,,the ,,new ,,science ,,of ,,controlled ,,breathing ,the ,secret of ,strength1 ,energy and ,beauty--,through ,breath ,control ,by ,,edward ,,lankow ,leading basso with the ,boston1 ,metropolitan and ,chicago ,opera ,companies4 ,world-renowned singer and teacher of the new science of controlled breathing ,,lesson ,i ,importance of ,consciously ,controlled ,breathing ,,corrective ,,eating ,,society1 ,,inc4 #dg ,west ,sixteenth ,street ,,new ,,york ,,city 8,and the ,lord ,god 444 breathed into his nostrils the breath of life1 and man became a living soul40 ,copyright1 #aibb1 ,corrective ,eating ,society1 ,inc4 ,,foreword ,the staff of life is not bread--it is breath4 ,for you can live days without drink1 and weeks without food4 ,but you can only live a few minutes without air4 ,you would think1 inasmuch as the human race has been breathing for at least five hundred thousand years1 that men and women today would know how to breathe4 ,as a matter of fact1 however1 consciously controlled breathing is known to but very few people4 ,these few fortunate individuals have been rewarded by ,nature in the way ,nature always rewards those who follow her laws4 ,she blesses them with magnificent constitutions1 tireless energy and the strength and beauty that comes from radiant health2 skin that shows the rich blood flowing under its clear surfaces1 sparkling eyes1 and the vivacious manner that attracts and holds the attention of men and women alike4 ,this1 ,nature does for those who use rightly her great gift4 ,of the few in all the world who know the inmost secrets of the art of breathing1 ,edward ,lankow1 the talented author of this course1 is perhaps the greatest4 ,the ,editor of ,physical ,culture ,magazine says of him3 8,mr4 ,edward ,lankow is rated by many critics as the greatest basso in ,america4 ,the richness1 resonance1 depth1 power1 flexibility and cello-like beauty of his voice has not been duplicated in ,america for years4 ,mr4 ,lankow is thirty-five years old2 weight1 #bje pounds stripped2 height #f feet1 #a-a_/b inches2 chest #dd-a_/b inches2 waist1 #ch inches4 ,he is ,russian-,american1 born in ,tarrytown1 ,n4 ,y40 ,in #aijb1 at the age of nineteen1 ,lankow was offered the principle ,bass engagement with the 8,bostonians0 by ,barnabee and ,mac,donald1 which he declined on account of a desire for further study4 ,the same year he was offered a ,tour with ,adelina ,patti1 which he declined for the same reason4 ,in #aijf he started his career in ,europe1 where he sang at all the principle opera houses1 and in concerts4 ,in #aiaa he returned to ,america and made his debut on the opening evening of the season with the ,boston ,opera ,company4 ,before going to ,boston1 he studied ,pelleas et ,mellisande in ,paris1 at the first rehearsal at which the famous composer ,debussy was present1 he received the superlative compliment from the composer1 who said to him 8,in your voice1 ,i hear for the first the mystic timbre of voice ,i thought of when ,i composed the part fifteen years ago40 ,mr4 ,lankow sang all the nine performances of this opera in ,boston with ,mme4 ,leblanc and ,mary ,garden4 ,in #aiab-aiac at the first performance of the ,magic ,flute at the ,metropolitan ,opera ,house1 the management brought ,mr4 ,lankow over from ,boston for the first half dozen performances1 where three of the ,new ,york newspaper critics pronounced him the greatest basso in ,america--one critic saying 8,a voice of amazing beauty1 he is by long odds the greatest basso in ,america40 ,in ,april1 #aiag1 while attending a garden party at ,governor's ,island1 ,mr4 ,lankow noticed that the speaking voice of ,colonel ,hartman was naturally exceedingly well placed 7or resonant7 and asked the ,colonel if he had studied to produce it that way4 ,to which the ,colonel answered1 8,no1 ,i always spoke that way1 and always wanted to find out how ,i did it so as to show it to younger officers--but ,i couldn't40 ,mr4 ,lankow then showed the ,colonel by pressing his hand on the ,colonel's abdomen how by ,nature he used that organ in support--a support which most of us had to learn but which came quite natural to him4 ,the quick mind of ,colonel ,hartman absorbed the value of the idea at once1 and he asked ,mr4 ,lankow to teach this subject at ,camp ,gorden1 ,ga41 the largest development camp in the country4 ,here official instructors of various subjects from all the other camps in the country from ,maine to ,san ,francisco were gathered for special instructions--from #f4de ,a4 ,m4 ,mr4 ,lankow would have classes ranging from #be to #aajj1 and gradually developed #da officer assistant instructors1 so that several thousand men were doing the work at the same time4 ,the ,commanding ,general1 ,brigadier ,general ,william ,sage and all of his staff were in his morning class4 ,after the third week1 ,mr4 ,lankow was asked to mess at ,headquarters1 and live at the former home of ,brigadier ,general ,shaw4 ,the results of his work were more than astounding4 ,men who had apparently no voices at all1 and who had pain in the throat while giving commands1 suddenly found that it was a pleasure to use the voice4 ,on the other hand1 men whose health was run down so that they were on their way to forced retirement1 were so changed in appearance that their civilian friends asked them what they were doing4 ,surgeon ,general ,rupert ,blue thought so highly of the health-building power of ,mr4 ,lankow's course of instruction that he made the following statement to ,mr4 ,lankow in ,washington3 8,use my name for anything you like in connection with your system of teaching breath control40 ,another health authority said3 8,give the world two generations of children taught this trained1 scientific method of breathing and you'll make the community free of consumption40 ,many of the world's greatest singers have profited by ,mr4 ,lankow's instructions4 ,mary ,garden1 ,director of the ,chicago ,opera ,company and famous prima donna1 has written 8,half the world does not know that correct breathing means health1 happiness and contentment4 ,i had the joy of learning this truth from ,mr4 ,lankow4 ,every day my voice became better--and my health too4 ,his work is really great40 ,in this complete course of 8,lessons0 ,mr4 ,lankow tells all the secrets of his wonderful work4 ,within a few days you1 too1 by following the simple directions ,mr4 ,lankow advises1 may be well on the road to such health1 strength1 mental clearness and physical beauty as you have never known before4 ,for you will be working in harmony with ,nature--and with ,nature's great and beneficent laws4 ,the ,publisher4 ,,lesson ,i ,importance of ,consciously ,controlled ,breathing ,air is truly the breath of life4 ,it is the vital fluid that animates our being2 that stimulates into activity every one of the billion of cells that go to make up the body4 ,it is a fact1 conceded by every scientific man today1 that the oxygen in the air we breathe is absolutely the greatest purifying force in all ,nature4 ,yet there is but one way to get oxygen into your lungs and into your system--and this is to breathe it in4 ,as long ago as two thousand years before the ,christian ,era1 the ,chinese and the ,hindoos made elaborate studies in the art of breathing4 ,indeed1 they developed a complex science having to do with control of the breath4 ,certain forms of breathing were employed for the cure of various diseases4 ,thus1 for example1 it was believed that controlled inhalations and exhalations would allay fevers2 or1 in a contrary condition of the body1 induce a salutary rise in temperature4 ,in ,india the ,buddhist priests were at pains to practice breath-control so as always to command deep1 quiet action of the lungs4 ,in this measured breathing the number of breaths was greatly reduced4 ,the usual eighteen to twenty-two breaths per minute were reduced to six or eight4 ,experience justified the theories of the priests concerning the value of a controlled breathing4 ,its merits have stood the tests of ages1 and today1 in the ,orient proper1 breathing is still deemed the fountain of health4 ,aside from the distinctly physical advantages derived from breath-control1 there results also a poise of mind that is most desirable in its benefits to the whole nature of the man4 ,later in history both the ,greeks and the ,romans practiced controlled breathing for hygienic purposes and for the attainment of bodily perfection4 ,they even went further than the ,orientals of an earlier epoch1 for they deliberately set out to enlarge the chest cavity4 ,they realized that the principal part of the body is the trunk1 and that in this the chief constituent is the chest4 ,the success they attained in the development of superb physiques is demonstrated by the examples that survived to us of their classic art4 ,they were able to attain a bodily perfection unequaled in the history of the world4 ,in their methods1 controlled breathing was the chief agent4 ,in ,europe1 during the ,middle ,ages1 this science of breath suffered from increasing neglect1 and finally died out4 ,as an appalling commentary on the neglect of proper breathing by the mass of mankind1 we may consider the fact1 now generally admitted by the medical profession1 that fully one half of the world's death-rate is due to consumption4 ,the fact could hardly be otherwise4 ,any experienced physician is well aware that only a small part of the lungs is ordinarily used by the average person4 ,a large portion of the breathing apparatus is in most cases never employed at all4 ,naturally1 inevitably1 such areas in the lungs weaken and become degenerate4 ,they offer a breeding place for the germs of various infections4 ,why ,ordinary ,systems of ,exercise ,fail ,the various systems of gymnastics are designed for the surface-building of the body4 ,the exercises affect almost exclusively the outer muscular structure4 ,the scientific cultivation of the breath1 on the contrary1 acts directly on the inner1 vital organs4 ,these are strengthened and developed from the outset4 ,thus a sure foundation is laid on which to build toward physical perfection1 and the true beauty which is1 or should be1 the heritage of every healthy man or woman4 ,any ordinary method must of necessity prove itself as ineffective as it is illogical4 ,the majority of athletes exhibit exterior muscles of most impressive bulk4 ,it is a curious fact1 however1 that the bony structure1 which measures the chest cavity1 shows only a trifling development when deprived of its muscular support4 ,it must always be borne in mind that the strength of the body lies in its organic power--not in the surface muscles4 ,in fact1 the larger the surface muscles are1 the more strength is taken from the organic vitality in order to support and feed them4 ,it is by reason of this drain upon the inner forces that athletes so often die young4 ,abnormal development of the muscular system at the expense of organic vitality is a folly always dangerous1 often fatal4 ,how ,we ,live ,on ,air ,air is the substance on which principally we feed4 ,what we eat is of secondary importance4 ,the purity of the blood and the strength of the arteries through which it throbs depend absolutely upon right breathing4 ,the greater the quantity of air taken into the lungs1 the more oxygen for the purification of the blood--the constant and prime requirement for health4 ,the system of breathing which ,i advocate in this work is not a mere matter of theory1 something vague and experimental4 ,it is concrete2 it is exact2 its worth has been definitely proved4 ,i have demonstrated the merit of the exercises in my own case4 ,during a year and a half of practice my chest measurement increased from thirty-eight inches to forty-two4 ,breathing ,color ,into ,pale ,faces ,with many flat-chested and anemic girls ,i have seen an equally astonishing improvement4 ,i have seen their chest develop1 their busts become firm and rounded1 and tell-tale hollows under their collar bones fill out4 ,almost invariably1 flabby muscles become resilient1 pale sallow cheeks become pink with the sweet flush of healthy youth4 ,incidentally1 ,i have discovered a variety of virtues in controlled breathing4 ,thus1 in the case of that most annoying among minor ailments1 a cold1 ,i have found that ,i could invariably be rid of it within twenty-four hours by means of strenuous breathing exercises for twenty minutes at a time repeated often during the day4 ,for a more formal indorsement of this system1 ,i may refer to the ,societe ,internationale de la ,tuberculose4 ,an investigation by the society was reported favorably at ,the ,hague and ,london4 ,in this connection1 it should be remembered that the world at large has not yet begun to realize the supreme value of correct1 quiet1 slow breathing for general health4 ,its practice regularly would unquestionably prove a preventative of tubercular disease4 ,its judicious employment by those already affected would prove a powerful remedial agent4 ,consumptives who seek the pure air of mountains or plains often fail to receive benefit1 for the simple reason that they have never learned the proper manner of breathing4 ,to such1 the best of air is useless as the most nourishing food to the one who has no teeth with which to chew4 ,when one inhales1 the lungs seem to grow4 ,as the cells are filled with air1 the chest proportionately enlarges4 ,at the same time1 the ribs and the diaphragm assume a new position4 ,the result is that the chest1 the between-rib muscles1 and the diaphragm are all very strenuously exercised4 ,by proper breathing1 the various muscles involved are constantly trained2 they are developed and made elastic to such an extent that the lungs are not required to stand alone in their resistance against adverse conditions1 both without and within4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the lungs expand during inhalation2 they contract during exhalation4 ,a full breath dilates the lungs to their maximum capacity2 they relax to the minimum size when the breath is completely expelled4 ,by practice one can readily learn to influence the various movements1 and gradually to control them4 ,the practice of