Pranavayu-Life airs

Previously we mentioned how we are unable to see the air or wind that moves around us and affects the environment. Similarly, we may not be able to see the soul with our material eyes, yet we aware of the consciousness, the symptom of the soul, that certainly pervades the body.

In ancient Indian culture there is knowledge of prana, subtle life airs. Prana works throughout the body and is the force behind it's different actions such as digestion, blinking and heartbeat. Some believe that chi or qi from the far eastern traditions refers to this prana, and therefore we see a lot of similarities with forms such as Tai Chi and Yoga. There are seven circles of condensed movement for these life airs and these are called cakras. Pranayama and yoga act to find equilibrium between these life airs so that they can be harnessed and utilized for spiritual growth.

It is described that the soul is suspended within these life airs and also leaves the body with them. Yet again we cannot see these life airs just as we cannot see the winds blowing across our planet. However, there is a vast science of Vedic medicine known as Ayurveda which works on such a subtle level and is today becoming more popular because of it's wealth of understanding. Within Ayurveda there is detailed teachings of different types of bodily constitutions as well as symptom diagnosis from simply observing the pulse. One only has to research to find that Ayurveda is an outstanding medical science with documented results, showing that there are subtleties which may not be known to modern science.

Whilst writing this I also find myself reflecting on the energy current that is working this computer. Normally we cannot see electricity, yet we are sure that it exists. Under special circumstances we may see, for instance during an electrical storm, but normally we are completely unaware of the presence of this powerful force.

Here I have given a brief glance at the science of Ayurveda, cakras and prana, solely to help understand that although we may not be able to directly perceive something or even conceive of something, still there may be much more to be known. I end on a quote from Srila Prabhupada refering to these life airs and how we can spiritualize our existence. Once Prabhupada said that we can perform pranayama, balancing of life airs, simply by dancing and chanting for Krishna, the original powerhouse of all energies, subtle and gross.

The expert yogi who has thoroughly practiced the control of the life air by the prescribed method of the yoga system is advised to quit the body as follows. He should plug up the evacuating hole with the heel of the foot and then progressively move the life air on and on to six places: the navel, abdomen, heart, chest, palate, eyebrows and cerebral pit. Controlling the life air by the prescribed yogic process is mechanical, and the practice is more or less a physical endeavor for spiritual perfection. In olden days such practice was very common for the transcendentalist, for the mode of life and character in those days were favorable. But in modern days, when the influence of Kali Age is so disturbing, practically everyone is untrained in this art of bodily exercise. Concentration of the mind is more easily attained in these days by the chanting of the holy name of the Krishna. The results are more effective than those derived from the inner exercise of the life air. Srimad Bhagavatam