Prāna
'Another important and physical aspect of yoga practice is prānāyāma, the breathing exercises that extend the patterns of the breath and then unravel the bonds that restrict the internal breath, the prāna. The notion of prāna encompasses far more than simply the air we breathe; it is an intelligence that organizes sensations throughout the body into patterns, and then presents those patterns of feeling and sensation to our awareness. Through the practice of bringing attention to this form of the breath known as prāna, we are observing the sensations that arise in the body as just vibratory sensation or prāna alone. We trace the ends of the breath and observe the transition from inhale to exhale and back again; we become increasingly aware of the internal movements of the patterns of prāna within the body. Initially the breath and then feelings and sensations become the object of our meditation. Therefore, whether your yoga practice consists exclusively of sitting meditation, chanting, āsana, or prānāyāma, you find that the body itself is the medium through which you can discover interconnected avenues of awareness that lead to a direct experience of insight.'
- Richard Freeman, in 'The Mirror of Yoga.'
- Richard Freeman, in 'The Mirror of Yoga.'