ANTA Member Article Summer 2023
Neerja Ahuja
ANTA Ayurveda Branch Chair Ayurveda Awareness Centre
Breath, Mind and Spirit Understanding the Power of Pranayama for Wellbeing
Introduction:
Yoga, an ancient science, is all about connecting your mind and body, and helping your Spirit grow. One of its important skill or “limb” is something simple but powerful: your breath. The word Pranayama comes from two separate words: Prana and Ayama. Prana means life force, or life essence or breath, and Ayama has many different meanings including expansion, length, and rising. Pranayama, is the art of controlling, lengthening, or expanding your breath. Yoga and Ayurveda are sister sciences with the same fundamental principles and both work with breath for bringing health.
The Historical Context of Pranayama:
Around 200BC, Patanjali, an Indian sage, physician, philosopher and grammarian, wrote the Yoga Sutras. He is considered the founding father of modern Yoga and had a whole section dedicated to Pranayama. In the 15th century, another book was written, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, or light on Hatha Yoga, by Svatmarama. This book dives even deeper into the techniques and benefits of Pranayama. It expands on the foundational principles given in the Yoga Sutras and provides detailed instructions on breath control practices.
The heart of Pranayama is about understanding two crucial things: Prana Shakti (life force) and Chitta Shakti (mental force or consciousness). These are like the power sources for our body and mind. Prana, the vital breath or life force energy, is the essence of life itself. It is the subtle energy that flows through every atom and cell of our being. Prana is responsible for the functions of our physical body and influences our mental and emotional states. • Prana Shakti is like the invisible energy that keeps your heart beating, your lungs breathing, and your body going. It is responsible for your physical health and affects your thoughts and emotions. • Chitta Shakti is your mental force. Chitta influences every aspect of our existence. It shapes our perceptions, beliefs, and reactions to the world around us. It is the source of creativity, intuition, and self-awareness. It is where your thoughts, feelings, and memories live. It is like the canvas for your mental and emotional experiences. These two forces are linked. Prana gives Chitta the energy to do its thing, and Chitta can also affect how Prana flows in your body. When these two are in balance, life is good, and we experience a harmonious
THE NATURAL THERAPIST VOL 38 NO. 2 | SUMMER 2023 | PAGE 47
