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Pranayama in a nutshell
Karim Baz • Feb 16, 2022
The process of creation takes place within and our breath is our connection to this process.
If we look closely at the plant shoots, or a child growing up, we realize that the raw material for the growth are collected from the outside, so growth happens using external energies; but the process of transmutation and creation itself seems to be taking place deep within.
To reach this deep vital force that resides within us, our breath is the perfect medium to ride; by using different proven breathing techniques being traditional or modern, we tap into this aspect of ourselves, the infinite and pure vital energy, and experience its neutrality.
Each ancient civilization has its own distinct inspiration, the eastern yogic culture paid a special attention to breathing through what is known as
Pranayama, which in its turn means “Prana” a word that doesn’t have an accurate synonym in the English language but can be translated to “Vital energy” or “life force” – Breath; and “Yam” means “control” therefore the word “Pranayama” means “Breath-control” or “breath-restraint” or even can be understood as Prana-ayama which is “Freedom of breath”.
In the Yogic culture, it is believed that our bodies contain 72000 energy channels known as “Nadis”; they have no physical expression, they are like a river through which the vital energy flows, and therefor exist 72000 ways for the energy to circulate in the body.
" The more we experience life events that have big emotional impact on us, the more we get distracted by the latter and further ourselves from this infinite energy that resides within
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Pranayama practices are mainly used with the goal of retaining the Prana in the body by “clearing” the “Nadis” or energy channels, the fact that helps the energy to flow in a harmonious manner which results in a higher capacity of concentration and an awakening of our inner force.
With the proper breathing practices, guidance and affirmations, we are able to release out of our body whatever doesn’t serve us anymore, the layers we created that partially disconnected us from this energy, being anxiety, belief systems, muscular contractions, trapped emotions, stress and lack of self-love among many others.
Today, using advanced technologies, scientists are able to scan the brain and detect the different regions affected by a specific stimulus being physical or emotional, and using these technologies different pranayama practices and their effect on the human body and brain are being researched; as this recent study
suggests “practicing Bhastrika Pranayama, is of a great help in modulating the activity of brain regions involved in emotional processing, and significantly decrease the states of anxiety and negative affect.”
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