Breathing & Pranayama

Pranayama means control of Prana. Prana is the magnetic current of breathing.

Prana is the vehicle of the mind, The mind cannot function without Prana. That is why the consciousness, which expresses itself through the mind, cannot perceive or function without Prana.

Two things make the mind errant: desires produced by the latent impressions of the sentiments, and (2) the breath. When one is controlled, the other is controlled automatically. Of these two, we have to first control the breath.

The breathing process creates images in the mind. When breathing becomes tranquil, the mind becomes calm. With Pranayama the pulsations of the Prana are controlled and the mind becomes calm.

The process by which Prana is controlled through the regulation of the breath is called Pranayama.