nd before a glass and pucker up your mouth
and whistle, and note the shape of your mouth and the general
expression of your face. Then sing or speak as you do naturally, and
see the difference. Then start to whistle again for a few seconds, and
then, _without changing the position of your lips or face_, sing a few
notes and notice what a vibrant, resonant, clear and beautiful tone is
produced.

CHAPTER XI.

THE SEVEN YOGI DEVELOPING EXERCISES.

The following are the seven favorite exercises of the Yogis for
developing the lungs, muscles, ligaments, air cells, etc. They are
quite simple but marvelously effective. Do not let the simplicity of
these exercises make you lose interest, for they are the result of
careful experiments and practice on the part of the Yogis, and are the
essence of numerous intricate and complicated exercises, the
non-essential portions being eliminated and the essential features
retained.

(1) THE RETAINED BREATH.

This is a very important exercise which tends to strengthen and
develop the respiratory muscles as well as the lungs, and its frequent
practice will also tend to expand the chest. The Yogis have found that
an occasional holding of the breath, after the lungs have been filled
with the Complete Breath, is very beneficial, not only to the
respiratory organs but to the organs of nutrition, the nervous system
and the blood itself. They have found that an occasional holding of
the breath tends to purify the air which has remained in the lungs
from former inhalations, and to more fully oxygenate the blood. They
also know that the breath so retained gathers up all the waste matter,
and when the breath is expelled it carries with it the effete matter
of the system, and cleanses the lungs just as a purgative does the
bowels. The Yogis recommend this exercise for various disorders of the
stomach, liver and blood, and also find that it frequently relieves
bad breath, which often arises from poorly ventilated lungs. We
recommend students to pay considerable attention to this exercise, as
it has great merits. The following directions will give you a clear
idea of the exercise:

(1) Stand erect.

(2) Inhale a Complete Breath.

(3) Retain the air as long as you can comfortably.

(4) Exhale vigorously through the open mouth.

(5) Practice the Cleansing Breath.

At first you will be able to retain the breath only a short time, but
a little practice will al