The topic –Prana is one of my favourite topics because it connects me back to the very energy source, Nature. I am currently reading a book called ‘Siddhas: The Masters of Basics’ written by Pal Pandian which I like to share with my readers.
The first truth we need to know – not only the structure of our human body but also the structure of everything in the universe, both visible and invisible, with form and without form, from the single atom to the entire universe, is all formed by the principle life-shaping energy called Prana.
The Divine Creator creates and sustains all realms of Existence from this primal life force. This matrix of primal patterns builds up our entire Cosmos along with us in it and the connection between us and Prana is inseparable. In this interconnected web of primal energy, the Cosmos, Prana bridges everything external and everything internal together as ONE. So anything even our breath is capable of affecting and altering every other thing.
Here’s a simple test. Place your left index finger on the spot on your wrist just below your right thumb. You can feel your pulse. Now, without removing your index finger, just hold your breath for a few seconds. That very instant, you will feel a change in the pulse pattern. We can feel for ourselves the diminished pulse rate for the moments we hold our breath in check. The influence is apparent and immediate.
Another example is the way how our breathing becomes distorted over time due to unconscious lifestyle. As soon as the natural flow of breath changes, the regular flow of external air within the body is somewhat disturbed and the temperature of the inner parts of our body rises a little. This rise in temperature is capable of destroying millions and millions of microbes within our body. If the condition is not addressed, this may even interrupt some bodily functions and bring diseases.
This small exercise makes you realise that the effect of any restrain we do extends beyond ourselves to all over the Universe causing appropriate results or reactions. The formless Prana repeatedly acquires bodies in this world and this cycle of taking birth goes on until we attain a state that acquires a liking to remain without a body as pure vital force – the silent spirit. This primal Cosmic energy has its own vital significance and pattern. It returns to the source from where it first originates. For one moment, assume that the Prana of the whole universe is retained for a few minutes. All of us would die in a catastrophe. Compared to the immense universe our petty ego is simply nothing. Similarly, compared to our entire body, the countless microbes that inhabit our body are individually nothing. Fundamentally, we are affected by each and every change that takes place in our environment based on the interconnectedness of this energy web.
I remembered my Guru, Paramahamsa Nithyananda (fondly known as Swamiji) once spoke on the topic ‘Collective Consciousness’, he revealed the first truth ‘All our minds are not individually separate pieces of the universe. They are all one and the same.” We are all totally interlinked, closely networked. If we go a little deeper into this truth, the moment we will understand that we are a part of the collective consciousness, we don’t have individual identity or ego, and we go beyond any idea of pain, suffering, depression and disease. With Prana, we can experience to this egoless state of being. That’s why the yogis perform pranayama as a purification process for the body-mind system before they experience the undifferentiated state of consciousness.
Prana is what connects our formless state with our formed state. Just as the life-principle within us makes use of this energy to structure our body, that very life-principle gets freed from the body by the withdrawal of this energy. It operates involuntarily, similar to the involuntary process of our breathing. Before the formation of different cells in our body, the life force by its own flow first forms a basic structure of invisible channels called Nadis. Depending on this flow, the Nadis assume different names. Sushumna is the central channel which is said to be the Vatha Nadi as it executes the main animating principle. The Pingala Nadi (Pitta Nadi) works the solar principle of giving vitality, growth, metabolism to the embryo. The Ida Nadi (Kapha Nadi) gives enough nourishment to the organs and keeps the body temperature in check. Prana creates and maintains this genetic structure and is in turn maintained by it. The primal Creator in His creation of a human body, using Prana first creates the 3-fold layers before anything else. Prana is based upon which the 3 bio-regulating forces – Vatha, Pitta and Kapha are formed. The tri-doshams (3 doshas) is what determines the constitution of the human body for that entire lifetime. This starts the formation of microcosm – the human body – by determining the looks and design of the 3 life shaping forces of a human.
The next truth – the ancient Siddhas describe Nature as an endless flowing phenomena, always changing and moving. This is Mother Nature’s inherent nature. When this flow of existence experiences a block, it responds by an alarm. We have seen how our insensitive acts hamper the flow of Mother Nature and result in frightening natural calamities. Our bodies are not separate from this river flow of existence and its inherent principle. The ancient masters declare disease and illnesses are a result of our own insensitivity and ill health the undeniable evidence of us persistently turning a deaf ear to what our body intelligence is telling us. The Siddhas call this river flow of natural existence that nurtures life as ‘Vaasi” (living) and the blocks as “Viyadhi” (deviated from own nature).
In essence, Nature which expresses as Prana – vital life energy – responds to those who live as Nature. You can live in Nature only by loving Her. Life is a journey – the journey of a spiritual being going through a human experience. Unfortunately, human beings forgot to identify with the language of the Universe and feel the abundance that Nature so unselfishly shares. Our modern day high-strung lives are crowded with demanding commitments hence making it easy to drop our self-awareness and replace it with an object-oriented mentality which brings stress, fatigue, disorders and chronic conditions. All we need to do is turn our awareness inwards and start listening to the silence, be with our self with great ease. By pure listening to them and to ourselves, we create an environment where they are nurtured and recognized, hence preventing them from being pushed into obscurity by our aggressive misuse. You will soon feel you are part of the grand Universe of life and also inextricably connected to the physical dimensions of life by being in your body. Prana, the energy pervading all over the living Universe is embodied and rooted in physical form and life as it nurtures your body-mind-spirit every moment, your connection with it nurtures it more. Namaste 😀