The subtle energy is the basis of the whole universe. Yoga masters call it prana that is flowing within every being on this planet. It cannot be seen or touched. However, the mere presence of the prana energy can be felt with years of yoga practice. This mystical energy flows through the human body and imitates its every action. Hence, to understand how the human body and mind work, it is important to know the prana flow first.
With that said, let’s first understand what is prana? Then, you can head on to different functions of prana energy. Read on.
Prana: A Brief Introduction
The word prana came in use for the first time some 3000 years ago. It was referred to in Chandogya Upanishad’s text and was later found in other texts. Derived from the Sanskrit word, it means the ‘life force energy or ‘spirit energy’.
While practicing yoga, the use of the term prana is generally concerning the manifestation of Universal energy. The basic idea behind prana flow is that pure energy is omnipresent within and without every soul. Breath is considered as the purest form of prana energy in the human being.
Prana Flow & Its Functions
A little briefing of prana energy gives rise to the question as to what is the function of the prana flow. For that, check out the following points.
- Prana energy is the root cause of every movement of the human body
- Every conscious and unconscious act is under the control of prana flow
- Prana equally distributes the energy in the human body
- Moreover, it keeps the quality and size of nadis in check while flowing through the body
- Thinking capacity and the quality of thoughts are affected by the prana flow
- The circulation of prana flow deeply affect the quality of life of every individual
In short, the flow of prana energy covers all the dimensions of your life. From physical to emotional, it affects every bit of human life.
Significance of Prana Flow
Various reasons play a major role as to why yoga practitioners should work on enhancing the prana flow in their bodies. Let’s explore different reasons that justify the significance of prana flow in the human body.
- Better prana flow leads to better alignment of the body while practicing various yoga poses
- Makes you strong for proper commencement of yoga asana
- Guide a person better at selecting different forms of yoga
- Heals your overall well being
- It creates a solid foundation of different Pranayama techniques
- Important to create an easy and successful yogic lifestyle
- You become aware of the present moment
- It affects the quality and quantity of your thoughts
How to Manifest Prana
A yoga practitioner must know how to manifest the prana flow within your body. Hence, there are three types of prana through which prana energy manifests in the human body. Let’s explore each type in a brief for better understanding.
Vayus
Vayu can be roughly translated into winds in which prana flow can be divided. Each type is distinct from every other type. However, each Vayu type is subtle in its placement in the human body. There are five types of Vayu, for instance, Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, and Vyana.
Kundalini
The dormant energy based on the bottom of the spine is the Kundalini energy. You can activate the Kundalini energy with intense yoga practice. Moreover, the proper prana flow leads to a Kundalini awakening that generates plenty of pure energy in your body.
Shakti
One of the densest forms of energy, Shakti impacts the physical and mental dimensions to the deepest level. Shiva is another complementary source of energy that signifies the universal consciousness.
Prana Flow Through Your Body
Prana enters the human body through the air and food that you eat. However, on the subtle level, prana flow uses various nadis for the easier flow of energy. From over 72,000 nadis, three primary nadis – Ida Pingala Sushumna play a vital role in easier prana flow.
Furthermore, prana flows through different energy centers via different nadis. Hence, it leads to chakra activation that further improves the working of your body and mind. Every chakra point serves a greater purpose in life. Thus, the flow of prana is utterly important for the perfect functioning of the mind and body.
Yoga Nidra is one of the many techniques used to practice meditation and awaken the unconscious. However, you need a little practice to master this technique. You can also enroll in Yoga Nidra training to become a master of this technique in the least possible time.
How to Enhance Prana Flow
Various techniques are there to enhance the prana flow. Moreover, different yogic practices ensure you learn to cultivate, control, and enhance the flow of energy in your body. Also, the aim is to activate the Kundalini Shakti and to let it flow towards the crown chakra using the Sushumna Nadi.
Furthermore, there are different Pranayama techniques that you can use to harness the limitless energy in your body. Using Bandhas while practicing different techniques ensures that the energy is locked in a particular body part and does not flow back to its origin.
Here are some yogic practices to enhance the flow of prana in the human body. Read on.
Dirga Pranayama
This helps in the nourishment, calming, and relaxation of the soul. It consists of three-part breathing. They are – low belly, low chest, and low throat. The inhalation begins from the low belly while exhalation initiates with the low throat. Eventually, it relaxes your whole body.
Kapalbhati Pranayama
It consists of forced exhalation along with passive inhalation. Not just that, Kapalbhati Pranayama is an intense form of breathing practice that is also known as Breath of Fire. There are different tempos and rounds in which you should practice this type. In short, it enhances the prana flow in your body.
Nadi Shodhana Pranayama
One of the most popular and vastly practiced Pranayama techniques, Nadi Shodhana Pranayama is a mind calming and relaxing technique. Furthermore, it brings a gush of fresh oxygen into your system that helps you fulfill different yogic activities.
Wrap Up
As you can see, prana or energy is vital in every phase of your life. Hence, the energy must flow efficiently throughout your body. Make sure you practice different yogic practices daily. It will help you reap all the major benefits of practicing yoga without any hassle. Moreover, with consistent practice, prana flow automatically increases and positively affects your life. Thus, you not only have more energy in your system but also the overall quality of your life improves exponentially.