the first exercises in the series given includes sudden exhalation1 slow exhalation1 and rhythmic exhalation4 ,these tend to reduce the quantity of air that is left in the lungs when the breath is expelled4 ,such residual air is poisonous1 and an excess of it1 due to improper breathing1 is very injurious4 ,its retention in the lung cells not only lessens the space available to be filled with fresh air1 but it also acts as a direct agent for ill in the bodily processes4 ,how ,consciously ,controlled ,breathing ,makes ,you ,resist ,disease ,it should be added1 and with emphasis1 that the habit of deep breathing makes one immune to the germs of various diseases4 ,the practice of breath-control gives a toughened fiber to the whole breathing apparatus4 ,this and the constant purifying of the blood develop the body's vital forces to the highest degree possible1 against which disease is rendered powerless4 ,thus one may enter into possession of the health and strength that are his by right2 and thus1 and thus only1 shall he know the joy of life4 ,here is an illustration of what may be done by serious and persistent attention to breathing4 ,it must be understood1 however1 that ,i by no means advise others to follow my example1 although ,i believe it quite possible for anybody--man1 woman1 boy or girl--by constant practice1 to develop the same perfect resistance that ,i myself have4 ,for a period of five years1 ,i have made it a rule to dress in ,january exactly as in ,july--except in the matter of an overcoat4 ,i go without underclothing1 ,i wear no waistcoat1 7vest74 ,i do not take exception to the wearing by others of such garments1 during the winter months4 ,but for myself1 as ,i gradually learned to take advantage of systematic breathing exercises and thus to charge my blood abundantly with oxygen1 the necessity for much clothing disappeared4 ,underwear grew to be uncomfortable4 ,i found myself both happier and healthier without it4 ,when ,i wore the heavier clothing in winter1 ,i suffered from frequent colds4 ,now ,i am rarely troubled in that manner4 ,if1 through carelessness1 ,i do catch cold1 ,i am able easily to throw it off within twenty-four hours by means of extra practice in deep breathing1 together with a short fast4 ,i do not wish to infer that the heavier clothing is the cause of colds4 ,my point is1 rather1 that the extra amount of oxygen ,i take into my blood supplies the place of the garments formerly worn by me1 as well as acts in consuming1 or burning up1 the poisonous material that gathers in the tissues1 and tends to make you feel cold4 ,let me repeat that ,i do not advise anyone to experiment with the wearing of summer apparel in winter until after several months of systematic breathing exercises1 with the consequent enriching of the blood4 ,the matter1 like that of the cold bath1 is one for individual discrimination4 ,in my own case1 the lighter garb has become actually a necessity for comfort's sake4 ,why ,we ,should ,establish ,schools ,to ,teach ,the ,new ,science of ,breathing ,whatever the different systems for muscular and health development may be1 the value of developing those vital inner organs--the heart1 the lungs and the digestive organs1 is easily understood4 ,a large arm1 or a wonderful leg development cannot help these inner organs1 if they are naturally weak1 or if they have been weakened4 ,the point is--what will give health to these organs the fundamental or motor power to all health4 ,special exercises for the lungs1 that is1 conscious deep breathing exercises for a specific period of time1 will give results which few realize4 ,it is all so simple that most of us cannot believe it1 like all truths4 ,the maximum oxygenation of the blood through taking in large quantities of air--thereby feeding the organs with purer blood--the improved circulation1 the exhilarated heartbeat1 the drawing away of drowsiness from the brain1 the improved digestion through the unconscious massage of the lower organs1 all these will show what results are obtainable4 ,if the children in our schools were taught conscious1 deep1 slow breathing at that period of their lives when body and mind are flexible1 the habit would be easily formed for life4 ,this habit would surely wipe out consumption within two generations4 ,millions of human beings die yearly from this1 the greatest human menace4 ,why not1 therefore1 have schools for breathing4 ,surely this experiment is entitled to a place among the hundreds of other experiments which have been and which are being tried4 ,,transcriber',s ,,notes3 ,italicized text is surrounded by underscores3 italics4 ,emboldened text is surrounded by equals signs3 bold4 ,obvious typographical errors have been corrected4