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The vital force energy (Prana Shakti)

Prana energy is the life force, the vital energy which flows inside our body from the moment we are born. The word PRANA is made up of two sanskrit words - Pra which means ‘to exist before’ and Ana means ‘an atom’. So, the collective word Prana is understood as that energy or vibration which exists between the atoms. 

But, have you ever thought about what Prana is and how many types of Prana there are in our body. PRANA energy is significantly associated with the element of Air which is called VAYU in Sanskrit and can easily be translated as WIND for better understanding. Although there is only one Prana in our body that functions to maintain our life until death but the utility and the functionality of this energy is divided into five major flows that moves in our body in particular direction. Now the question is why is the Pranic energy divided in sections. So, just think of electricity. It is in the form of electrical energy. It can be utilised for so many different things such as for light, electric appliances, mechanical devices and so many more.

Similarly, the Pran energy is divided into sections Udaan, Apaan, Praan, Samaan, and Vyaan. I’ll try to explain in brief, what they mean, where they are located and their functionality.

1. Udaan Vayu- The name Udaan means in upward direction. So, this pran vayu flows in upward direction in circular motion from throat to top of the head and flows in circular manner around the neck and head. It covers functioning of organs such as throat, eyes, nose, ears, dental, mouth, face, Pituitary & Pineal glands. It keeps our body up and strong and prevents collapse against gravitational force. When the Udaan vayu is functioning properly, we feel joyous, energetic, alert and strong willed. We can express our point without getting stuck. It balances the thyroid and parathyroid glands. It calms the mind hence balances the nervous system. Sleep patterns get better. 

2. Apaan Vayu - This Vayu is situated in Pelvic floor and is spread in lower abdomen moving in downward and outward direction. It is considered a very important for our body as the energy of this vayu nourishes the organs of digestion, elimination and reproduction. The proper functioning of this Vayu conducts excretion, urination, mensturation, sweating and all other forms of removing unwanted residues from the body. It releases physical, mental and emotional stress too. The medium of this flow is also utilised by women at the time of delivery. 

3. Pran vayu - Although the name is similar as the ‘whole Prana’ but this part has its own responsibility to function. This vayu centers in our heart and moves all around. It reflects on the ongoing change while remaining connected to our centre. When we inhale clean air, this vayu conducts the strength in our body. The proper balance of this vayu maintains the nervous system and overcomes anxiety or fear. Energy flows smoothly when a rhythmic cycle of breathing is done overcoming breathlessness or heart palpitations. The regular practice of yoga asanas in sync with the breaths and focussed Pranayama can enhance the capacity of lungs and make a healthier respiratory system.

4. Samana Vayu – The name Samaan suggests its meaning as Balance. This vayu is literally known as the balancing air. It is situated in the navel moving primarily in between navel and heart and unifies the two opposite forces of ‘Prana Vayu - located in heart ’ and ‘Apana Vayu - located in pelvic region’. It is responsible for the digestive organs and glands. The main role for this Vayu is to carry the nutrients and take them to various parts of our body. The proper functioning of this vayu separates nutrients from toxins. It improves gastric disorders. On the level of mind as well, it calms down anger and improves decision making cutting all the crap that is not required or not so important. That is why, the power of digestion is very much closely linked to the power of mind – particularly regarding discrimination and judgement.

5. Vyaan Vayu- Vyaan means outward. So, the motion of Vyaan vayu is outward and surrounding the body. This vayu is the energy governing the functioning of joints, veins, nerves and muscles throughout the body, so It can also be understood as a connecting force of energy that supports the functionality of the other four vayus. It has no specific seat or location, but runs through all the nadis (nerves or blood vessels) of the body. Our body has more than 72,000 pathways or Nadis which are connected to the functioning of the whole body. When Vyaan Vayu is working at its best, the blood flows thoroughly in our body, the muscles would be healthy, joints will move with ease and overall breathing would be excellent. This Vayu creates sense of balance and coordination, improves physical & mental stamina. All the important minor and major  decisions are taken with clarity when Vyaan Vayu is functioning well. 

