The yogic forceHatha yoga is more effective in unblocking prana than regular exercises as it works at a subtler level by balancing your nadis, says Charles Shahar, a yoga teacher on the occasion of International Yoga Day

It is instructive to recognise how much tension our bodies hang on

to when we experience stress in our daily lives. For instance, we

may be so tight around the shoulders or neck that it will feel almost

like we are wearing a suit of armour. Pressing or gently pinching

these muscles will feel painful. Such tensions can occur anywhere in the body,

from head to toe, but tight muscles are only the most superficial level of blockage

related to stress. Constriction occurs not only at the level of the physical body

but in the subtle body as well. Tensions can block the vital energy or prana.

Yogis describe subtle nerve channels or nadis that criss-cross the body and

maintain the flow of vital fluid throughout the organism. There are tens of

thousands of these nerve currents. When these channels get blocked or become

constricted, prana is impeded or prevented from freely circulating. Aside from

simple muscular tension, all major health issues related to common diseases

have at their root, disturbances in the pranic sheath, the subtle body that

animates and underpins the physical organism, what the Hindu scriptures call

the pranamaya kosha.

Ways to release energyFirst, let’s look specifically at muscular tension due to stress since this is the

most obvious manifestation of blocked prana. There are many ways to free the

vital energy that gets stuck in the pranic sheath, but some methods are more

effective than others. I will make two assumptions in the following analysis that

I am speaking to readers who lead a more refined or spiritual lifestyle, or at

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least are interested in doing so; and that they

are also more refined in their sensibilities, for

example, by avoiding extremes in environments

or people.

Any physical movement, including exercises

such as vigorous walking, jogging, swimming,

and so on, will have the effect of liberating some

of the vital energy that gets bound in areas of

tension. This is why people often feel refreshed

after such activities. They seem to have more

physical energy and exuberance. Interestingly,

exercise is a completely haphazard way of

releasing prana, simply because it does not

take into account what is happening on a

subtler energy level. Moreover, although

exercise will release prana, it may also deplete

one’s vital store if taken too far.

Intensive aerobic exercises, like the classes

offered at any local gym, certainly have the

effect of liberating prana, but they also have

other consequences that a more refined

sensibility may find undesirable. If you are used

to gentler activities, certain types of frenetic,

high-impact exercises have a jarring effect

on the subtle body. From an esoteric point of

view, the consciousness becomes more body

and sense oriented. The loud music and bright

lights add to the harshness of the experience.

Practising hatha yoga is a holistic approach to bring in balance and wellness in one’s life as its benefits extend

well beyond the physical level

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This might not mean much to someone who

is not practising a spiritual lifestyle, but for a

refined soul, such an atmosphere will make

them nervous or unsettled.

Activities such as intensive body-building

can likewise be detrimental from a pranic

perspective. The muscles are trained to

remain tense, creating further pranic knotting.

On the other hand, anything that keeps the

physical body flexible will maintain fluidity of

prana. To this end, stretching exercises are

important, particularly before any rigorous

exercise. Swimming is also beneficial; also,

brisk walking is a fine way to keep fit.

Joggers often say that there is a point in

their activity when they reach a mindless

and euphoric state. Brain chemicals aside,

on a subtler level, energy is getting liberated

in the vital nerve currents. Not only that, but

the kundalini energy, or life force, described

by the yogis, rises up the spine, hitting subtle

channels which trigger a high. No wonder

people get addicted! However, this high soon

dissipates and no expansion of consciousness

takes place, as happens when the kundalini

rises during meditation.

In general, athletes are a healthier group than

the overall population. Their auras are brighter

and they certainly have physical vigour and

stamina. But it is instructive to note that like

most people, they have pranic blockages

and areas of physical tension, and of course,

certain mental and emotional factors also play

a part. Therefore, exercises, while effective

in unblocking some pranic knots, are not the

last word on the subject, although their benefit

is certainly important in terms of keeping the

body toned and fit.

How blockages get builtIn my experience of teaching yoga over many

years, I was sometimes amazed to see how

stiff participants were. Some were in good

shape, had great muscle definition, yet they

struggled to follow the class. I was many years

older than most of them but more supple. I also

taught yoga to nursery school children and

noted that not all were necessarily flexible.

So it is clear that pranic blocking can happen

at any age; and physical exercise, although

having certain advantages, is not necessarily

the most efficient way of promoting pranic

circulation in the body.

