My Notes on PRANA VIDYA by Swami Satyananda Saraswati and Niranjananada Saraswarti

DEFINITIONS
- Prana Vidya means the science of Life Force.
- Prana vidya also means the knowledge of the life force. (Vidya means meditation or Knowledge)

HISTORY
- Reference to Prana Vidya can be found in the Upanishads back to 500 BC
- In addition, unlike pranayama which is more or less standard methodology, the scope of prana vidya is much wider

SWAMI SATYANANDA'S APPROACH
“Swami Satyananda’s approach to prana vidya was based on tantra. He used the science of chakras, nadis and mantras to identify, and influence the energy patterns in the body.”

RESULTS
- Greater vitality
- Healing
- Shifts in mental patterns
- “Gradually the aspirant would experience prana as pure light concsiousness. In the final stage, the practice would become the pathway for merging with mahaprana, the cosmic energy.” p, x

TWO BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE UNIVERSE
- energy and consciousness
- Prana shakti and Citta Shakti
- They are opposite poles of the same principles.
- Tantra works on the principle that expansion of consciousness is specifically brought about by the liberation of energy. If there is no liberation of energy then the evolution of consciousness is not possible.
- Awakening of prana= the liberation of energy)  are the key to superconscious states

AIMS
- Prana Vidya (and Tantra) aim to release prana shakti from the body
- Individual life force is part of universal prana
- In Prana Vidya, using intense concentration, one-pointed awareness and visualizations, psychic energy is circulated through specific pranic channels in the body. After some time, this generates vast amounts of prana shakti

“Prana vidya progressively develops awareness an control over the field of prana to such an extent that it brings about an awakening of that great potential which lies dormant within the depths of one’s being. “ p, 4


“One must focus and retain the prana, with the help of the mind, in vital points.  For one who does pratyahara, drawing the prana from one point to another, all diseases are destroyed.  For him yoga attains fruition.” - Yoga Yaknavalkya (7:20-1)

PANCHA KOSHA SYSTEM - 5 DIMENSIONS OF EXISTENCE
- Human Beings are capable of experiencing 5 dimensions of existence which are called pancha koshas.  In prana vidya one is concerned with the pranic body which consists of chakras, energy plexuses, and nadis, energy channels.


BASICS OF PRANA VIDYA PRACTICE
- PV is an exceptionally subtle, yet powerful practice that requires patience, intense concentration and refined perception
- It begins with techniques to awaken dormant prana in the pranic body at mooladhara.  Then the storage center is manipura and the distribution center is ajna.
- Pingala nadi is the main nadi used for raising prana.  Circulating prana through pingala awakens and expands this solar energy. So one needs to become adept at techniques that incorporate pingala nadi
- A beginner should not use ida nadi to raise prana because it is the channel for introverting flow

PRANAYAMA TO PRANA VIDYA
- Pranayama is a stepping stone that leads one to Prana Vidya
- According to Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras - pranayama is said to activate the psychic centers and to create a condition in the brain by which the inherent psychic faculties are released  As a result the mind becomes fit for concentration.
- With regular practice, pranayama cultivates a deeper longer breath and the ability to retain the breath effortlessly.
- Ujjayi pranayama is a tranquilizing pranayama used throughout prana vidya
- Ujjayi pranayama is know as the psychic breath since it leads to very subtle states of mind and psychic sensitivity
- Ujjayi can be practiced from any position: standing, sitting or prone.
- When ujjayi is used it meditation it is performed through both nostrils with natural inhalation and exhalation and kumbaka is omitted
- By systematically moving the awareness and breath through the different parts of the body, the mind gradually becomes sensitized to the flow of energy.

