Energy system of yoga – Prana
The Sanskrit word prana was first referenced in the 3,000-year-old Chandogya Upanishad text and was further refined and described in later Upanishads. The traditional texts of Ayurveda, Tantra Yoga, and Hatha Yoga further developed and elaborated on prana and the energetic anatomy that supports it.
Prana can be translated from Sanskrit as “life force energy,” “vital energy,” “breath of life,” “spirit-energy,” or “vital principle.” This term is used in yogic teachings as a general reference to the manifest energy of the entire universe. This original creative power is constantly flowing around us and inside of us. The breath is considered to be the most subtle form of prana in our bodies, thus it is most often described in yoga’s breathing exercises. Prana forms the energy of our consciousness, but it also is responsible for regulating all of our body’s physical functions.
The energy body : subtle body or pranic body.
Panchakoshas
1. Annamaya kosha (“sheath made of food”). This is the physical body, composed of the five elements we ingest (earth, water, air, fire, ether).
AnnamayaKosha – ‘anna’ means food/matter and this layer corresponds to the Sthula sharira or gross body on the physical level.
2. Pranamaya kosha (“sheath made of breath”). This is the vital body, composed of five aspects of prana called vayus.
3. Manomaya kosha (“sheath of impressions”). This is the outer, or lower level, of mind, filled with the five kinds of sensory impressions.
4. Vijnanamaya kosha (“sheath of ideas”). This is intelligence itself, directed mental activity.
PranamayaKosha is the energetic layer made up of the panchaprana, at the level of the breath. ManomayaKosha is the level of the mind and senses. VignamayaKosha is the layer of the higher intellect, emotions and intuition. These three together comprise the Sukshma sharira or subtle body.
5. Anandamaya kosha (“sheath of experiences”). This is the deeper mind, containing the memory, subliminal mind, and superconscious mind.
AnandamayaKosha is the mot subtle and innermost layer, know as the layer of bliss, or Karana sharira, which is the seat of the true self. It is the state of realisation in samadhi.
PanchaKosha theory, first mentioned in the BrahmandaValli of the Taittiriya Upanishad, describes the five koshas or sheaths that form the layers in the personality of our existence, and correspond to the three bodies. The koshas are the various layers through which our concsiousness is able to experience the world.
The Five Vayus
Prana Vayu – “forward-moving air,” because it moves inward and governs all kinds of reception into the body, from eating, drinking, and inhaling, to the reception of sensory impressions and mental experiences. It is propulsive in nature, setting things in motion and guiding them, and it provides the basic energy that drives us in life.
Apana Vayu – “air that moves away,” moves downward and outward, governing all forms of elimination and reproduction (which also has a downward movement). It governs the elimination of stool and urine, the expelling of semen, menstrual fluid, and the fetus, and the elimination of carbon dioxide through the breath. On a deeper level, it rules the elimination of negative sensory, emotional, and mental experiences. It is the basis of our immune function.
Udana Vayu – “the upward-moving air,” moves up and brings about qualitative or transformative movements of the life-energy. It governs the growth of the body and the ability to stand, as well as speech, effort, enthusiasm, and will. It is our main positive energy, helping us to develop our different sheaths and to evolve in consciousness.
Samana Vayu – “balancing air,” moves from the periphery to the center, through a churning and discerning action. It aids digestion on all levels, working in the gastrointestinal tract to digest food, in the lungs to digest air or absorb oxygen, and in the mind to digest experience—sensory, emotional, and mental.
Vyana Vayu – “outward-moving air,” moves from the center to the periphery, governing circulation on all levels. It moves food, water, and oxygen throughout the body, and keeps our emotions and thoughts circulating in the mind, imparting momentum and providing strength.
Chakras and Nadis
Prana comes into the body from the food we eat, the air we breathe, and from absorbing the energies of the earth and heavens. Prana travels through thousands of tiny channels called nadis to every cell in the body, forming the chakras or energy centres, at intersection points along the system.
Shad-Chakras
| Sanskrit Name | Common Name | associated with: |
|---|---|---|
| Muladhara | Root | security |
| Svadhisthana | Sacral | creativity |
| Manipura | Solar plexus | digestion |
| Anahata | Heart | emotion |
| Vishudda | Throat | expression |
| Ajna | ThirdEye | intuition |
| Sahasrara | Crown | spiritual enlightenment |
Ida and Pingala & Sushumna
The three main nadis in the body are the ida, pingala and sushumna, which all start at the base of the spine and travel upwards to the head. The ida and pingala nadis crisscross each other as they spiral upwards and connect to opposite nostrils, while the sushumna travels straight up the spine to the crown of the head.
The chakras are located where the ida and pingala cross each other and intersect with the sushumna. The chakras connect with the thousands of minor nadis and are thus responsible for the distribution and circulation of prana throughout the whole body.
Normally, prana is restricted from flowing through the sushumna by locks – the granthis – above each chakra. These locks primarily function to stop the activation and flow of kundalini from entering the sushumna and rising to the crown chakra.
The Granthis and the stages towards the Realised Self.
There are three granthis (psychic knots) in the physical body which are obstacles on the path of the yogi. The granthis are called brahma, vishnu and rudra, and they represent levels of awareness where the power of maya, ignorance and attachment to material things is especially strong. The granthis also correspond to various life situations, depending on where they are located. For example,
- Brahma Granthi is located at the base of the spine between Muladhara Chakra and Svadhisthana Chakra where primitive brain functioning like the “fight or flight reflexes” guarantee survival. Fear of death, anxiety about food, shelter or clothing, or general lack of grounding, all manifest as Brahma Granthi.
- “The knot of Vishnu” is located in Anahata chakra. It is associated with emotional attachment – in limited forms of compassion and doing good deeds – that creates the desire to preserve ancient traditions and spiritual orders.
- Rudra granthi, is located at the level of Vishuddha and Ajna chakra. Attachment to siddhis (paranormal powers) is the great hindrance related to Ajna chakra and it creates this knot.
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