Prana, Pranayama and Vitality

Prana – the universal life force that flows in the body and brings life to all matter. We absorb prana from food, the sun, water, meditation and other yogic practices. Prana is vital to most processes of the body, maintains vigor, improves our mental state, psychological wellness and overall health.

Yama – refers to god of the afterlife Yamaraj, who comes for the soul and guides them on their next journey. In yogic philosophy, yama refers to the ability restrain and control the senses, which are outlined by Patanjali as the Yama & Niyamas and also in the Siddhasiddhanthapaddhati, the book written by Gorakshanath on Yoga. (*We will explore the Yamas and the Niyamas in a separate post)

Pranayam is a practice that utilizes different breathing techniques to balance the 5 vayus (airs) in the body, which are governed by Vata.

Nadi Shodhana

Nadis are the subtle channels of the body that allow for the flow of prana. The three nadis we focus on most in the practice of Nadi Shodhana (nadi cleansing) are the Ida, Pingala and Shushumna. 

What blocks the nadis

• Stress
• Toxicity in the physical body 
• Physical and mental trauma
• Unhealthy lifestyle

Impact of blocked nadis

Ida nadi (left nostril)-  cold, depression, low mental energy and sluggish digestion               

Pingala nadi (right nostril) – heat, quick temper and irritation, itching body, dry skin and throat, excessive appetite, excessive physical or sexual energy

Benefits

• purifies and balances the nadis allowing for integration of prana into the Sushumna 
• brings the mind back to the present moment
• releases accumulated stress in the mind and the body
• harmonizes left and right hemispheres of the brain, balancing the logic and emotions 
• excellent therapeutic for circulatory and respiratory issues

How to begin your practice

Sit in a quiet and airy place free of disturbances. Easy pose is recommended but sitting in a chair with feet flat on the ground can be done if fatigued. Close the eyes, relax the face and start by focusing on the breath for 3-5 minutes. Once the breath has slowed you can rest the left hand on your knee and the right hand creates the mudra placing Jupiter and Saturn fingers on the mound of the hand slightly curled and the Venus, Mercury fingers and thumb close the nostrils. Practice at least 5 minutes or a minimum of 9 rounds to start, on an empty stomach. Do not practice when sick with a cold, flu or excessive sinus drainage. 

Cooling Pranayama

Sheetali and Sheetkari are two cooling Pranayamas traditionally given to create a cooling effect in the body and alleviate fevers.  For beginners, start slowly with a maximum practice of 5 minutes. Those who are experienced with Pranayama practices can practice 5-15 minutes.  

Benefits

• calms Mind, balances emotions & sensory system
• balances excess Solar Nature
• balances rajas (passion) & neutralizes krodha (anger)
• great for summer season 

Goddess Sheetala

Sheetala “the cooling one” carries a fan, lentils, pot of cold water, neem leaves in some versions and rides a donkey. She is a form of Goddess Parvati who protects from pox, smallpox, measles, fevers, blisters, rashes and epidemics.  Her worship is mostly in North India, Nepal, Bengal, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bangladesh, Pakistan, &  Uttar Pradesh.   

In Skanda Purana, her main stotra Sheetala Ashtak was believed to be written by Lord Shiva. Bhava Prakasha mentions her worship to alleviate epidemics and disease called Masuri (smallpox, also the name of a lentil). Her worship is traced back to pre-Puranic times.

She is worshiped on the 8th day after Holi on Sheetala Ashtami, also called Basoda Puja, Krishna Paksha in the month of Chaitra.  

Sheetali 

• Close your eyes, sit with your spine straight in easy pose or in a chair 
• Inhale through rolled tongue, hold a few seconds (kumbhaka) then exhale through the nose. 
• Imagine Goddess Sheetala cooling you.  

Sheetkari

• Tantras describe as : she who performs the sound “sheet” also called the hissing breath 
• Make your mouth into a strange smile exposing teeth. inhale through clenched teeth, hold a few seconds, exhale through the nose 

After your practice, the mouth should feel cool. The position of the tongue and exposure of the teeth allows the body to “air out” and release the heat, transmuting it into coolness. The sound of the breath is the sound of the interaction of Shiva and Shakti, the cosmic union. 

Contraindications: Low Blood pressure, Asthmatics, tonsillitis, cold and cough

Thank you to my Guruji Lakshminath Maharaj who inspired this series of pranayama.