What is “Prana”, the Life FORCE Energy?

What is “Prana”, the Life FORCE Energy? The ancient teachers believe that “Prana”, or life force energy has a vital effect on the body and mind. The Vedas, the sacred scriptures of ancient India, were recorded and served as the fundamental wisdom of life for all mankind. Indian rishis have long taught the meaning of life force energy, or “Prana”. Paramahansa Yoganandya writes in his sacred book,

“Sparks of Intelligence finer-then-atomic energy that constitutes life….In essence, condensed thoughts of God; substance of the astral world….and life principles of the physical cosmos. In the physical world there are two kinds of “Prana”: (1) the cosmic vibratory energy that is omnipresent in the universe, structuring and sustain all things; (2) the specific “Prana” or energy that pervades and sustains each human being through five currents or functions……the five functions are crystallization, circulation, assimilation, metabolism and elimination.”

Life force or “Prana” supplies energy directly to the brain. This cosmic energy comes from outside the body, enters the brain and keeps the cells charged with life. Life force is the intelligent power that coverts food matter, oxygen and sunshine into living matter. This life energy is the real sustainer of life for when the mind, body and soul are depleted, they can only be recharged by this cosmic life force energy.

The breath draws oxygen into the body passing through the lungs to the blood stream and removes carbon dioxide. Oxygen changes dark venous blood filled with waste into vital red arterial blood. The body cells use oxygen to release the energy they need in order to live with the process of respiration. Breath indirectly supplies energy to the body cells through the intake of life force, “Prana”.

There are ten billion nerve cells in the brain. They supply life force to the brain, heart and other parts of the body. The nervous system distributes life force energy, “Prana” to the five senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Our nerves are the link to the outside and the source of our sensory reactions. The nerves are the main pathway of life force in the body. Life energy flows from the brain to the senses. When nerve passages are blocked or impaired, the life force may not flow smoothly. An imbalance in the body and mind may occur and cause illness.

To maintain an even flow of “Prana” or life force energy in the body one must be conscious of good posture to alleviate an unobstructed flow of life energy in the spine, consume natural foods such as raw fruits and vegetables to strengthen the body, get proper sunlight for its powerful healing energy and proper breathing excises to purify the blood.

Pramahansa Yogananda recommends a simple exercise to be performed three times a day: “Exhale slowly, counting from 1 to 6. Now, while the lungs are empty, mentally count from 1 to Inhale slowly, counting from 1 to 6. Then hold the breath, counting from 1 to 6. Repeat eleven times. Do not hold the breath longer than it takes to count slowly from 1 to 6. The proportions should be the same.

Meditation is the ultimate gateway to life force “Prana”. Meditation opens all the closed inner gates in the spine and brain that bring power to your body, mind and soul. When you meditate your body becomes filled with electricity, or life energy that is present in the ether (space). Meditation is the turning on of the inner switch that fills the body with the divine current.

This information was taken from Ancient Thai Massage Healing with Life Force 3rd edition by Jan Chaithavuthi and Kanchanoo Muangsiri.