The Breath, Prana & Pranayama

Anandmurti Gurumaa

Breath is life. No breath, no life! Such a vital entity, but one we are least aware
of. Breathing is happening every moment and yet, are you aware of this
crucial, intrinsic phenomenon? Breath is fundamental not only for the
existence of this physical body but it is also intricately linked to our mind. That
is why, if you see the breathing of a person who is agitated or excited (say
because of anger or sensual arousal), you will notice that his breathing is rapid,
unequal and shallow. On the contrary, the breath of a meditator, of a master is
slow, deep and rhythmic. The difference between them is the difference
between states of their mind. When the mind is agitated or is turbulent,
breathing is irregular and shallow; however, when the mind is calm and
integrated, breathing is steady, deep and harmonious.

Moreover, if you look at longevity of some animals, it reveals some rather

interesting facts. Dogs pant, we all know that. Their average rate of respiration
is twenty to thirty-five breaths per minute. And their average life span is
between ten and fifteen years. On the other hand, the average life span of a
tortoise is well over two hundred years. And the striking feature is in its
respiration rate – around four per minute! Thus, the slower one breathes, the
longer one lives. No need for any tonics or vitamins or any longevity enhancing
wonder drugs – just slow down your breathing naturally and the job is done!
What all this means is that if you want a healthy body, if you want to live long
and if you want your mind to be calm and integrated, you need to understand
the mechanics and dynamics of breathing and practise accordingly.

Another intriguing part of breathing is the fact that we have two nostrils. Have
you ever wondered why this is so? After all, isn’t one nostril enough to take
the air in? So, what was the need for the intervening septum dividing the
nostrils into two? Indeed, there is a reason and a vital one too. The reasons
are much deeper than of basic cosmetic design alone. You may not be aware
that whilst breathing, only one nostril is active at any given time. At any point
in time, either the right or left nostril, works actively whilst the other nostril
has a very subtle airflow. Test it out now if you wish. Place a finger half an inch
below the left nostril for a few seconds and then under the right. You will
know which one is working at this moment. Amazing, isn't it?

It is not just oxygen that you inhale, but rather with every breath you are
taking in prana, the vital cosmic life force. This vital life force governs your
body and mind. Udana, prana, samana, apana and vayana are the five-prana
working in your body. Apana governs the body parts situated below the
umbilicus and exerts control on the process of elimination (urination and
defecation). Udana is the controller of the organs and tissues (including brain,
eyes, ears, and nose) situated above the base of throat. The chest area,
including the lungs and heart, is the field of prana and it governs respiration
and the functioning of the heart. Samana controls the mid portion of the
torso, the portion that lies between the territories of apana and prana. Vyana,
on the other hand, is the reserve energy bank that runs through the entire
body.
For you to be able to control prana, you first need to understand its
functioning - how it works in your body. And, in order to learn the knowhow of
controlling your prana, you first need to purify and balance your body. And
this is done through the practice of asanas. Gradually as your capacity
increases and improves, then you can learn and master the practice of
pranayama. This is the basic process.

Usually, people think pranayama is some kind of a breathing exercise, but it is

not. ‘Prana’ means cosmic life force and ‘ayama’ means giving a dimension or
giving a direction to it. It is a very subtle practice and one needs to be really
patient in order to understand it fully. Breath is the physical carrier of prana-
thus the importance of breath is huge. Pranayama is not only related to
breath and its regulation but is directly concerned with influencing prana. It
entails boosting the vital life force with correct breathing. Hence, the basics of
pranayama should be well understood and practised consistently to prepare
oneself for meditation; it helps you rise above the dualities of life – joy and
sorrow, profit and loss, birth and death.