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(b)Mastery means artistic adjustment by disciplined refinement and control of the movement of breath. Equalise the length of your in- and out- breathing before attempting kumbhaka. Read the '''Bhandhas''' before starting kumbhaka.
(c)Learn to do [[antara kumbhaka ]] by slow degrees. Start by holding the breath for only a few seconds without losing grip on the inner body. Watch the condition of the body, the nerves and the intellect. It takes some time before you can understand, experience and retain the precise inner grip over the intercostal muscles and diaphragm in the kumbhaka.
(d)When starting to learn internal retention allow some time to elapse after each kumbhaka. This enables the lungs to revert to the normal, natural and fresh condition before making another attempt. For instance, three or four cycles of normal or deep breathing should fallow one cycle of kumbhaka until the session is over.
(e)If beginners perform internal retention after each inhalation, it will strain the lungs, harden the nerves and make the brain tense, and progress will be exceedingly slow.
(f)As you improve, shorten the interval between the cycles of normal breathing and anntara [[antara kambhaka]].
(g)Increase the time you hold your breath in internal retention without exceeding your capacity.
(i)Knowledge of the bandha is essential for the proper practice of kumbhaka. They act as safety valves for disturbing, regularing and absorbing energy, and the energy in them is not similarly, when the lungs are full and the energy in them is not checked by the bandhas, they will be damaged, nerves will be frayed and the brain made unduly tense. This will not happen if one practises jalandhara bandha.
(j)Never do [[antara kumbhaka ]] while standing, as you may lose your balance and fall.
(k)When a reclining position, place pillows under the head to keep it higher than the torso, so that no strain is felt in the head.
(o)If strain is felt in the lungs or heart, exhale, and take a few normal or deep breaths. This
refreshes the lungs to restart [[antara kumbhaka]]. If you continue after having felt the strain, you disturb the harmonious functioning of both the body and the intellect. This leads to mental imbalance.
(p)When you are able to hold the breath in internal retention for a minimum of ten to fifteen seconds you may introduce mula bandha. In the initial stages do mula bandha at the end of inhalation and retain it throughout retention.
