The Five Vayus of Pranamaya Kosha

The Five Vayus

 When understanding the five Vayus, we have to first understand that we have an astral body or subtle body, made up of Prana that underlies our physical body, this is called 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐚 𝐊𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐚〰️𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲, 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐚 𝐊𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐚, 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭, 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐚𝐤𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞. 𝐀𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐚 𝐊𝐨𝐬𝐡𝐚. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩 𝐚 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲.

We can think of Prana as a life force of vital energy permeating through our subtle body, much like blood and lymph flow through our physical body, only we can't see Prana which can often make it more challenging to understand. Prana has an intelligence that instructs our senses and is responsible for powering the body to move and the mind to think. Prana is categorised into the five Vayus (translated to ‘winds’). The management of this Prana is very much a part of our yoga practice. Yoga asana, pranayama and kriya are used to balance our five Vayus of Prana. The five Vayus of Prana each have unique energetic qualities and directional flow to them. When the five Vayus are in harmony they're responsible for vibrant life force, vitally and longevity.

Prana Vayu directionally is an inward and upward flow of vital energy, considered the most fundamental of all the Vayus. It is responsible for respiration and it is situated in the head, heart and lungs. Physically Prana Vayu is responsible for inhaling, eating, drinking and swallowing. Mentally Prana Vayu is all about our five senses and what we are taking in through these. When Prana Vayu is healthy there will be mindful consumption of food and drinks and an ease to breath, a healthy connection to being able to bring focus inward and not relying upon external stimulus. When Prana Vayu is out of balances or weak, there will be a tendency to mindlessly consume both physically and mentally, there will be an over stimulus to create a distracted mind.

Working with Prana Vayu:

Inhale: Visualise your breath moving upwards as a white light, inhale through nose and really notice the quality of the air coming in, the sensation created in the nostrils, as your draw breath down to lungs notice the sensation created within the body.

Exhale: Exhale gently keeping breath in the body, let your breath diffuse throughout your entire body, cleansing and decluttering.

Prana Vayu is rising energy responsible for growth and renewal.

Backbends

Standing Asana

Savasana

Meditation

Breath Work

Apana Vayu directionally is an outward and downward flow of Prana. Physically Apana Vayu is located in the pelvic floor, abdomen area and is related to elimination, menstruation and child birth. Similarly, on a mental level, Apana Vayu is related to elimination - our ability to let go of memories, past thoughts and difficulties - a form of purging of the mind and the ability to be present. When Apana Vayu is healthy we will have effective digestive elimination, a healthy cycle with the ability to conceive (for women), being able to deal with difficulties, work through them and release. When Apana Vayu is weak, we will have poor digestive elimination, constipation or diarrhoea. Mentally there will be a tendency towards living in the past, holding onto difficulties and memories and having a propensity to be a worrywart. 

Working with Apana Vayu:

Inhale: Inhale through the nose and observe as the breath travels to the base of spine to pelvic floor

Exhale: Exhale through mouth and feel for breath exiting pelvic floor through legs and feet, connecting you to the earth and the solidity this provides.

Apana Vayu is grounding as energy is movng downwards.

Standing poses

 Seated forward folds and seated twists

Kapalabhati pranayama

Practicing presence

Breath Work

 Vyana Vayu is the flow of prana from the centre of the body to the periphery. It is situated in the heart and lungs and flows through the entire body. Physically Vyana vayu is related to the circulation of food, water, lymph, blood and oxygen thus supporting all other vayus. On a mental level Vyana vayu is all about thinking outside the box, being able to question with discernment and the ability to express emotions and thoughts freely. When Vyana is healthy, circulation will be strong and there will be an ability to ebb and flow through life creatively and expressively. When Vyana is weak, circulation will be poor and there will disconnection to emotions, difficulty with self-expression and a rigidity both physically and mentally.

Working wirth Vyana Vayu:

Inahle: Inhale through nose and direct breath into all the crevices within the heart, the centre of your being.

Exhale: Exhale through the nose and visualise your breath moving from heart outward to every cell within your body and then moving out beyond your skin.

Lateral side bends

Sun Salutations

Backbends

Savasana

Breath Work

Udana Vayu is the flow of prana moving upward and circular and is loocated in the throat, head and neck. On a physical level this vayu is all about bodily growth and upwards movements. On a mental level Udana vayu is all about drive and figuratively moving in an upwards direction in life. When Udana vayu is healthy and in balance there will be a willingness to move out of comfort zones, general enthusiasm and to strive for personal growth. When Udana vayu is weaker or out of balance there will be likelihood to settle, to shy away from challenges, to enjoy the comfort zone and become stagnant. This stagnation can manifest physically also. Udana Vayu can become overactive and show up as arrogance and over association with ego.

Working with Udana Vayu:

Inahle: Inhale through the nose but visualise this breath coming up from the earth, through feet, legs, spine, chest, thraot, third eye and crown of head

Exhale: Through the nose and continue the breath continuing up and out of the crown of your head to the sky

Inhale: as first inhale

Exhale: Exhale through nose and allow breath to circulate through the throat

Backbends

Pranayama

Jalandhara bhanda

Samana Vayu direction of prana is flowing from the periphery to the centre of the body and is located in abdomen with energy stored in navel. We can think of Samana Vayu as utilising all that we have ingested; physically, mentally and emotionally.  Samana Vayu is responsible for digesting and utilising food, water and nutrients before elimination takes place. Similarlry on a mental level the role of Samana Vayu is to digest information; find the truth and eliminate the non-relevant, using these experiences as a tool for learning and growth. When Samana Vayu is healthy there will be no issues with the utilisation of foods consumed and a healthy relationship with cognitive function, learning and growing from experiences.

Working with Samana Vayu;

Inhale: Inhale through the nose and direct breath to naval area, letting that air fill out to the entirety of the torso, back, front and sides.

Exhale: Exhale through the nose and keep directing breath evenly around the torso area

Abdominal work

Forward folds

Arm balances

Twists

The Five vayus are working independently and unified, they are our life force moving through our body and require our attention. As there is such an importance on the physicality of life, having awareness of the five vayus in your arsenal is another tool you can use for self-awareness, healing and growth. Guiding yourself to a unity of body, mind and spirit. A cosmic recieving and releasing of energy.