Five Keys

There are five keys that are used to unlock the subtle perception and experience of Prana.

These keys are

 i) psychic breath

 ii) psychic passage

iii) psychic centers

iv) psychic sound

v) psychic symbol

Psychic Breath;

The normal experience of breathing is the process of drawing air down into the lungs and expelling it through, the nostrils. Guiding this process through will power and. concentration is one aspect of pranayama; the second aspect' is psychic breathing

During the practice of ujjayi the physiological experience is one of tranquillity, relaxation and one-pointedness.This is the gross experience of ujjayi, and then there is the psychic experience.

As the practice of ujjayi develops, one begins to move the prana. The first manifestation of mahaprana is the prana located in the chest. The first physiological experience that arises from the movement and awakening of prana is in the form of a stream of white light or as a sort of tickling or burning sensation in the throat, chest and lungs. However, as the concentration becomes deeper and more intense, one experiences prana more acutely and the experience changes.

Psychic Passage:

This refers to any pathway in the body through which awareness, breath and Prana are directed in one stream of combined force 

Pancha Prana:

                                    Pancha Prana:

There are five primary forces, known as pancha prana, which operate in the physical body at all times.

Prana shakti, the one sustaining force, assumes these five fields to enable the body to accomplish its various functions

The seers identified these five pranas as: prana, apana, samana, udana and vyana.

The five pranas are responsible for creation and existence at the individual level.

In human beings they are created during the first four months of development in the womb.

During the first and second month, the foetus lives on the prana of the mother.

By the third month the foetus has its own battery installed.

By the fourth month, the five physical pranas become active with the formation of the body, and the soul enters the new body as a result of this pranic activity

The five pranas maintain the balance between the physical and mental levels.

Sthoola Prana: First of the pancha pranas

Physical Level: 

- Sthoola prana refers to the energy currents located in the thoracic region between the diaphragm and the base of the neck.

- It is the centre of circulation of life energy

- This force maintains the heart and lungs, and all the activities in the chest region such as breathing, swallowing and circulation of blood.

- Among the fivefold pranas, it occupies the pivotal position and controls the other four.

- When sthoola prana is strong, the heart does not become weak; one does not suffer from high or low blood pressure, and thus lives longer.

Subtle level:

- Prana energizes all the koshas and is active all the time. 

- It pervades the region from anahata up to vishuddhi chakra.

- By enhancing this prana, the yogis reach the soul.

- When meditating on the heart centre, the identification with prana is most intense; one feels as if one has become prana.

 2) Apana

Physical Level: 

- operates in pelvic region between navel and perineum

- sustains functions of kidneys, bladder, bowels, excretery and reproductive organs

- responsible for expulsion of gas, wind, faeces, urine, semen, ova

- nourishes the foetus and expels it from uterus at the time of birth

- Apana is experienced in the form of light particles moving downwards from the navel to the perineum

- Due to the presence of the earth and water elements in this region, apana is felt as a heavy force

Subtle Level:

- Swadhishtana, mooladhara are in the range of apana

- Kundalini lies in the periphery of apana, and assists in awakening kundalini

- is control of sexual instincts and instilling brahmacharya

- removes negative thoughts and emotions

Indications of Imbalance:

- depression, negativity, pulled down by gravity

Samana:

Physical Level:

- Operates between navel and diaphragm

- Saman - means equal. It acts as a balancer or equalizer for the two opposite forces of prana and Apana

- Activates and maintains digestive organs and secretions and responsible for metabolism.

- It is associated with digestive fire, jatharagni

- Samana is experiences as sideways movement of light , like the swinging of pendulam

- responsible for manipura experience of vitality and dynamism

- There are six major organs of digestion: liver, stomach, duodenum, spleen, and the small and large intestines, and all fall within the field of samana. The body receives its life support and healthy nourishment by the agency of samana. The distinctive feature of samana is that although it is a single force, it is capable of different activities in all these different organs.

Subtle Level:

- It is subtle in comparision to Apana, gross in comparision to Prana.

- helps digesting mind stuff

Indications of Imbalance:

- Samana is disturbed whenever one's peace and harmony are disturbed, 

- poor assimilation of food is a result of samana imbalance, causing build of toxins

Upana:

Physical level:

- responsible for all karmendriyas, jnanendriyas

- coordinates and controls the movement of the legs, arms and neck and directs the activities of the brain and sensory organs that are in head region x`

- Udana also assists prana in inhalation and exhalation, intake of food and drink, as well as vomiting, spitting and swallowing saliva.

