Prana is often translated as Breath. Yet it is more than that – it is energy, life force. In Ayurveda we conceive of the body as consisting of multiple layers – the physical body (annamayokosha), the energetic body (pranamyokosha), the mind body (manomyokosha) and so on. Ayama means creation, maintenance and distribution.
If you are not sure about this, take a moment to remember when you entered a room where a really angry person was sitting. You could feel that anger, couldn’t you? It radiates beyond their physical body.
This energy is important: how you cultivate it, how you share it, how you manage it effectively. In Yoga & Ayurveda (which are taught together in the East, but are dissected into two distinct practices in the West), Pranayama is considered to be a fundamental practice, which should be part of our daily routine.
Sit quietly. Close your eyes. Start by observing your breath – don’t manipulate it, just notice it – be curious. Are your inhales and exhales the same length or do they vary in length? Then start to manipulate it. Inhale for 5 counts, exhale for 5 counts. Continue inhaling and exhaling so that they in-breath and out-breath are the same length. Fold your thumb into your palm after the first breath, then the pointer finger, then the middle finger, ring and pinky. Unfold the fingers on the way back up – that is 10 breaths. Do this every evening before you go to sleep.
For more breaths, for you and your kids check out the resources link below:
Pranayama – videos and podcasts!
Tamsin Astor-Jack, PhD writes at www.YogaBrained.com/blog
©Tamsin Astor-Jack, Yoga Brained LLC