Learn Prana & Apana Building Breath

Prana as it relates to the pathways of life force, is considered the energy of the head and is gathered from the heavens, or the energy above you. PRANA vayu is responsible for the INTAKE.

It moves downward and inward, providing the basic energy that drives us in life. It is primarily located in the head, lungs and heart. Imbalances in Prana flow can show up as anxiety, fear, anger (head); breathlessness, asthma, sleep apnea (lungs); heart palpitations or stroke (heart).

Apana as it relates to the pathways of life force, is considered downward energy and is gathered into the lower abdomen and base of the spine and carried down through the legs to connect to earth’s core. APANA vayu is responsible for elimination. It moves down and out and also helps retain things in. It is primarily located in the lower abdomen and is associated with functions of elimination, reproduction and bone health (regulating the absorption and retaining of minerals). Imbalances in Apana flow can show up as constipation/diarrhea; IBS; menstrual problems, sexual issues; bone density issues. A daily practice of gathering these two life forces helps sustain our energies from the two great sources above and below us, helping to support us both physically and mentally.

This video explains and demonstrates Prana and Apana building breathing. Additional written information is available here. If you are already familiar with Prana and Apana, you may wish to skip to the next video.

Duration: Approximately 8 minutes