- All the functions of the throat and mouth are sustained by udana and its influence begins from the region of vishuddhi chakra.

- It also maintains the pranic link between the heart and the brain.

- The force of udana keeps the body upright; it is responsible for anti-gravitational activities of the body

Subtle Level:

- Udana allows one to perform positive mental work.

- It is responsible for sweet, melodious and impressive speech.

- It maintains the relationship between the gross, subtle and causal bodies

- Udana pervades ajna, bindu and sahasrara chakras

- When the yogi fixes his attention on udana, he becomes free from hunger, thirst, sleep and drowsiness

- The activity of udana becomes extremely slow and subtle during meditation and samadhi.

Indications of Imbalance:

- An irregular udana causes breathing troubles

- inability to think clearly or express oneself

- uncoordinated speech, weakened will and lack of cheer

Vyana:

- Pervades the whole body and acts as reserve energy

- It helps all the other pranas when they require an extra boost.

- When one overexerts and feels extremely tired, a rush of energy comes, which enables one to continue.

- Vyana also regulates and coordinates all the muscular move-ments, aids in sending impulses to different parts of the body,

- Vyana causes all the pranas, major and minor, to function by being their accessory like mother in a house

Subtle Level:

- It is the vehicle of consciousness through the body

Indications of Imbalance:

- there is lack of coordination, tremors, inability to reach out to people, and the mind is erratic.

Density and colour of pranas

High to lower to density

Udana -> Prana -> Samana -> Apana

Vyana - average of the other four

The ionic fields of the pranas may be visualized as swirling clouds of differing colours and hues, capable of expanding and contracting.

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In the practice of yoga the direction or movement of prana and apana are changed. The upward flow of prana is directed downward and the downward flow of apana is directed upwards. In this way they both move towards one another and meet at samana. At this meeting point the energy of yogagni, fire of yoga, arises.

When siddhasana is practised and the inspired breath is taken to the region of samana, prana and apana unite at this centre.

A shatkarma like nauli kriya also creates union between prana and apana

The union of prana and apana is one of the most important aims of yoga.

Five Minor Pranas:

- Along with the five major pranas, there are five minor or upa pranas, actually called pancha vayus.

- Naga, Koorma, Krikara, Devadatta, dhananjaya

Naga:

- causes belching (trenupu) and hiccups (ekkillu)

- When the air element is agitated, naga becomes active and tries to throw the agitated air out of the stomach, causing vibrations in udana, prana and samana.

- Naga remains inactive as long as the diet and digestion are healthy.

Koorma:

- causes the blinking of the eyes and keeps the eyes healthy, moist and protected.

- When koorma is under control, the yogi can keep the eyes open for hours, performing trataka.

- Although koorma operates in a small area, it has a lot of force and during meditation it    makes concentration firm and deep.

Krikara:

- causes yawning, hunger and thirst, and assists in respiration.

- When krikara is controlled with practice, sloth and sleep are overcome, hunger and thirst 

   are controlled, and sweet secretions begin to flow in the mouth.

- helpful during fasting and samadhi.

Devadatta:

- This field causes sneezing and aids in respiration.

- In its subtle state, devadatta enables the practitioner to experience divine smells.

Dhananjaya:

- This field pervades the whole body and is related to the organ of touch

- It influences the work of the muscles, arteries and veins, and the skin

- Swelling during injury is becaz of this

- last to leave when we die, responsible for decomposition of the body

Nadis

1.  ida also known as ganga, pingal - yamuna, sushumna - Saraswathi

Saraswathi is underground flow.

Prayag =~  Ajna chakra (all 3 nadis converge)

Location of Nadis:

                         

- Mooladhara chakra is the main plexus of the pranic body from which nadis ecoiling around the spinal    passage from left to right, while sushumna flows straight up through the middlemanate.

  Ida, pingala and sushumna originate here and then ida and pingala flow alternately . 

- Ida emerges from the left of mooladhara, pingala from the right, and sushumna flows

straight up through the centre

- As ida and pingala cross over at each chakra, their energy currents branch off via the network of nadis to all the respective organs and parts of the body

- In this way the matrix of nadis carries these two opposite forces to every cell, organ and part of the body.

- Ida governs the left side of the body and pingala the right.

- The inner structure of sushumna comprises three subtler nadis, which become active when sushumna is awakened

- Inside sushumna is vajra nadi, within which lies chitra or chitrini nadi, and at the centre is brahma nadi, the subtlest flow

Polarity principle of Ida-Pingala

ida and pingala are like bipolar seperated in beween by sushumna.

ida - active in night like moon
pingala - active in day time like Sun.


