Have you ever wondered what is it that keeps us alive. Sure, in strict medical terms, we can say it is the circulation of blood in our body through the heart that keeps us alive or it is the constant healing mechanism of the body that prevents death. Others may say it is the functioning of the brain that makes us alive or pumping of air in our lungs. But have you ever wondered what is that makes the heart beat or the lungs pump. Air itself cannot make us breathe nor can blood itself make our heart beat. Yogis believe that the whole universe is a manifestation of prana aka life force and it is the source of our existence.
Prana is life itself and its different vibrations exist as different forms of life. When we breathe, there is a constant intake of prana and this prana keeps our body running. It is this prana that makes the lungs pump and the heart beat. Even the food that we eat gets converted into prana finally. By learning to conserve prana, we can be healthier, live longer and be stronger.
The word pranayama is made up of the two words prana and yama. Prana is the essential life force and yama means control. So the word pranayama means the control of prana. Yogis practice the technique of pranayama through systematic breathing. In the average human being, the breathing process is involuntary i.e. he or she breathes without even realizing that they are breathing. An athlete has a little more control over his breathing as he or she is taught to control their breathing process to enhance their stamina. Similarly, even military professionals used systematic breathing techniques to remain calm in stressful situations and gain strength and vigor. The yogi is constantly aware of his breath and some of the yogis have mastered the technique of pranayama to the extent that he or she takes one breath per min. However, this breathing is not forced. For the yogi this has become his natural breathing pattern through years of practice.
The practice of pranayama enhances the quality of our breathing, focuses the mind and makes our body processes rhythmic. Practicing it every now and then refreshes me and helps calm down my overly active mind. So, if you ever feel anxious, have anxiety or angry, take refuge in the technique of pranayama.
People in different places have different understandings toward the life, however, blood, breath and brain are the universal perceptions of the core to maintain life. In some novels and historical materials, people believe there is a pill can make the human undead, while the principle of the bill is to control the breath as you mentioned in the article and slow down the blood flow.
Very interesting Tony!! I would like to read about that concept. If you do have the link for it, do forward it to me.