MAPPING THE BODY
- To fully understand and direct the flow of prana, it is necessary to have a thorough knowledge of the inner functioning of the body.  This detailed knowledge of the body is essential for successful practice of Prana Vidya

BENEFITS
- Swami Satyananda said the full benefits of prana vidya are experienced once complete mastery has been gained over the flow of prana.  When this happens the entire body-mind is completely revitalized to such an extent that there is a sense of being reborn

MEDITATION AND PRANA VIDYA
- The mind is connected to a huge reservoir of power but this reservoir is usually blocked
- The process of meditation is a continuous process that releases mental tensions and unlocks blocked energy
- Prana Vidya is a meditation practice on the vital life force within the body.
- It is a complete sadhana in itself and has the power to take one from pratyahara to deep states of meditation
- Prana Vidya harmonizes the pranas, controls the vagaries of the mind, expands the pranic capacity, develops the ability to control prana and in so doing, directs the awareness into deeper spheres of one’s own being

ORIGIN OF DISEASE
- According to the ancient yogic tests, the physical body depends on prana for health and wellbeing
- Gross forms of prana (food, water, and air) are needed by the physical body
- Refined forms of body are used by the sublte bodies
- The prana in the body has five forms (pancha prana): prana, apana, samana, vyana, and udana
- In the Yoga Vasistha (v. 712- 720) explains that imblanced prana leads to physical disease through improper digestion
- Diseases that have their origin in the mind and manifest in the boydy are known as psychosomatic disorders.
- Diseases that arise first in the body and then travel to the mind are called somatopsychic diseases
- Hatha yoga and tantra describe and prescribe techniques for both pyschosomatic and somatopsychic illnesses
- In yoga, the hypothesis is that all diseases are ultimately caused by improper distribultion of prana in the physical body. Even those diseases regarded as psychological in nature are actually caused by imbalance in pranic distribution

CHAKRAS AND PRANA

Visshddhi Chakra
- Vishuddhi distributes prana to the eues, nose, throat, thyroid, parathyroid, thymus and other organs and glands in that area
- There is an improper distribution in the thyroid, emotional symptoms occur
- Many emotional complexes and problems are directly caused by hypo or hyperthyroidism, even when a diseases condition is not clinically evident

Manipura Chakra
- This is the main distribution center for the digestive system and the adrenal glands that produce the hormone adrenaline
- Improper distribution of prana from manipura chakra to the adrenal glands can result in fear psychosis, as well as, somatic diseases such as colitis and hepatitis

Swadisthanana
- This is the distribution center for the urogenital organs including the uterus, ovaries kidnets urethra, and bladder
- Improper distribution of prana in these particular organs can create frigidity or impotence


PRANIC HEALING

- “Just as the impurities of metals are burnt after being blown (by fire), similarly the abnormalities of the organs are removed by controlling prana.” - Brihadyogi Yajnavalkya Smriti (8:30)

- In the Apollo Glenagles Hospital in Kolkata pranic healing is part of a holistic approach in cancer trearment

- Different names for pranic healing can be: prana vidya, medica qigong, psychic healing, reiki, therapeutic touch, laying of hands, magnetic healing, faith healing and charismatic healing, etc,
In yoga the pranic body is detailed in terms of koshas, chakras and nadis
Pranic healers generally use their hands to scan the patient’s body to sense the location of the pranic imblance which has resulted in illness and to direct the subtle parana to facilitate healing.  The techniques very but the common remedy is to energize the deficient areas, cleanse the excessive areas and if needed, remove restrictive blockages

Reiki
- Dr. Mikao Usui moulded a seven-level tantric teaching into what has become the modern-day healing technique known as reiki
- Rei is the japanese word meaning universal and ki is life force

Therapeutic Touch
- With our ten-fold fingered hands, with our tongue that precedes the voice, with these two healers of disease we stroke you with gentle touch

Malaysian pranic healing
- Laying on of hands
- Often involves percussive music with a steady four beat rhythm which brings trance state which is equivalent to theta brain waves found in deep meditaiton.  This is also the ultimate frequency for pain relief.

