What is the meaning of prana in Yoga?

Prānā is a Sanskrit word that is used to designate the vital energy , present in all things. There is no literary translation of the word, which like many Sanskrit terms, has several meanings. Prānā means breath, but also its vital principle, its structure, its organic manifestation.

Prana is a sacred notion, it is not only the fact of breathing (inhalation / exhalation) but also life which is permitted thanks to this breathing. It is a complex reality, physical and metaphysical, material and spiritual.

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The spiritual approach to prana

According to the Upanishads (founding texts of Hinduism), prānā is a primary and universal energy that permeates everything.

It is therefore present in everything, in the Nature that surrounds us, in the air that we breathe, in the water that we drink, in the food that we eat.

In the body, prānā is present through five vayus (breaths): Prana, Apana, Udana, Samana and Vyana. Each of these vayus has its own characteristics and a site of localization.

1. Prana vayu

Associated with the air element and the heart chakra (Anahata chakra), it supports the vital organs by giving them strength. It is what allows us to receive, integrate and assimilate what physically and subtly enters the body, whether it is food, perceptions, the air we breathe or mental experiences.

2. Apana Vayu

This vayu connected to the Earth and the root chakra (Muladhara chakra) allows to eliminate what becomes superfluous. It is assimilated to the kidneys, the colon, the rectum and gives strength at the time of childbirth. It is taken into account in the feeling of anchoring, physical and emotional stability.

3. Samana Vayu

Connected to fire as well as the solar plexus chakra (Manipura Chakra), it plays the role of coordinator of the two previous vayus. It is also closely linked to digestion, in order to eliminate what must be eliminated and to preserve the nutrients coming from food.

4. Udana Vayu

Located in the throat and connected to the ether element (which can be translated as emptiness), it is important for the functioning of the senses (sight, hearing, smell) as well as for oral expression, and self-expression. Its upward movement helps purify Ajna Chakra ( ^3rd eye, located between the eyes).

5. Vyana Vayu:

Symbolic of the water element, its associated organ is the skin. It coordinates and allows cohesion.

Although distinct and each having its own function, these vayus interact and function together. They are united and complementary.

What does it mean to “feed on prana”?

Based on the assumption that prana is a form of food, not solid but present in everything, some people choose at a point in their spiritual evolution to abandon physical foods to feed exclusively on prana.

They often practice meditation diligently and seek light and human contact, as well as immersions in nature, from which they draw their vitality.