MEDITATION EXERCISE: Page 155

gether. Breath is the life of man. The whole mystery of life is centered in this Breath. Every day we hear about proper ventilation and the great value of pure air. All this is good and right. Proper ventilation is highly desirable. Pure air is essential. Above all, the way of breathing is nearly as important as the quality of air you breathe. God has created air in abundant quantity; it is the only thing pervading space. It sustains all lives by oxygen, its life-giving property. The act of breathing not only helps you to draw oxygen from the air but it also helps, to throw out certain poisonous matter formed in the body by the breaking down of the tissues. The blood has a duty to perform. It makes a complete circuit in three minutes; carries oxygen to the tissues for their upkeep and takes the poison from thence and throws it out through the lungs. This taking of oxygen and throwing out of poison is performed through breath. So here you see that slow breathing will take in more of the life giving oxygen and at the same time throw out more of the poisonous matter formed within. It is estimated that one-third of the poison formed in the body is thus thrown out of the lungs and the remainder through the bowels, skin and kidneys. Has it ever occurred to you, dear reader, that breath plays an important act in your everyday life? Just try this when a crisis is forced upon you or when petty cares of life seem to assume abnormal proportions, by sitting