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78 RAJA YOGAAkasa Tattva for I Naligas. (2/, Naligas for one hour). lf youread Svara Udhaya, you will understand these points fully.ln Patanjali Yoga Sutras there is a description of KevalaKumbhaka in Sutra 51 of Chapter ll. This is a very advancedcourse. One should practise from stage to stage, step by stepfor getting success in the advanced course. We have seen before,that, subtle Prana has intimate connection with the respiration.By regulating inhalation, exhalation and retention, onecan understand and contro! the subtle Prana. For the regulationof respiration and forthe practice of Kevala Kumbhaka, thefollowing exercises will help the Sadhakas.8. Preliminary ExerciseSit on Padmasana or Siddhasana. Slowly inhale the airthrough both the nostrils without making any sound. Do not retainthe breath. lmmediately exhale the air very very slowly.Repeat this process ten or twenty times both morning and evening.Practise this regularly for three months. Then you can attemptfor the Sukha Purvaka exercise where there is retentionof breath. lnhalation is termed as 'Puraka'. 'Rechaka' is exhalationand 'Kumbhaka' is retention of breath. Svasa refers toPuraka and Prasvasa refers to Rechaka. This is given in Sutra49 of Chapter ll.9. Sukha Purvaka Pranayama(Easy Comfortable Pranayama)Sit on Padmasana or Siddhasana in your meditationroom. Close the right nostril with the right thumb. Draw in airslowly through the left nostril. Now close the lefi nostril also withthe little and ring fingers of the right hand. Retain the breath aslong as you can comfortably do. Then exhale very very slowlythrough the right nostrilafter removing the thumb. Now half theprocess is over.Then draw in the air through the right nostril as soon asyou can completely exhale. Retain the breath as long as youcan afier closing the right nostril and then exhale through theleft nostril after removing the little and the ring fingers. Thesesix processes constitute one Pranayama. To start with, do 10