Preksha Dhyana Perception of Breathing

Author(s): Mahapragna Acharya
Publisher: Jain Vishva Bharati

Page 17

Breath is intimately associated with prāna, which is the kinetic form of paryāpti, i.e. the potential vital energy. This is inherent in the basic life-substances formed at the very first moment of conception in the womb! It is well-known that when we breathe in, we inhale oxygen which is essential for life. Oxygen is delivered to each cell of the body to generate vital energy. Thus one needs nourishment supplied by prāna. To breath is to live and to keep alive one must inhale and assimilate prāna without break. Inhalation and assimilation are virtually non-stop throughout life. Thus, in the ultimate, breath is the only efficient means of providing prāna which is essential for generating vital energy. Process of breathing is the powerful medium of generating vital energy. It is continuous and constant. Thus breath is connected to vital energy which is connected to subtle life force which is, in turn, connected with subtle microbody (karma śarīra)
Process of Breathing
· Fresh air, inhaled in the lungs, contains oxygen (prāņavā yu) which enters the blood-stream and is delivered to the cells in the active tissues. Cells use the oxygen to produce energy. Thus breathing is a source of vital energy. The animation of the entire organism, that is each and every activity of life, needs energy. Functioning of sense organs, brain, intellect, speech and bodily movements are all powered by energy. Flow of bio-energy is the source of power for all activities. Only the vital bio-energy is capable of animating sense-organs, brain and body which would remain inanimate otherwise.
Controlled and conscious breathing, as in śvāsa-prekşā (perception of breath), is the source of still greater power. Most demonstrations of strength by feats such as driving of a car or a truck over one's chest are nothing but canalized and concentrated bio-energy produced by properly-controlled conscious breathing. The deeper and slower is the breathing, the greater is the production and availability of energy. The soul, the conscious element of the psychic existence, possesses infinite vitality and power. Since
1. See for detailed discussion of prāna and parkāpti the booklet no. XI in the
present series in Hindi