air, and yet if the air contained it not they would die even though
they might be filled with air. It is taken up by the system along with
the oxygen, and yet is not the oxygen. The Hebrew writer of the book
of Genesis knew the difference between the atmospheric air and the
mysterious and potent principle contained within it. He speaks of
neshemet ruach chayim, which, translated, means "the breath of the
spirit of life." In the Hebrew neshemet means the ordinary breath of
atmospheric air, and chayim means life or lives, while the word ruach
means the "spirit of life," which occultists claim is the same
principle which we speak of as Prana.

Prana is in the atmospheric air, but it is also elsewhere, and it
penetrates where the air cannot reach. The oxygen in the air plays an
important part in sustaining animal life, and the carbon plays a
similar part with plant life, but Prana has its own distinct part to
play in the manifestation of life, aside from the physiological
functions.

We are constantly inhaling the air charged with prana, and are as
constantly extracting the latter from the air and appropriating it to
our uses. Prana is found in its freest state in the atmospheric air,
which when fresh is fairly charged with it, and we draw it to us more
easily from the air than from any other source. In ordinary breathing
we absorb and extract a normal supply of prana, but by controlled and
regulated breathing (generally known as Yogi breathing) we are enabled
to extract a greater supply, which is stored away in the brain and
nerve centers, to be used when necessary. We may store away prana,
just as the storage battery stores away electricity. The many powers
attributed to advanced occultists is due largely to their knowledge of
this fact and their intelligent use of this stored-up energy. The