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The most familiar form of yoga practiced in the West is Hatha Yoga, which is a combination of physical postures (asana), breath work (pranayama), meditation (dhyana), and relaxation. There are many different styles, or expressions, of Hatha Yoga. In fact, there are so...
The number 108 is considered an auspicious, or sacred, number. For this reason, a traditional japa mala, or prayer garland, has 108 beads. It’s also why many practitioners take on the challenge of 108 sun salutations during the summer and winter solstice. Across many cultures and traditions, 108 is seen as a symbol of wholeness, unity, and the totality of all that exists. In yoga, it’s woven deeply into our practices and teachings. Read more for a glimpse into why 108 is considered so sacred.
The doshas are the three primary mind-body constitutions in Ayurveda, the 5,000-year-old sister science to yoga. Ayurveda teaches that everything in the universe is composed of five elements: earth, water, air, fire, and space (also called ether). These elements combine in different ways to form the three doshas: vata, pitta, and kapha.
Hatha Yoga is the branch of physical yoga. The practice of Hatha Yoga brings about steady posture, health, and lightness of the body, dealing with the physical aspects of the body. Hatha Yoga is the most familiar yoga practice in the West. It is described in the...
Tantra yoga involves the philosophy that explains the creation and existence of the universe and everything in it. While many mistakenly believe that Tantra yoga is the practice of sexual acts in a spiritual manner, Tantra yoga actually involves “a deeper...
Raja Yoga is the royal branch of yoga. It is rooted in meditation, but encompasses all forms of yoga. Also known as Ashtanga Yoga, or the eight limbs of yoga, Raja yoga is a comprehensive practice with an aim of transcending the thoughts of the mind. Raja Yoga is the...
Bhakti Yoga is the branch of devotion. It integrates a spiritual aspect to yoga. That spirituality can take the form of religion or a connection to God, nature, love, or a higher power. At its essence, Bhakti Yoga helps us to realize our connection to all that...
Karma Yoga is often described as the yoga of action and selfless service. It asks us to engage fully in life—doing, working, giving—without the expectation of reward or recognition. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna reminds us: :Work alone is your privilege, never the fruits thereof. Never let the fruits of action be your motive; and never cease to work” Read more…
By Jennifer French In the Yoga Sutras, one of yoga’s most sacred and oft referenced texts, Patanjali tells us that our “practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break, and in all earnestness.*” When I think on firmly grounded, I...
Jnana Yoga is the branch of knowledge, wisdom, introspection, and contemplation. The study of classical texts, such as the Bhagavad Gita, Mahabrata, Ramayana, the Vedas, and the Upanishads form the basis of Jnana Yoga. It is important to understand, however, that...
For the majority of Westerners, yoga begins with the physical asana (posture) and pranayama (breathing) practice. For this reason, in the West yoga has come to be loosely defined as primarily a physical practice. But the reality is,...
Udana vayu, also known as “ascending air,” is the prana vayu that directs prana from the lower chakras to the upper chakras. This upward-moving energy carries the awakened kundalini—our dormant spiritual energy—through the chakras as it ascends, facilitating a deeper connection to higher consciousness. Udana vayu is primarily located between the heart and the head, where it governs our ability to express ourselves and communicate clearly.
Vyana vayu, often called “omnipresent air,” is the prana vayu that integrates and coordinates the other four vayus—prana, apana, samana, and udana. Unlike the other vayus, which are associated with specific areas of the body, vyana vayu is present throughout the entire body and even extends outward, influencing the energy field or aura surrounding us. Vyana vayu is the glue that holds the other energies together.
Samana vayu, often called “balancing air,” is the prana vayu that sits at the intersection of prana (the inward/upward-moving energy) and apana (the outward/downward-moving energy). This central force unites the two energies, creating balance in both body and mind. Located at the navel, samana vayu governs agni, the digestive fire, which is the fire of purification. When prana and apana unite within samana, agni burns optimally, supporting the body’s ability to assimilate and process what it receives.
Apana is the prana vayu that governs the downward and outward flow of energy from the body. It is the energy of release, responsible for physical elimination, as well as the release of mental and emotional waste. Apana vayu plays a crucial role in keeping us clear, balanced, and grounded.
The yoga practice is designed to promote a feeling of calm, peace, and equanimity. The movements are fluid and synched to the breath. The mind finds relative ease and less distraction. The atmosphere is usually relaxing. While the environment in which we practice yoga...
The individual prana vayu, not to be confused with the entire category of prana vayus, represents the specific movement of prana, or life force, inward into the body. Prana vayu governs the intake of energy through breath, food, drink, and even through mental and sensory perceptions.
The prana vayus are the five movements or functions of prana, or life force. The word “vayu” literally means “wind.” These five prana vayus—prana vayu, apana vayu, samana vayu, udana vayu, and vyana vayu—govern different areas of the body. When balanced and flowing freely, they promote health and vitality, helping us unlock our fullest potential.
“A system to lead the aspirant to pure consciousness. The entire universe is the manifestation of this consciousness and the human being is a miniature universe that parallels the whole of the external manifestation.”
– Sri Swami Rama, founder of the Himalayan Institute
“By cultivating attitudes of friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and disregard toward the wicked, the mind-stuff retains its undisturbed calmness.”