Greetings Everyone! I was discussing the current state of affairs in the yoga world with a fellow studio owner from San Francisco recently, and she was expressing the challenges of keeping her business afloat in an environment where corporate yoga powerhouses are buying up smaller studios to magnify their brand and maximize their profits. Apparently one of the teachers at her studio had told her that this phenomenon was not such a bad thing because at least these monopolists were "keeping yoga relevant." My friend pondered the logic of this statement and then rebutted, "Actually, it's stress that is keeping yoga relevant in today's world." Alignment-based yoga is a reliable antidote to stress because of the way it preserves the integrity of the spine and therefore pacifies the central nervous system. Many of us warehouse our stress in the neck and shoulders, and so I am thrilled to announce that our three new releases all address this tendency. In Recharge #7, you will revisit a classic MYTG sequence for re-balancing the shoulder girdle and softening the muscles of the neck, then you will calm and focus your mind through the practice of nadi shodhana, also known as alternate nostril breathing. In Recharge #8, which was originally titled "Head and Shoulders Below the Rest," you will be guided through the essential actions for safely practicing inverted poses. And finally, in Recharge #9 you will move through a hip-opening/forward-bending sequence that culminates in an admittedly bizarre looking pose that nevertheless relaxes the neck. Of course if you have a lavish whole hour to focus on your wellness, then try practicing all three of these videos in the order presented. Your body-mind will feel calm, alert, centered, and present. Hope you enjoy!

Take care,

If you experience any tightness in your calves - this is for you!

If you experience pain in your legs, ankles, knees, feet - this is for you!

If you experience bloating, burping or too much gas trapped in your stomach - this is for you!

If you want to know what other benefits there are in this workout which I am going to share with you - this is for you!

Our calf on the back of the lower leg is made up of two muscles, gastrocnemius which is the larger muscle and bulges out in a diamond shape and the other is the soleus muscle which is the flat muscle underneath the gastrocnemius. Both these muscles narrow down and merge at the base of the calf muscle. The connective tissues at the base of the calf muscle then merges into the Achilles Tendon which then inserts into the heel bone.

There could be many reasons for pain in the calves such as tight muscles due to lack of exercise, tired due to too much walking or simply standing in one place for too long. But the workout I am going to share with you is not only for pain in your calves, but will improve all the other organs because we are going to wake up every single nerve connected around it.

Sit down on the floor on your mat with your legs extended in front of you. Try to sit in a 90 degrees shape or if you find it a little difficult then sit against a wall for support.

Have your heels fixed on your mat and start slapping your legs on the floor alternatively with a gentle force applied. Just do this for 3-5 minutes in the beginning and gradually increasing it up to 10 minutes during the course of a few days/weeks. It is that simple and does wonders. You'll feel so light instantly. You just need to make sure that you don't rub your heels on the ground but lock them in place before you start this workout.

The slapping on the calves will increase the blood flow and will keep the muscles loose. You must have seen the athletes slapping their calves before a run...well, now you know why! It will also slow down the lactic acid buildup which is the acid in our legs that builds up when there's not enough oxygen in the muscles to break down glucose and glycogen.

The best time to do this workout is in the morning on an empty stomach or in the evening before food when your stomach is not too full.

By doing this exercise, the blood flows thoroughly through the various veins in our legs, from heels to calves, to knees, to thighs, to abdomen, to heart, to liver and to the lower back. So, for general health improvement as well as for warm up exercises one can surely take benefit from this simple workout. If nothing else, you'll at least feel more alive in your legs and achieve a good mood because of the release of serotonin and dopamine, I can promise you that! So, no harm in doing so.

Also, if you ever find yourself with a blocked nose, try doing this exercise and you'll love your breath.

It never goes over all that well, but I still feel there’s some truth to the comment that I make every year to my wife in mid-February, “Every day is Valentine’s Day when you’re truly in love with someone.” It seems to me that doing loving things on a daily basis, even such simple things as making breakfast for someone, is more important than an annual box of chocolates or a dozen red roses. So when I was reminded that yesterday was International Yoga Day, my first thought was “Every day is yoga day.” I have been in love with the practice of yoga for the past 23 years, and hardly a day goes by when I don’t bow with reverence to its mysterious graces.