Inhalation and intake are linked with Prana vayu, while exhalation and excretion are associated with apana vayu.
- Urination, defecation, menstruation, ejaculation, and the delivery of the foetus during childbirth are all aided by Apana.
- As a result, it is a downward motion, while prana is an upward motion.
- Consider the rise of the chest during inhalation (prana) and the fall of the thorax during expiration (exhalation) (apana).
- However, astute meditators will have observed, the inhalation begins at the nose and ends at the perineum, despite the fact that it raises the chest.
- Following the exhale with mindfulness will take you from the pelvic floor to the nose, where the breath exits the body.
- As a result, there is both an upward and downward movement during inhalation and exhale.
According to Shrikrishna, a member of Kaivalyadhama and a pranayama researcher, the subtle flow of prana is the inverse of the gross breath.
- He says that there is a downward flow upon inhaling (called apana gati).
- Similarly, there is an energetic upward movement during gross exhalation (called prana gati).
- To make things more complicated, he points out that the terms prana and apana are simply equated with breath in certain yogic literature and with subtle energy flow in others (gati).
- This is why prana is characterized as a downward flow in certain scriptures and as an upward movement in others.
One of the most effective secrets of meditation is to experience and harness them both at the same time, when they cross over.
- To do so, notice how your gross breath fills your body from the perineum to the neck, while the subtle energy fills your torso from the nose down to the pelvic floor when you inhale.
- This implies that your awareness must extend both up and down at the same time.
- Then notice how, as you exhale, the top lobes of your lungs empty first, then the chest lowers, and ultimately the belly contracts, all while the delicate energy flow travels from the perineum upwards to the brain.
One of the most effective methods of quieting the mind is to maintain experiencing this dual movement.
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