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Physical movement is important for freeing up prana. Unblocking prana means unblocking the mind; the two are inseparable realities.

For the person who sits at the job all day and is exposed to

high levels of stress, the cumulative effect of tension can be

devastating. Some type of physical activity, even regularly

going out for short walks or doing small stretching routines,

is important for getting prana circulating again. I am thinking

particularly of people who use computers a lot and build up

a certain amount of frustration, without the possibility of

release. There is tremendous pranic clogging in their systems,

which may manifest anywhere in the body, not just in the neck,

shoulders, or back.

Physical movement is important for freeing up prana. The

activity shifts the energy so that it does not become stuck or

stagnant. This is why active people tend to be more replete with

prana than inactive people. An athlete will have more vitality

than a desk clerk because sedentary work can result in much

blocked energy. However, as I implied, physical movement is not

nearly sufficient for maximising pranic circulation. If this was

the case, active people would have perfectly healthy systems,

free from nervous tension. I am talking about a much more

subtle energy here, which is connected to spiritual development

and not merely to physical activity.

How hatha yoga helpsPerhaps the most sophisticated system for unblocking prana

was developed by the ancient yogis. Hatha yoga involves a

series of postures which are specifically designed to release

the subtle energy currents. Each posture targets specific areas

and releases pranic knots that get built up in the body. Hatha

yoga represents a holistic approach for promoting balance and

wellness, and its benefits extend well beyond the physical level.

I am always amazed at how people look after they experience

a yoga class. They seem to emanate a sheen, a soft light. The

subtle body has become so expanded and energised that this is

visible even with physical sight.

Contrary to what some Western practitioners believe, Hatha

yoga is not just a way of achieving physical relaxation and

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flexibility. Every posture is an exercise in

concentration, a focussing of prana or energy.

Hatha yoga itself is ultimately a technique

to promote meditation and to help the mind

achieve shanti or inner peace. The ancient

yogis realised long ago that the body temple

needs to be purified if the mind is to reach a

state of transcendence. Unblocking prana

means unblocking the mind; the two are

inseparable realities.

The two nadis and peak experienceWhat do I mean by that? The yogis distinguished

between two major nadis, or subtle nerve

channels—the Ida and the Pingala. In the

ancient yogic texts, they are referred to as

chandra nadi or the channel of the moon,

and surya nadi or the channel of the sun,

respectively. They have an opposite effect on

the organism. The flow of prana through the

Pingala is activating, whereas that through

the Ida can be thought of as a dampening

force. Through certain breathing exercises

or pranayama, we can balance these two

fundamental currents of prana. Alternate

nostril breathing, for instance, is highly

effective in reaching this equilibrium.

When we balance Ida and Pingala, the two fundamental undercurrents of prana, through pranayama, the

dormant Kundalini Shakti gets aroused

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When an optimal state of balance is attained, the mind becomes suspended,

and the thoughts recede into the background of one’s attention. This is the

first stage of deep meditation, when the mind enters into a calm, yet highly

aware state. One experiences a profound lucidity in such moments. Note

that this state is very unlike sleep, in which the Ida nadi is dominant. It is also

not at all like the typical waking state, throughout which, under the influence

of the Pingala nadi, the mind remains restless and fidgety.

How it worksWhen the flows of the Ida and Pingala are perfectly balanced, the kundalini

energy, which was previously lying dormant and coiled at the base of the

spine, is aroused. As the kundalini energy gets opened, its ascent begins up

the spinal pranic channel or Sushumna, the third major nadi, described in

the yogic texts. As it rises, it pierces the chakras or energy centres, each of

which represent a different loka or plane of awareness. When the kundalini

finally blows through the seventh chakra or Sahasrara, the consciousness

transcends space and time, and the sense of individuality dissolves.

This type of peak experience cannot be attained simply by engaging in

physical activities, and it goes far beyond the question of freeing the body

from physical tension. Although people do get high at times performing

exercises such as jogging—and this might be due to a certain ‘kundalini

rush’—it is still tied to the pleasure centres of the lower chakras. It does

not nearly approach the transcendental experience that deep meditation

can provide. The more that yoga and pranayama are practised, the more

purified the subtle nerve channels become and the deeper the meditative

states attained.

We welcome your comments and suggestions on

this article. Mail us at editor@lifepositive.net

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