64 The Law of the Rhythmic Breathterial for the Spirit's activity, therefore, lackingentirely the spiritual fire which sustains enthusiasmand gives electrical force to every thought and actthus inspired.It is this spiritual energy which in rare emergenciesand moments of supreme excitement enablespeople to forget the limits of physicalstrength and to execute the ordinarily impossible.I knew a very delicate young girl, the accepted estimateof whose strength and endurance exemptedher from even the usual exertions of daily life inthe home, who, under the excitement caused bya disastrous fire very near, moved several inchesout from the wall a bookcase eight feet high whichwas filled from floor to top with heavy books. Itwas all that three strong men could do to put thecase back in its place the next morning. We canPage 35The Law of the Rhythmic Breath - E. A. Fletcher.txttrain ourselves to employ this spiritual energy atneed, and thus eliminate many of the most tryingconditions in life. The wastefulness of commonmethods of thought is a constant drain of psychicenergy which we can better employ.Every fact that has been stated can be verifiedby personal experiment, which means persistentpractice of the breathing and concentration exercisesalready given; not intermittent practice whenyou are reminded of it by bad feelings or whenyou happen to think of it or have nothing else youwould rather do. To derive the benefit, spiritTheEvolution of the Tattvas 65ual, mental, and physical which I assume all myreaders are seeking, the practice must be regularand at the regular periods as nearly as possiblethe same daily. Never let any of the exercises becomeautomatic. Hold the mind to the center.I have tried to make it very clear that the purposeof the exercises in alternate breathing is torestore the balance of the Tattvas and the alternatingcurrents of Prdna (positive and negative),the inequality of which is the primary source of alldisease. Habitual breathing should be as full,deep, and regular as conscious direction from timeto time can make it. Habit is everything in this,and in forming good habits Nature comes to ouraid with joyful alacrity. I have failed utterly inmy purpose if I have not convinced you that physical,mental, and spiritual harmony are promotedby habits of rhythmic breathing in the purest airobtainable. It need not be cold air to be pure,but it must be fresh, unbreathed air.Continued practice of the exercises will convinceyou that you are treading the long hidden, closelyguarded path leading to Nature's treasury of secrets.If your interests and pursuits are scientific,before your clearing vision wall after wall, hithertobaffling, will fall, disclosing long vistascleared and ready for your seeing eyes with assuredfoundations, basic laws, inviting your fascinatingexperiments into the myriad permutations66 The Law of the Rhythmic Breathof these marvelous forces. Never for an instantare they inactive, but ever building and disintegratingthe visible and the invisible universe, involvingand evolving through their vibratio