Purifying the Pranic body

- All yoga practices purify pranas, pranayama is the best among all.

- During pranayama, especially nadi shodhana, as one takes slow, deep breaths, the prana is forced to flow through the blocked areas, indeed, through the entire system of nadis. By this process, the energy circuits are restored and the weak areas gradually regain strength

- through pranayama, covering residue of tamas and rajas is removed and sattwic nature of chitta shines.

- Tamas and rajas exist in the form of blockages in the nadis.

- These blockages may be caused by disease, tension, accumulation of impurities, negative thoughts or samskaras, mental patterns lodged in the subcon-scious and unconscious.

- The thoughts and vrittis, mental formations and modifica-tions, exist in the mind and consciousness as energy waves.

- Depending on the nature of a thought or vritti, the respective nadis as well as the chakras, elements and doshas are affected, creating a spiralling effect throughout the energy network

- During pranayama, especially nadi shodhana, as one takes slow, deep breaths, the prana is forced to flow through the blocked areas, indeed, through the entire system of nadis. By this process, the energy circuits are restored and the weak areas gradually regain strength

- Thus the Shiva Samhita states (3:49), "Through the regulation of breath the wise practitioner surely destroys all of his karmas, whether acquired in this life or in the past."

- The adept yogi can withdraw prana from any area of the body, so that it becomes impervious to heat, cold or any other sensations. He can also send prana to any area and make it oversensitive. He can send prana to the eyes and see distant objects, to the nose and experience divine aromas, or to the tongue and experience super-sensuous taste.

                                  

Chakras - Detailed

1. Mooladhara :

mooladhara is the generating station for prana. The awakening of prana starts from mooladhara and ascends the spinal cord via the pingala nadi. Pingala is merely the channel; the energy comes from mooladhara

Mooladhara is the generator and ajna is the distributor.

Mooladhara is also the location of brahma granthi, the knot of Brahma

As long as this knot remains intact, the energy located in this area is blocked. Prana shakti awakens the moment this knot is undone.

Mooladhara is associated with annamaya kosha and the earth element

Mooladhara chakra may be seen in a state of meditation as a deep red lotus flower with four petals.

The red petals are seen in meditation because of electrical discharges, which emit light particles in this region.

Each chakra has a different number of petals, which indicate the level of pranic intensity in that particular region.

The bija mantra, or master key, to mooladhara is Lam.

2) Swadhishtana Chakra = swa + adhishtana (one's  own abode)

- lies very near to Mooladhara

- responsible for awakening of prana shakti

- This centre is the storehouse of all the latent samskaras and impressions

- it forms a karmic block, making it difficult for the awakened prana to pass through this area.

- The desire for pleasure, especially in the form of food and sex, increases when this centre is activated.

  These desires can become an obstacle to the awakening of prana at this level. In order to pass through    this centre one needs to develop willpower

- is associated with pranamaya kosha and the water element.

- It is represented by a lotus flower with six vermilion petals.

- The bija mantra for this centre is Vam.

3) Manipura Chakra

- Manipura means city of jewels

- It is located behind navel in the spine.

- radiates and distributes pranic energy throughout the body, regulating and fuelling life's processes.

- It is predominantly influenced by rajas - activity, dynamism, strength and will.

- This centre is associated with pranamaya kosha and its element is fire.

- It is represented by a bright yellow lotus with ten petals

- Its bija mantra is Ram.

4) Anahata Chakra

Anahata = unstruck or unbeaten

- It is the seat of anhada nada, the cosmic sound, which is experience only in highest state of meditation.

- The person with a developed anahata is generally very sensitive to the feelings of others

- This centre relates to the sense of touch and its awakening bestows the power to heal others either by touch or by radiating energy

- The heart centre is the seat of divine love. It is here that emotion is channelled into devotion.

- Vishnu granthi, the second psychic knot, representing the bondage of emotional attachment, is located here.

- When this knot is opened, one becomes free of all selfish, egoistic and emotional attachment, and attains mental and emotional control, equilibrium and peace.

- Anahata is associated with manomaya kosha, the mind and emotions

- At this level one becomes free of fate and takes control of one's destiny.

- the symbol of kalpataru, the wish-fulfilling tree, is also found at this centre. When this tree starts to fructify, whatever one thinks or wishes for comes true.

- Anahata is located behind the heart in the spine.

- Its element is air and it is represented by a blue lotus with twelve petals.

