What is Prana?

Without Prana, there is nothing.

Prana is Sanskrit and translates to “life-force”. It is the force that we need to live and to perform activities like talking, thinking, moving, digesting, breathing, etc. To be alive.

Prana versus Breath

Prana is our life force, our energy to live, to be alive. Breath moves in and out of our lungs, but Prana flows into every area of the body.

Have you been to a yoga class, and the teacher says “Send the breath to your feet”? You can feel this happen, but it is not your breath it is your Prana. You can guide your Prana with your breath.

Prana rides on your breath. Breath is like a vehicle, and Prana is the passenger.

If you observe someone holding their breath, you can see that they have life – Prana. Unfortunately when someone passes away and takes their last breath, you can see that life has left them. This is the Prana Life Force.

Prana is the single most important part of Yoga.

The state of yoga cannot occur unless prana flows quietly, smoothly and without obstruction. Individual prana in the human body has 5-forms called VAYUS (winds), some of these are mention in the Sutras. These winds are responsible for all active movement in the body. Therefore with Prana, we cannot practice Yoga.

Pranamayakosha

Pranamayakosha is the 2nd Kosha, and is the Energy Body. It is sheathed between the Physical Body (Annamayakosha) and the Mental Body (Manomayakosha).

It is composed of the body’s subtle life-force energy prana. It is the force behind every atom, cell, organ and body system. Prana coordinates every physiological activity, from the pumping of the heart to the elimination of waste.