prana: energy, life force
maya: that which consists of
kosha: sheath, layer
pranamaya kosha is where the physical density of annamaya kosha comes to life and into motion. our bones, tissue, veins and brain matter are just matter without energy. without a force to move them.
prana is the life force energy that animates all living things. from the trees that express the oxygen we breathe, the pet that lies at your feet as you eat to the food on your plate that has grown out of the rich soils of a garden. there is prana in it all.
prana can be described as “that which is infinitely everywhere.” it is something that flows continuously inside you, filling you and keeping you alive.
it is the capacity you have within yourself to grow and thrive, live and develop.
in yoga, we are making connections so that prana concentrates and can flow freely within us.
I love looking to trees and identifying the different movements of energy they express. up, down, out and even twisting around itself. tree yoga.
“the more peaceful and well-balanced you are, the less prana is dispersed outside your body.”
— Tirumalai Krishnamacharya
you might like to think of your Self as having a sort of ‘pranic well’. there are certain things in your life that you know fills your well with refreshing, stabilising energy, and there are definitely things in your life that pulls that energy up and out of your well.
when there is too much of the latter happening, you are left feeling depleted, scattered in your breathing, negative in your attitude and even finding that ailments physically arise. as if handing over your energy without replenishing it cause dis-ease.
you know the phrase “burning the candle at both ends” — yeah, that’s what I’m talking about here. more often than not, you get to that point of burnout, unaware of the little signals your energy body have been quietly nudging you with and BAM you’re sick and bed ridden for days. a vicious cycle that is all too established in our modern culture. here are some practical ways to attend to your energy, on and off the mat.
the prana vayus
in yoga, there are five main movements of energy in your body (they’re also expressed in nature!) that you can turn to when you’re looking to bring balance back.
prana vayu - forward propulsion. the ability to take in and feel empowered to move forward easily. inhalation of your breath is prana vayu, drink it in as the source of life itself. located within the head and neck of your body.
asana for prana vayu - play with heart openers, gentle backbends that draw awareness to open, lengthen and lift your upper body.
apana vayu - downward and outward movement. letting go of what is no longer necessary. exhalation of your breath is apana vayu. imagine your breath flowing from the top of your head, down and out through your feet, grounding your energy into the earth. located within your pelvic area of your body.
asana for apana vayu - enjoy calming forward folds, seated poses based on the ground and malasana (yogi squat).
udana vayu - upward, ascending movement. your ability to express and speak your highest truth. this energy governs your growth and throat region. practice ujjayi breathing with a slight constriction around the throat (jalandhara bandha).
asana for udana vayu - shoulderstand, matsyasana (fish pose) or setu bandhasana (bridge pose)
samana vayu - inward, concentric movement. gathering and transformative energy that draws into the centre of your body. ability to assimilate and discern, digest life. located around your navel, supporting your confidence and inner power.
asana for samana vayu - plank pose, bakasana (crow pose), twists and utkatasana (chair pose)
vyana vayu - smooth circulation of energy throughout your whole body. expansive, pervading and is known as your aura. nadi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) is a great supporting practice. when you can sense someone looking at you, or behind you without seeing them with your eyes. vyana vayu is the movement that senses this phenomenon.
asana for vyana vayu - surya namaskar (sun salutations), ardha chandrasana (half moon pose) and virabhadrasana variations (warrior poses I, II & III).
note: they say like increases like, so if you are feeling super lethargic and heavy, you might want to turn to the energy that uplifts and lightens you. if you are feeling extra spacey and out of your body, you might like to turn to the energy that draws you back in and centred.
pranayama
pranayama is the practice of extending your energy through the actual technique of breathing. in a way, you are directing the flow of prana (life force) by the timing, rhythm or pauses of your breath.
sama vritti is an effective, accessible pranayama practice. it translates to “equal modulation” where the breath in balances the breath out.
you may start this practice by breathing in for a count of four, holding the breath in for four, breathing out for a count of four and then holding the breath out for four. continue this for about 5 full cycles and then come back to a natural breath.
if the retention (kumbhaka) feels to intense at the start, just flow the breath in for four and then seamlessly out for four. **please do not retain the breath if you are pregnant.
keep your breath effortless, light and unforced.
no matter the technique - stay in a space where you are comfortably arranged in your body so that all your attention can come into noticing what is happening as each cycle of your breath passes.
through conscious breath you can alter the state of your mind. which leads us to the next layer inward toward our ultimate self, manomaya kosha.