Prana is the vital life force that radiates in our bodies and minds.  It is the most basic unit of energy maintaining life.

Prana moves through the body performing distinct functions.  These specific functions consist of 5 vayus which move in a specific way and area in the body.

When practiced with BALANCED ACTION, PROPER ALIGNMENT AND AWARENESS, asana (postures) and pranayama (breathwork) optimize the functioning of these vayus.

On the contrary, if one’s prana is obstructed from flowing properly through the energetic channels – whether physically or mentally – the health of the body breaks down and loses it’s vitality.

Lets look at optimizing prana vayu today…

Optimizing Prana Vayu With Shoulder Loop

Prana vayu functions in the head, neck, and chest region with its seat being in the heart.  It carries out functions of the sensory organs of the head, which has much to do with how we perceive the outside world and therefore how we interact within it.  Prana vayu is the energy of the heart charka.  This energy can be described as “open-hearted”, and the corresponding alignment principle in the body would then relate to the shoulder loop.

In any Anusara yoga class you will greatly begin to deepen your understanding of shoulder loop.  A great exercise for to feel this alignment action is this compare and contrast exercise:

In Tadasana roll your shoulders forward and down with the head slumped forward, palate forward.  Close your eyes and ask yourself how you feel.  The response without fail:  “tired”, “sad”, “depressed”, or “I have no energy”.

Now….

Standing in Tadasana, draw in a deep breath and let the head of your arm bones float up towards the base of your neck.  Keeping  the side bodies lifted and light, exhale and take the palate and head of your arm bones into the posterior plane of your body.  Close your eyes, breathe and feel.  What do you feel?  The unanimous response, “alive”, “happy”, “open”, and “bright”!

Wow, if just engaging this simple loop in the body (shoulder loop) can make this much of a difference in how I feel and experience the world, I want to align with this nature, and infuse this knowledge into my muscle fibers!

From this simple exercise we can experience first hand the benefits of facilitating an optimal flow of prana (prana vayu) thru proper alignment.  There is a direct emotional response that we feel in this mind-body connection.  Our sense organs are awakened and energized.  Happy, bright, open and alive……. THIS is what prana vayu feels like!

Ideally shoulder loop is active in all postures, but should loop can really be engaged deeply in back-bending asanas.  This is why back-bends (when done so in alignment) are also dubbed “natural anti-depressants”.

Finding A Certified Anusara® yoga Instructor

Find a Certified Anusara® yoga instructor in your area here, to further embody and refining your shoulder loop.

Here on Kauai, Anusara® yoga class is offered each Saturday morning at 10 am in Kilauea Farms.