What is prana? Prana is simply "energy", therefore applies both to Atman and Brahman. Another definition of prana is prabha or "power". Just like the sunshine particles or rays are the prabha of the Sun, the prana in our body is the prabha of the Atman manifested at the material level. Within the human body, prana manifests in five main forms: - Prana is the main life energy and goes outwards - is carried by the breathing during exhalation. It starts in the ajna chakra (between the eyebrows) and circulates in the head to regulate the functions of the mind - Apana goes downwards for digestion and evacuation (and childbirth as well), starting from the manipuraka chakra and pushing down towards the muladhara chakra; it is also carried by the inhaled breath - Vyana makes the body move around, shrink and expand; it acts on the entire muscular system and especially in the energy tension area of the shoulders, neck and back. - Samana keeps the balance among all the other life airs; starting from the manipuraka chakra it helps the distribution of energy to the entire body, and is particularly observed in burping. - Udana goes upwards, and from the manipuraka it energizes the "fire of digestion" in the stomach, just like the bellows of a blacksmith blow on the furnace. There are also minor pranas: - Naga facilitates the opening of the eyes, mouth, etc, it raises the hair and carries emotions and artistic inspiration, - Krikara controls cough and sneezing, thus keeping the breathing apparatus clean and functional; it also expels toxins through the tongue (in the form of the whitish paste that is called tongue coating), - Kurma controls the contraction movements,- Devadatta controls the movements of the mouth, especially in yawning, - Dhananjaya supports the entire body and increases the appetite and enthusiasm for doing things. This magnetic energy produced by the living soul travels within the body through a network of nadis — the subtle equivalent of the nerves of the nervous system. The main 10 nadis are: — Ida and Pingala, rising from the big toes, then rising up to the head, through the nostrils and down to the muladhara, - Sushumna, the main straight channel that goes from the muladhara (lowest of the chakras) up to the sahasrara (the highest), - Gandhari, starting from the manipuraka and energizing the throat and the tongue for the higher functions of sound production, - Atti and Sikhu, starting from the muladhara chakra and energizing the ears and the perception of sound, - Alampurusha and Alampada, starting from the muladhara chakra and energizing the eyes, as they can also emit and absorb subtle energy, - Sangini and Guhu, connecting the manipuraka with the base chakra (muladhara), energizing the perception of pleasure and the functions of the sexual organs.