88 The Law of the Rhythmic Breathby changing our vibrations when they manifesttheir presence.The natural corrective of happy thoughts isbeneficent because they encourage the flow ofPrithivi, the extreme of the Tattvic scale fromAkdsha. Not rose-colored spectacles but yellowones should be given to people addicted " to theblues," and they should be kept in the sunshinewhen possible and be surrounded by floods ofgolden light, living in yellow-hung rooms. Hysteriaand lunacy indicate the disastrous preponderanceof Akdsha and call for the yellow treatment,and every influence possible that will reducethe Akdshic vibrations to their lowest normal flow.The consideration of Prithivi, which must come inits natural sequence will develop more details.Remember that as the foreshadower of everyother Tattva all possibilities can be developedfrom the Akdsha. That is the form of its mentalprevalence. It is for us to choose the ingredientsand do the mixing! It is the stagnation and misuseof Akdsha which are to be shunned. The. taste of Akdsha is said to be bitter, but I believeit can also be proved to be salt. It is the lightestof the Tattvas. Taking ten as the unit ofAkdsha, they increase in weight by ten in naturalorder from Vdyu twenty to Prithivi fifty.Vdyu is only less unfortunate when excessivelypredominant than Akdsha; and, as their relationsPage 48The Law of the Rhythmic Breath - E. A. Fletcher.txtThe Influence of the Tattvas 89are close, the presence of one in excess indicates apreponderance of the other, or is apt to be accompaniedby it. In speaking of the manifestationsof Fdyu or its centers of dominant influence,the reader is cautioned against confounding theFdyu Tattva with another Sanskrit use of the wordwhich has entirely misled some students. Theword is derived from the root va, to move, andsignifies a motive-power. Certain organic functionsof the body, which are considered as somany manifestations of Prdna, are genericallycalled Fdyus, though having specific names. Inthis sense, Fdyus are nothing more than forces ofPrdna; or it would be clearer to say they are evidencesof Prdnlc power. In only one of these socalled" Fdyus " the function of breathingis the Fdyu Tattva prevalent. To avoid confusion,I shall restrict the use of the word to itsTattvlc sense. It is much clearer to know thesemanifestations of Prdna by their specific names,when we come to them.You have learned that the sense of touch isstimulated by the Fdyu Tattva, and that a specificfield of its gross activities is to furnish the thin,elastic sheath-garment that protects the sensitiveflesh, the skin of the body. The two phases,positive and negative, of Fdyu, form the positiveand the negative skin, each of which has five layersin which the other Tattvas mingle, one after90 The Law of the Rhythmic Breaththe other, with the Fdyu, and disclose their influenceby the modifications in the forms of thecells. An illustration of a magnified section ofskin betrays all these Tattvic activities in oblong,squared, and triangulated spheres and dotted circles.In a single layer of the cuticle, it is computedthere are a billion scale-like cells to thesquare inch.Every movement of the body is a manifestationof Fdyu, and acts of levitation are exhibitionsof supreme mastery of this Tattva. It is morethan probable that it is an excess of Fdyu whichgives people sometimes in dreams the sensation offlying; and deep breathing when walking almostliterally gives wings to the feet, so lithe and buoyantdoes it make the body.Fdyu has an acid taste, and the acidity of thestomach which accompanies most gastric disturbancesis unmistakable proof that this Tattva isflowing in excess. All the exercises in alternatebreathing, and the Held-breath especially, are ofgreat benefit in all gastric disorders; and I knowof nothing else that can give so speedy relief tointense suffering in acute attacks. Four or fivePage 49The Law of the Rhythmic Breath - E. A. Fletcher.txtrepetitions of the Held-breath exercise are sufficientat one practice, but the intervals of practicemay be every hour if the need be urgent. Do notconfound Prdndydma with the exercise; that is,