Pranayama – The Five Pillars of Kundalini Yoga – 3/5

The breath is our most familiar reflex, yet it is likely a total stranger to us. That is to say, we have nearly 20,000 breaths/day, yet nearly all of them occur outside of our awareness! One of the fundamental yogic aims is to increase the number of conscious breaths we take. 

Pranayama could be described as any practice that consciously regulates the flow of breath. There are over a hundred ways to breathe, but the most basic, natural breath is where we are most likely to encounter true Presence. Practicing pranayama is a powerful way to slow the mind down, balance emotions, clear karmic blocks, generate energy and tapa, strengthen the nerves, and so on. It is one of many tools to support us on our path.

In Kundalini Yoga, the breath is called pavan; it is the vehicle for prana, but it can also be the vehicle for our deeper intentions. As we progress in our yogic practice, we become more familiar with the experience of connecting to not just our physical body, but our subtle, energetic body as well. When we breathe consciously, and feel the permeation of the breath with this energetic layer, the experience of pranayama moves to a greater space.

In this greater space, the breath can be consciously directed into tissues, organs, and subtle spaces where emotion, trauma, and karma are held. As these areas receive sufficient vital energy and positive intention, old patterns are given what they need to soften, heal, and release. When these patterns dissolve, energy flows naturally, reducing the likelihood of disease, illness, and imbalance. The breath can bridge awareness, intention, and healing.

Core Concepts

Prana (qi) pervades the whole universe and is the power of vital energy by which we live and experience health	As yogis, we can develop the capacity to feel the breath affect not only the physical body, but the energy body
The mind follows the breath	The breath can be a vehicle for our deeper intentions
pran = first unit ayam = expansion pavan = breath, the vehicle for prana	The Divine Breath and the Word are what ignited the birth of the universe