People laughed at the image of pretzel-legged yogis focusing on the tip of their noses -- until Swami Rama walked into a laboratory and showed scientists what a yogi with control over his respiration can actually do. Before astonished researchers, he demonstrated perfect control over his heart rate and brain waves -- control physiologists hadn`t believed humans could possibly achieve. For thousands of years, yogic adepts, masters of inner science, have claimed that breath is the essential link between body and mind, energizing a `subtle body` which connects the physical and mental aspects of our being. In this landmark book, Swami Rama and two noted American physicians explore India`s `Science of Breath` from both Eastern and Western perspectives, revealing how this neglected subject may be the missing key to both physical health and the exploration of higher states of consciousness. Swami Rama also shares some of the basic breathing techniques practiced by the Himalayan yogis so that we can begin immediately working with this powerful ancient science. Swami Rama founded the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, the Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust in India, and many centers throughout the world. A student of both Himalayan cave monasteries and European universities, he founded the Himalayan Institute to create a bridge between the ancient teachings of the East and modern scientific approaches of the West. Rudolph Ballentine, M.D., is a respected leader in the field of alternative and complementary medicine. A physician and psychiatrist, he studied medicine in the U.S., psychology in the U.S. and France, and both Ayurveda and homeopathy in India. Alan Hymes, M.D., is a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon. A pioneer in the field of breath research, he has studied the interrelationship between breathing patterns and cardiovascular disease.