Yoga is divided into several branches, ranging from that which teaches
the control of the body, to that which teaches the attainment of the
highest spiritual development. In the work we will not go into the
higher phases of the subject, except when the "Science of Breath"
touches upon the same. The "Science of Breath" touches Yoga at many
points, and although chiefly concerned with the development and
control of the physical, has also its psychic side, and even enters
the field of spiritual development.

In India there are great schools of Yoga, comprising thousands of the
leading minds of that great country. The Yoga philosophy is the rule
of life for many people. The pure Yogi teachings, however, are given
only to the few, the masses being satisfied with the crumbs which fall
from the tables of the educated classes, the Oriental custom in this
respect being opposed to that of the Western world. But Western ideas
are beginning to have their effect even in the Orient, and teachings
which were once given only to the few are now freely offered to any
who are ready to receive them. The East and the West are growing
closer together, and both are profiting by the close contact, each
influencing the other.

The Hindu Yogis have always paid great attention to the Science of
Breath, for reasons which will be apparent to the student who reads
this book. Many Western writers have touched upon this phase of the
Yogi teachings, but we believe that it has been reserved for the
writer of this work to give to the Western student, in concise form
and simple language, the underlying principles of the Yogi Science of
Breath, together with many of the favorite Yogi breathing exercises
and methods. We have given the Western idea as well as the Oriental,