by Donna Quesada: This article—the eighth in my series on Kundalini Yoga’s 10 Bodies—focuses on the “Eighth Body of Light,” which is The Pranic Body.
According to the teachings of Kundalini Yoga, the Self is not just a body, but rather, 10 Bodies, which includes the actual physical body, six energetic bodies, and three mental bodies. The Pranic Body is one of the energetic bodies.
Altogether, the 10 Bodies are different aspects of our consciousness, all of which work together to cultivate our character, our state of being, the way we see the world, our sense of wholeness, and ultimately, our capacity for fulfillment and joy. To put it simply, when our 10 Bodies are aligned, we feel at ease, we feel capable, and we feel balanced.
The Pranic Body is our life force. It drives the energy through our physical body. There is an indelible link and dependency between the pranic and the physical body. These two bodies maintain their connection through the act of breathing.
Yogis have traditionally attributed their ability to heal themselves and to live long and healthy lives, to their disciplined practice of pranayama, which is popularly described as “breath control.” Although, with hundreds of variations of pranayama, all of which work on our nervous system in different ways, and toward different ends, “breathing exercises” may be a better way to translate this discipline.
Besides supporting our physical health, a strong Pranic Body also contributes to a strong emotional system and even quells common emotional upsets and imbalances, such as fears, depression, anxiety and anger.
I can attest to the power of the breath with several personal stories. Here, I’ll share two: One of which exemplifies the efficacy of breath-work on the physical body, and the other, which shows its benefit on the emotional system.
This first example features my own experience. It happened when I was in my first year of university… a panic attack. I could feel myself getting hot behind the neck. My heart was racing. I needed to get to the door, but I was in the middle of the aisle and it would’ve been difficult to step over people’s things. The professor had just started a movie, and I wasn’t sure if I’d make it without passing out. I felt fear in the rawest sense. The feeling was strangely both new and familiar at the same time. Something similar had happened before, but I didn’t yet have the language to define it, nor the tools to extinguish it with confidence.
But I had taken singing lessons as a girl, and I knew how to do diaphragmatic breathing. Instinctively, I began inhaling huge, deep breaths, as if my life depended on it, and then holding it in, while bring down, as deeply as I could… to the bottom of my lungs. I exhaled slowly and fully, then did it again, and again. At some point, I knew I was going to be alright. Without yet knowing it, I was doing pranayama. And I saved myself.
In the second example, one of my students—whom I had gotten to know pretty well throughout the course of two semesters, shared with me his recent struggle with high blood pressure. It was a new thing for him, and he knew why. He was in the middle of a stressful relationship breakup, and had been struggling with intense anxiety that had affected his sleep and digestion, as well. In between doctor visits, he took advantage of the self-test machine at the drugstore, which gave him a reading of 138 over 80.
He remembered the “4-7-8” breath that I had demonstrated in class one day, so he tried it before testing himself again. The second reading was 123 over 74. It had come down measurably, just from doing the breathing exercise!… he reported. This went on for some time, and on every occasion, he was able to bring his blood pressure down by several points, just by doing a few rounds of this technique.
By the way, this breathing technique, which is described below, is excellent for sleeping, as well.
By practicing conscious, purposeful breathing, we are able to optimize and modulate the flow of prana through the body, regulate our nervous system, and support the overall health of our physical body in quite a miraculous way.
The simple 4-7-8 Breath:
1. Inhale deeply for FOUR counts through the nose.
2. Hold the breath for SEVEN counts.
3. Exhale for EIGHT counts through the mouth.
The 4-7-8 Breath: Health Benefits & Demonstration
