Prana means “breathing forth,” and refers to the idea that vital or life force energy is always dynamic. Prana is the source of all movement in the body. It regulates all of our conscious and unconscious bodily functions like our breath, digestion, blood flow, elimination, and cellular growth and healing. The flow of prana distributes its energy through . Prana also animates and affects the quality of our thoughts, emotions, and consciousness.
Because this energy constantly moving and flowing through us we would like to harness it. That is why we practice yoga, to bring more awareness to it and learn how to direct it. The breath is considered to be the most subtle form of prana in our bodies, thus why we practice Pranayama, our breath control exercises.
Have you ever heard me saying during our practice, to "direct your energy"? - if you are aware where do you try to direct your energy, you will adjust yourself better than any great guru would. Because you know your body the best and you are the one fully in control of it.
Prana flows through energy channels called nadis. It is said there are thousands of them but we talk about 3 main channels:
Ida- Located to the left of the spine. This is the introverted, Yin, feminine, lunar channel. Ida controls all the mental processes
Pingala- Located to the right of the spine. This is the extroverted, Yang, masculine, solar channel. Pingala controls all the vital processes.
Sushumna- Located along the center of the spine. This is the central channel, which the energy of kundalini flows through.
All 3 of them 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.
But before it gets all too much. Let's leave it here and we shall talk about Chakras next.
