
The phrase “prana” is likely one of the mostly used phrases within the yogic custom. All of your efforts of practising yoga, pranayama, and meditation are in direction of rising the movement of prana vitality and retaining it wholesome.
Prana (written as “Praan” in Sanskrit) will be interpreted as “life power”, “vitality” or “very important precept”. It can be damaged down into the foundation phrases pra means “forth” and an means “motion” or “to breath”. Thus, prana is the respiratory forth of significant vitality.
It’s possible you’ll assume that prana is just like respiratory. It’s partially right, however prana is extra than simply respiratory. It’s vitality or shakti that programs by the assorted vitality channel or nadis to supply the very important life power to the physique.
One of many sources of prana is breath by which the vitality is transported through our blood. And it’s not solely the breath however meals, water, data, perceptions, speaking, listening, sensations, and many others additionally contribute in direction of prana vitality for us to maintain.
Prana has 5 vitality subtypes – Prana Vayu, Apana Vayu, Samana Vayu, Udana Vayu, and Vyana Vayu. Out of those subtypes, the prana vayu is taken into account a particularly important or basic vayu.
On this sequence of 5 Prana vayus, we’ll clarify what precisely is prana vayu and the way it is vital for our day-to-day functioning.
What’s Prana Vayu?

Prana Vayu is likely one of the 5 subtypes of prana vitality and is taken into account essentially the most basic. It’s related to the inward and upward motion of air, primarily answerable for the consumption of vitality. This vayu governs the breath, the absorption of meals and water, and sensory perceptions. Actions similar to coughing, sighing, and swallowing additionally fall underneath its area.
Situated within the coronary heart chakra (Anahata) and the chest, the place the lungs reside, Prana Vayu facilitates the consumption of air, a major supply of prana. Some traditions additionally affiliate Prana Vayu with the third eye chakra (Ajna), emphasizing its function in focus and the connection to the component of air.
Capabilities of Prana Vayu
Prana Vayu performs a number of essential roles within the physique:
- Respiration: It controls the enlargement and contraction of the lungs, thereby affecting the motion of the center and making certain environment friendly respiratory and circulatory features.
- Swallowing: This vayu facilitates the downward motion of chewed meals from the mouth to the abdomen.
- Saliva Manufacturing: It stimulates saliva manufacturing, aiding within the tasting, chewing, and preliminary digestion of meals.
- Digestive Assist: It not directly helps the features of Samana Vayu (digestion and assimilation) and Apana Vayu (elimination).
- Nerve Capabilities: By enhancing mental capability, it helps nerve features, sensory notion, thought manufacturing, and data processing.
Indicators of Imbalance in Prana Vayu
Wanting on the above features, it appears that evidently the prana vayu is all-pervading. There’s not a single physique space the place the prana vayu doesn’t play an vital function. The opposite subtypes additionally depend upon the right functioning of the prana vayu.
Therefore it goes with out saying that even the slightest imbalance within the prana vayu can result in disturbances. In case you have the below-mentioned indicators, your prana vayu could also be in a toss.
- Breathlessness, bronchial asthma, bronchitis, hiccoughs
- Chilly, congestion, cough
- Hoarse voice
- Low immunity and vitality
- Poor circulation,
- Coronary heart palpitations
- Sleep apnea
- Poor posture
- Extreme anxiousness, fear, concern, anger
- complications
- Lack of focus
- Emotional blockages because of imbalances within the coronary heart chakra
Stability the Prana Vayu

Sustaining a balanced Prana Vayu entails a number of practices:
- Yoga: Dynamic poses that promote fluid motion and open the higher physique, similar to Baby’s Pose, Cat/Cow Pose, Bridge Pose, Bow Pose, Camel Pose, Dancer Pose, Cobra Pose, Chair Pose, Warrior Poses, and Downward Canine Pose.
- Pranayama: Managed respiratory strategies like Ujjayi Breath (Victorious Breath), Bhastrika (Bellows Breath), and Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Respiration) assist improve and steadiness Prana Vayu.
- Meditation: Common meditation brings consciousness to the prana movement and psychological state. Training Prana Mudra (becoming a member of the information of the ring and little fingers to the thumb) can stimulate vitality channels, clear chakra blockages, and steadiness elemental energies.
- Way of life: A balanced weight loss program, walks in nature, and surrounding oneself with optimistic stimuli like colours, aromas, and sounds can help wholesome Prana Vayu.
Prana Vayu is crucial for our day-to-day functioning, influencing every little thing from our respiratory and circulatory methods to our psychological readability and emotional well-being. By understanding and nurturing this very important vitality, we are able to promote total well being and vitality.
Conclusion
The physique’s sustaining system is named prana. Take a minute to discover what your physique requires when you’ve reached a state of understanding of how your breath flows all through your physique. A terrific place to start is to change into conscious of your prana vayus and their varied roles.