The Sanskrit word pranayama literally means ‘control and regulation of the life force’. Prana or vital life-force is found in all forms, from the lowest to the highest, from the ant to the elephant, from an amoeba toa man, from the elementary form of plant life to the developed form of animal life. It is prana that shines in your eyes. It is through the power of prana that the ears hear, the eyes see, the skin feels, the tongue tastes, the nose smells, the mind thinks. In the smile on the face of a child, in the radiance of a fire, and in the fragrance of aflower, from the digestion of food to the melody in music, all theseand many more have their origins in prana.
Prana is supplied to human beings by food, water, air, solar energy, etc. The supply of prana to the body
and mind is particularly abundant in the breath andis received by the nervous system and nadis. The excess of prana is stored in the brain, chakras and nerve centres and is supplied to the body as required. prana is expended by thinking, talking, moving, writing, loss of semen, and so on. prana is the link between the physical and astral bodies.
When prana is cut off or absent, the astral body separates from the physical body resulting in death.
The prime purpose of pranayama is to absorb and store up as much prana as possible by the regular
practice of specific pranayama techniques, just as the storage battery stores up electricity by regular charging.
The man who has in his store an amazingly large supply of prana radiates vitality and strength all around.By pranayama you can also increase mental energy and develop thought control and thought-culture. It is therefore extremely important to learn and perfect the techniques of controlling prana. This is achieved by the control ofthe breath with specific breathing exercises. If you can control the breath you can control the prana. If you can control the prana you can easily control the mind. This is because there is an intimate connection between the breath, the mind and prana.
If the breath is unsteady, the mind is unsteady. If the breath is steady and calm, the mind is steady and calm. A steady mind is the prerequisite for concentration, meditation and spiritual evolution. However, just as it takes a long time, patience and perseverance to tame a lion, tiger or elephant, so to will you have to tame this prana gradually.
It is recommended that when visualizing the flow of prana, to feeling it as a stream of silver liquid,cool and
smooth. Feel its life-giving energy revitalizing and strengthening your mind, body and spirit as it travels around your entire being.
Patanjali Maharishi defines pranayama as follows: “Regulation of breath or the control of prana is the
stoppage of inhalation and exhalation, which follows after securing the steadiness of posture or seat.” But you do not have to wait for complete mastery of asana before practising pranayama. You can practice pranayamaand asana side by side. Each pranayama exercise consists of three distinct processes;
PURAKA Inhalation of the breath
KUMBHAKA Retention of the breath
RECHAKA Exhalation of the breath
The ratio of puraka, kumbhaka and rechaka varies according to the strength and capacity of the
practitioner. Beginners should start very slowly increasing gradually over periods of months and years.