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What is Pranayama?
What is Pranayama?

What is Pranayama?

Pranayama is a method to transmute creative energy that relies on a combination of sexual chastity (restraint or containment of sexual energy), concentration, imagination, and breathing. The word pranayama comes from Sanskrit and is composed of:

  • prana: life-principle; the breath of life; energy
  • ayama: restraint or control

Although anyone can utilize pranayama techniques, they are most important for practitioners who are single.

"Pranayama is a system of sexual transmutation for single persons." - Samael Aun Weor, The Yellow Book

"Breath is external manifestation of Prana, the vital force. Breath like electricity, is gross Prana. Breath is Sthula, gross. Prana is Sukshma, subtle. By exercising control over this breathing you can control the subtle Prana inside. Control of Prana means control of mind. Mind cannot operate without the help of Prana. The vibrations of Prana only produce thoughts in the mind. It is Prana that moves the mind. It is Prana that sets the mind in motion. It is the Sukshma Prana or Psychic Prana that is intimately connected with the mind. This breath represents the important fly-wheel of an engine. Just as the other wheels stop when the driver stops the fly-wheel, so also other organs cease working, when the Yogi stops the breath. If you can control the fly-wheel, you can easily control the other wheels. Likewise, if you can control the external breath, you can easily control the inner vital force, Prana. The process by which the Prana is controlled by regulation of external breath, is termed Pranayama." - Swami Sivananda

"Prana is the purifying fire that cleans the scoria which plugs the nadis. The veils of Rajas [passion] and Tamas [darkness] are dissipated with the sexual transmutation in Pranayama. The mind of the student is prepared for Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi with the practice of Pranayama. The disciple should practice Pranayama ten minutes daily. The disciple should drink a glass of milk or eat any light food after he finishes the practice. The disciples can also practice while standing firm on their feet. The disciple should slowly inhale and exhale with his mind very well concentrated in his practice of Pranayama." - Samael Aun Weor, Kundalini Yoga

An Easy Pranayama Technique

Here is a very easy simple pranayama method you can use.

"Single people must transmute the seminal liquor with deep breathing, keeping the lungs full thirty seconds or more. This svara [breathing] exercise must be performed daily." —Samael Aun Weor, The Mysteries of Life and Death

More Pranayama Techniques

Books to Learn More About Pranayama

More about Prana

Prana (Sanskrit; Tibetan bindu) is the life-principle; the breath of life; energy. Prana is the vital breath, which sustains life in a physical body; the primal energy or force, of which other physical forces are manifestations.

The word Prana is also used as a name of the Cosmic Soul, endowed with activity.

"Prana is the Great Breath. It is the Cosmic Christ. Prana is the life that palpitates within every atom, as it palpitates in every sun. Fire burns because of Prana. Water flows because of Prana. Wind blows because of Prana. The sun exists because of Prana; the life we have is Prana. Nothing can exist in the Universe without Prana. It is impossible for the most insignificant insect to be born, or for the smallest flower to bloom without Prana. Prana exists in the food that we eat, in the air that we breathe, and in the water that we drink. Prana exists within everything. When seminal energy is refined and totally transformed, the nervous system is provided with the richest type of Prana. This rich Prana is deposited within the brain in the form of pure Christic energy, the Wine of Light. An intimate connection exists between the mind, the Prana and the semen. We can gain dominion over the mind and Prana by controlling the seminal energy with the force of willpower. Those people who spill the semen can never gain control over their mind, let alone Prana. Their efforts to gain control over their mind and over Prana will undoubtedly fail. People who gain sexual control, also gain control of their minds and control of their Prana. These types of human beings reach true liberation." - Samael Aun Weor, The Yellow Book

"Prana is life and it circulates throughout all of our organs.”

“Prana circulates throughout all of our nadis and vital canals.”

“The sexual energy is Prana, life.”

“Prana is sexual. The sexual energy is solar. The solar energy is Christic. The Cosmic Christ is the Solar Logos. The solar energy comes from the Cosmic Christ. The Christic Prana makes the spike of wheat to grow; thus, the Christonic substance ready to be devoured remains enclosed within the grain. The water from the mountain glaciers penetrates within the stump to ripen the grape, within which the whole life, the whole Prana from the Sun-Christ remains enclosed." - Samael Aun Weor, Kundalini Yoga: The Mysteries of the Fire

 In the books of Yoga, prana is described as having five modifications related to physicality, according to its five different functions. These are:

  • prana: the vital energy that controls the breath
  • apana: the vital energy that carries downward unassimilated food and drink
  • samana: the vital energy that carries nutrition all over the body
  • vyama: the vital energy that pervades the entire body
  • udana: the vital energy by which the contents of the stomach are ejected through the mouth

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