Transmission of Energy

Vedic Education
- Mantras and spiritual education in Atharva Veda

Traditional Pranic Healers in India
-They are called ojha
-They will often scan the body using their sensitivity to detect energetic disturbances that give rise to illness and disease
- Once diagnosed, they manipulate the subtle energy to cleanse, activate and realign the pranic body
- For healing to take place the patient needs to have complete trust and confidence in the healer and the healer’s ability to heal
- If there is no faith pranic healers usually refuse treatment

KUSHA GRASS METHOD
-Though the medium of the kusha grass, the psychic healer uses his prana to feel the psychic illness in the child
-The grass is passed over the body from top of the head down to the feet and then down the left and right sides of the baby until the grass stops itself of the unwell area

EVIL EYE
-To diagnose the influence of the evil eye, the healer makes a concoction of burning charcol, red chilies and mustard seeds and puts in iron vessel near the patient.  IF the patient does not sneeze or cough the problem is said to be because of the evil eye

KARMIC ILLNESSES
-Some diseases are diagnosed as the result of karma
- Then family and community must help on the healing

VIBHOOTI
-Cow dung or sacred ash is sometimes used
- If healing takes place the person is asked to never return

DISPOSAL OF TOXIC ENERGY
- After pranic healing the healer must dispose of toxic energy

ANCIENT WISDOM
- To be effective the healers must understand the different types of illness and their causes
- Treatment mostly involves various upward, downward, left, right or circular passes with the hands or blowing the prana with the breath
- Purification practices may include rising early each morning, performing nadi shuddhi, practiscing mouna silence and observing a simple diet.
- Traditionally healers are not supposed to charge

Prana Pratishta
- Establishing the prana or infusing life into an insentient object

SIGNIFICANCE OF MANTRA
- In Tantra, the 50 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet are related to the psychical and psychic centers of the boy
The power of mantra effects prana and prana heals the body and transforms the mind

EVIDENCE OF PRANIC BODY
- 1970s, Dr. Valerie Hunt at UCLA recorded aura from the body’s surgace
- Studies have also revealed that sound as well as color were produced by a particular frequency of energy vibrations

NADIS AND CHAKRAS
- Dr. Motoyama was written that acupuncture and yogic concepts of nadis have the same foundation

- “Yogis, seers and healers have laid out maps by which we can raise our own level of energy and directly perceive the force of the universe.  The work of researchers is helping to verify these ancient claims.  However, while science may explore and make the proof of energy available via machines, we ca tap the essence only by direct experience which comes from practice.” p. 53


GUIDANCE
 - It is necessary to have guidance for the awakening of prana shakti
- A guru or teacher should be present while the technique is learned
- The awakening of energy is sometimes experienced as terrible pain in some part of the body which suddenly shoots up to the brain.  Although, sometimes it is an intensely pleasurable experience.

SELFLESSNESS
- Refrain from all selfish motives with regard to helping others
- It is important not to accept anything in return for psychic healing
- “Neither gold nor silver, neith cloths nor food, nothing can be accepted.” - Tantra Shastras


SYSTEMATIC APPROACH
- Do it in the right order and don’t rush the process

TIME OF PRACTICE
- Early in the morning before sunrise between 4am and 6am

PLACE
- Calm and peaceful place without disturbances


POSTURE
- meditative posture that is comfortable or in shavasana

AWARENESS
- Maintain awareness throughout the practice and don’t fall asleep

CLOTHING
- Loose and comfortable without constrictions made of natural fibers like cotton or wool

METAL
- Remove all metal while practicing like rings, watches, glasses, etc.

POST PRACTICE DISORIENTATION
- Not move the body or open the eyes immediately after practice
- Externalize yourself

RETURNING PRANA FROM AJNA
- make sure at the practice the prana is returned to mooladhara

LOSS OF PERSONAL PRANA
- One should feel themselves as the instrument not the doer of the pranic healing

DISEASE TRANSFER
- Sometimes disease is transferred from patient to healer

NEED FOR DISCRIMINATION
- Use discrimination when applying prana vidya

ESSENTIAL PREPARATION FOR PRANA VIDYA
- Prana Vidya requires receptivity and sensitivity to prana, proficiency in pranayama, the ability to visualize prana, and thorough knowledge of the psychical body
- Hatha Yoga Asanas, Pranayama, Bandhas, Mudras
- Yoga Nidra
- Prana Nidra
- Kaya Sthairyam (Body Steadiness)
- Japa (mantra repetition)