Prana/Kundalini/Nadis

PRANA – LIFE FORCE

Prana is the essence of all matter in the universe. It is the energy that sustains the manifest world. It is the life force of all creation, the vital force of the body and mind. Without prana, the body would have no force to live. Prana enters the body through the air we breathe, the food we eat. It energizes and regulates all functions, vibrates within every cell, every organ. Yogic practices, asanas and especially pranayama, increase and balance the flow and the volume of Prana in the body and the brain. Prana is responsible for the body’s life, heat, and the maintenance of all functions.

Prana is the fuel of life. Each of us has a certain volume or capacity of prana in the body that we use daily for our activities. When there is abundance of prana in the body, we feel wonderful, health of every part is alive, every organ and every cell vibrate with life. When the prana is diminished, the illness sets in.

The circulatory system serves as a generator and distributor of prana in the body. The blood becomes charged and polarized as the it circulates through the body. The flow of blood generates a bio-magnetic force similiar to hydro electricity.This is how prana generates and vibrates everything in the body.

 

THE FIVE VAYUS:

The ancient yogis discovered that prana could be further subdivided into energetic components they called Vayus ( winds ) The five winds are very subtle but have specific functions in the body, and unique directions they flow.

PRANA VAYU: is situated in the head, centered in the Ajna chakra, and its energy flow permeates the chest area. Prana Vayu flows inwards and up. It supplies the brain and the eyes with vitality. It is responsible for reception of food, draws the vital force from the air. Prana Vayu is the fundation because it feeds the other Vayus.

APANA VAYU: is located in the pelvic floor and its energy movement flows in the lower abdomen and downwards and out. it’s energy supplies the digestive organs, reproduction and elimination. Apana is responsible for eliminating all substances form the body.

VYANA VAYU: is situated in the heart and lungs. It flows throughout the whole body. Vyana vayu flows from the center of the body to the periphery. It is responsible for circulation, controls the function of the muscles, joints, controls the nervous system,
aids other pranas in their functions

UDANA VAYU: is located at the throat to cerebellum. It moves in a circular way around the neck and head. It function is to hold us up, responsible for speech, self expression and growth.

SAMANA VAYU: is located in the abdomen with its energy centerd in the navel. It’s movement is from the periphery to the core.
Samana Vayu is responsible for assimilation and digestion of food, aids in the function of abdomenal organs and glands,
also regulates the digestion and assimilation of emotions and thoughts.

The awareness of Prana Vayus has many applications in yoga, especially in pranayama and yoga poses. The awareness that Prana Vayu creates a focus to lift, lengthen and open the upper body; the Apana Vayu creates a focus to stabilze and ground the lower body is very useful.

 

YOGA FOR YOUR TYPE

The following information comes from a book ” Yoga for your type”@ 2001
by Dr. David Frawley and Sandra Summerfield Kozak.

Apana Excess: Low or Depressed Energy

  • Choose asana to raise energy (increase udana)
  • Upward moving poses
  • Standing poses
  • Chanting
  • Affirmations

Udana excess: Manic energy or Spaced Out

  • Choose asana to lower and ground energy (increase apana)
  • Prone poses
  • Inverted poses
  • Deep slow breathing
  • Refrain from talking

Samana Excess: Energy too introverted

  • Choose asana to expand and release energy (increase Vyana)
  • Movement oriented poses such as vinyasa

Vyana Excess: Energy Fragmented, Diffused or Too Expanded

  • Choose asana to center, contract, consolidate energy (increase samana)
  • Seated meditation

 

KUNDALINI:

According to the philosophy of Tantra yoga, the entire universe is a manifestation of pure consciousness. In manifesting the universe, the pure spirit seems to become divided into two aspects, neither of which can exist without each other. Each requires the other in order to manifest its total nature.

SHIVA: is masculine, retains a static quality and remains identified with unmanifested consciousness. Shiva has the power to be but no the power to become or change.

SHAKTI: is feminine, dynamic, energetic and creative. Shakti is the great mother of the universe, it is from her that all form is born.

The human being is a miniature universe, same principles that apply to the cosmos apply to the individual. Shakti, the feminine aspect is called Kundalini. The object of yogic practices is to awaken this cosmic energy that is dormant at the base of the spine and make it ascend through the psychic centers, the chakras to the Sahasrara chakra. Shakti will then unite with Shiva, the pure consciousness above the crown of head.

 

NADIS:

In addition to the seven chakras of the subtle body, the Tantric tradition has described a network of subtle channels or nadis through which the life force Prana circulate. Nadi means “stream”. According to the Tantric text Shiva Samhita, there are fourteen channels but IDA, PINGALA and SUSHUMNA are the most important.

The Muladhara chakra is the meeting place of the three main nadis. This is known as Yukta Triveni ( combined three streams ) In Muladhara, Shakti, which is the unmanifested dormant Kundalini, symbolized by a serpent coiled into three and a half circles around the central axis at the base of the spine. This serpent is blocking the entrance to Sushumna, the central channel. Sushumna remains closed at its lower end as long as Kundalini is dormant, not awakended.

IDA: is the left channel, white, feminine, cold. Ida ends up in the right nostril.

PINGALA: is the right channel, red, masculine, hot, sun quality. Pingala ends up in the left nostril.

SUSHUMNA: is the central channel. Within the Sushumna nadi there are three more subtle channels: Vajra, Chitrini and Brahma nadis through which Kundalini Prana moves upwards flowing up the body from the Muladhara to Sahasrara chakra at the crown of the head.

From Muladhara chakra, Ida and Pingala alternate from the right to left sides at each chakra until they reach Ajna chakra where they meet again with Sushumna, the central channel.

In Ajna chakra the meeting of the three main nadis is called Mukta Triveni ( Mukta: liberated ) Continuing beyond Ajna chakra, Ida and Pingala end in the right and left nostrils.

The technique of Kundalini Yoga consists of using Prana ( the vital air ), guiding it movement through Ida and pingala down to the base of the spine into a space where kundalini is colied. The vital energies of the opposite forces circulating in Ida and Pingala will be unified and Kundalinin shakti will awaken and rise up the Sushumna channel, energizing the seven chakras

Once the Kundalini Shakti has ascended through Sushumna to Sahasrara chakra, the highest psychic center, at the crown of the head, it is made to reverse its course and return to rest in the base center again.

Some of the above information comes from the Ancient teachings of Tantra and Kundalini Yoga.