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just as one experiences the state of dream or sleep. When the pranic energy is awakened, it circulates to these dark areas of consciousness. Then the inner city is illumined and the soul is reborn into a new dimension of existence, a new area of experience.
This process, however, takes place gradually. First, the body is rendered subtle and pure through yogic practices, and transformed into a yogic body. The very physical molecules in the body are altered, and the pranic and mental forces undergo a metamorphosis. This is achieved through the purification of the nadis, which enables the pranas to awaken. The awakened pranas then gradually illumine the whole consciousness.
Purifying the pranic body: All yogic practices purify the pranas, but pranayama is considered the principal among these. In the Yoga Sutras (2:52) Maharshi Patanjali states "Thence the covering of the light is destroyed", with reference to the effects of pranayama. This covering is the residue of tamas and rajas, and through pranayama the sattwic nature of the chitta shines forth. Tamas and rajas exist in the form of blockages in the nadis. These blockages may be caused by disease, tension, accumulation of impurities, negative thoughts or samskaras, mental patterns lodged in the subconscious and unconscious. Just as the nadis are not physical but
s, the blockages too are pranic and may be experienced, but not quantified.
The thoughts and vrittis, mental formations and modifications, exist in the mind and consciousness as energy waves. Therefore, they influence the energy patterns in the nadis directly and inherently. Depending on the nature of a thought or vritti, the respective nadis as well as the chakras, elements and doshas are affected, creating a spiralling effect throughout the energy network. If the thoughts are left unchecked, the energy system will be depleted over time. In this way the negative thought patterns and vrittis are reinforced and the mind is weakened. For this reason it is difficult to free oneself of obsessions and samskaras.
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| SR No. | 009371 |
| Book Title | Pran and Pranayam |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Niranjananand Saraswati Swami |
| Publisher | Yoga Publication Trust |
| Publication Year | 2009 |
| Total Pages | 369 |
| Language | Hindi |
| Classification | Book_Devnagari |
| File Size | 11 MB |