Prana is not merely a philosophical concept; it is in
every sense a physical substance. Just as radioactive or electromagnetic waves
exist even though we can't see them, in the same way, in this physical body,
there are pranic waves and a pranic field. Now, each of us has a certain
quantity of prana in our physical body and we utilize this in the course of our
day to day activities throughout life. When our prana diminishes, sickness sets
in, and when we have plenty of prana, every part of the body is in perfect
health. If we have an excess of prana, it can be transmitted to others for
healing or magnetism.
The inner prana can be stimulated by the practice of
pranayama and thereby increased to a greater quantum. The brain requires
maximum prana, and for the practice of meditation, it needs an increased
supply. It is for this reason that we practise pranayama before commencing our
meditation practice. If we are not able to supply plenty of pranic fuel to the
brain, the mind becomes very restless and disturbed.
When the brain is receiving a deficient supply of
prana, you suffer from nervous depression or nervous breakdown. Then the whole
body perspires, there is trembling in every organ, you can't stand, your mind
is unsteady and you are constantly thinking negative thoughts. You can't even
sleep and you don't want to talk or think. This state indicates that the brain
is only receiving a very small quantity of prana.
You should not think that just by practising a little
pranayama you are sending a lot of prana to the brain. The process of supply
and assimilation of prana into the brain is very complicated. The brain is a
subtle instrument and it can only be enriched by the subtle form of prana and
not the gross form. Therefore, when you practise pranayama, you will have to
convert the prana into a subtle force.
Deep breathing alone is not enough to stimulate prana.
By breathing deeply, you stimulate your respiratory system and the blood
circulation, but if you could examine the brain at that time, you would see
that it is least affected. However, when you practise pranayama with
concentration, as shown by scientific studies, the brainwaves undergo a
significant change and the limbic system is also positively influenced.
The brain can be split into two parts- the frontal
brain and the posterior brain. The posterior brain is the instinctive brain
which we have inherited through animal incarnations. The frontal brain is the
seat of total consciousness. When you breathe without awareness, the breath is
registered in the posterior brain, but when you are aware that you are
breathing and you are consciously witnessing the whole process, then it is
registered by the conscious brain, the frontal brain.
This difference seems to be very simple, but its
effect is very great. Throughout life, you breathe unconsciously, just like
animals, children and most other people do, excepting for the few who have
started practising yoga. Now, in every case, the pranic flow is being
registered in the posterior brain as if in a computer. The moment you become
aware of your breathing and you begin to conduct and control the breath in a
particular fashion, immediately the frontal brain registers the influence. This
fact has been revealed by scientific experiments and has led us to the
following conclusion. Conscious breathing has an entirely different effect on
the brain than unconscious breathing. Through unconscious breathing we are
definitely able to feed the whole body with prana, but we cannot supply the
brain with sufficient prana for its evolution and growth.
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