That is all there is to breathing correctly. Keep your spine straight and your chest flexible, and breathe pure air. Be thankful that you breathe in the Eternal Life. That is not difficult. Beyond these things, give little thought to your breathing. Just thank God that you have learned to breathe perfectly.