- The bija mantra is Yam.

5) Vishudhi Chakra

-  Vishuddhi is the purification centre and is known as the fountain of youth

- with the awakening of this centre all diseased, states can be reversed

- At this level all the poisonous and negative experiences of life can be absorbed and transformed into a state of bliss.

- Vishuddhi is associated with vijnanamaya kosha and initiates higher mental development.

- It is the centre for receiving sound vibrations and acts like a transistor radio, allowing one to tune into the thoughts of others, whether close by or far away. 

-  When vishuddhi is purified, the sense of hearing becomes very sharp, not only through the ears, but through the mind.

- Vishuddhi is located behind the throat pit in the spine and is associated with the thyroid gland.

- The element is ether or akasha.

- By meditating on vishuddhi, the mind becomes free of thought, pure and empty, like space

- Vishuddhi is seen as a violet lotus with sixteen petals.

- Its bija mantra is Ham.

6) Ajna Chakra

- Ajna  = command

- is the monitoring center also known as the guru chakra

- It is the point of confluence where the three main nadis, energy channels: ida, pingala and sushumna, merge into one stream of consciousness and flow up to sahasrara

- Ajna is the centre of mind and represents a higher level of awareness

- When this centre is developed one acquires psychic powers. Direct mind-to-mind communication takes place at this level.

- At ajna lies the rudra granthi, the knot of Shiva.

- At ajna lies the rudra granthi, the knot of Shiva.

- The trigger point for ajna is located at the eyebrow centre.

- The development of ajna is very important for success in pranic science

- Ajna is associated with vijnanamaya kosha

- It is located at the top of the spinal cord in the mid-brain and corresponds to the pineal gland.

- The tattwa or element is mind.This is the point where the mind changes from gross to subde, from outward to inward.

- Ajna is represented by a silver lotus with two petals.

- The bija mantra is Om.

Bindu:

- The first manifestation of creation was nada or sound.and bindu is also the point where the original nada emanates

- Bindu is associated with anandamaya kosha

- When bindu is awakened, the transcendental sound of Om is heard.

7) Sahasrara

- Sahasrara is the seat of supreme consciousness

- located at the crown of the head.

- The experience of cosmic prana is the aim of the science of prana.

- When the kundalini shakti reaches sahasrara, self-realization or samadhi dawns.

- Sahasrara is associated with anandamaya kosha.

chakras - Position in Body

The pranic body is fuelled by the chakras, or psychic centres, which are subtle, high-powered vortices of energy in the body. They receive and store the cosmic prana, and act as transformers to step down the level of energy, so that it can be used by the different organs and parts of the body.

Although these centres are situated in the subtle body, they correspond to the nerve plexuses in the gross body.

Each chakra vibrates at a particular rate and velocity.

The chakras at the lowest point of the energy circuit operate at a lower frequency. They are grosser and create grosser states of awareness. Chakras at the top of the circuit operate at a higher frequency and are responsible for higher intelligence and subtler states of awareness.

Pancha Kosha

Reference - Prana and Pranayama by Swami Niranjananda saraswati

These are the five spheres in which a human being lives at any given moment and they range from gross to subtle.

The pancha kosha are: i) annamaya kosha, ii) pranamaya kosha, iii) manomaya kosha, iv) vijnanamaya kosha and v) anandamaya kosha

1) Annamaya Kosha :  anna means food, maya - comprised of 

It is dependent o food, water, air and Prana

2) Pranamaya Kosha: The energy field of any individual

It is has same shape and dimension as its flesh and blood vehicle, although it is capable of expansion and contraction.

Clairvoyants(people with super natural powers) see the pranic body as a coloured, luminous cloud or aura around the body, radiating from within the physical body, like the sun flaring from behind the eclipsing moon.

3) Manomaya Kosha: the mental dimension

The level of experience is the conscious mind, which holds Annama, Pranamaya koshas as an itegrated whole.

4) Vijnanamaya Kosha: The psychic level of experience , which relates to the subconscious and unconscious mind. This sphere pervades manomaya kosha but is subtler than it.

This is the link between individual mind and universal mind. 

Inner knowledge comes to the conscious mind from this level.

5) Anandamaya Kosha : the level of bliss and beatitude(supreme blessedness) 

This is the causal or transcendental body, the abode of most subtle prana.

All the five koshas are pervaded by prana, which nourishes and sustains them and maintains their approapriate relationship.

One must use the faculty of prana shakti in order to move from any one state to another. (one kosha to another.. Annnamaya to Pranamaya... etc.,)