First Breath, Last Breath by Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati

"If you can control your breath, you can control your life." We often hear about the benefits of yoga asanas or physical poses, but little has been written about the life-changing effects of pranayama, or breath practices. Ma Jaya's book fills that gap with explanations and instructions for working with the breath. There are breaths to bring you energy and breaths to calm you down; there are breaths for the morning and breaths for the night; there are breaths to open your heart or quiet your mind; there are breaths to help you fight addiction, procrastination, and burn-out. There is even a breath to help you lose weight! More profoundly, the breath can awaken Kundalini, the feminine force of the universe rising within you. Once awakened, Mother Kundalini transforms your life, doing whatever she must to bring every part of you—body, mind, and spirit—into alignment with universal consciousness. Ma Jaya tells us, "The more you listen to your breath, the more you can hear the voice of your soul."