How Breathing & Prana affect Our Body

This is taken from "The Seasonal Detox Diet ~ Remedies from the Ancient Cookfire" by Carrie l'Esperance

"...With every breath we take, etheric energy is also taken in. This etheric energy is what the yogis call prana, which means "etheric". Prana has two polarities - positive and negative - and our bodies make use of both energies. Through the right nostril we inhale positive prana, through the left nostril we inhale negative prana. Both are needed for our well-being.

The right or positive current of prana is called the solar energy, and the left or negative current is called the lunar energy. The positive solar energy being drawn through the right nostril can be used for self-vitalization by placing a piece of cotton in your left nostril and breathing only through the right one for about one hour. During this time, center your thoughts upon the part of your body that needs rebuilding or rejuvenating. This breathing technique, coupled with focused thought, is very powerful - you will be surprised at what happens.

It is known that great natural healers breathe for greater periods of time through the right nostril; they are able to extract and utilize more solar energy this way and therefore do not exhaust themselves as readily.

It is good practice to make a habit of breathing though the right nostril when we eat. The solar current, the positive prana, speeds up the process of metabolism. Then we can extract most of the energy from the food we eat, so we eat less and are satisfied. On the other end, when undergoing a fast, block the right nostril and breathe more through the left. You will not become as hungry because your metabolism will slow down. In the East, all yogis practice this technique when they go on long fasts..."