Prana: it's not a big deal. Just breathe.

Woman blowing on dandelion
(Image by Artem Beliaikin)   Details   DMCA

This 2,500 year old quote is describing how breath is also the movement of Prana. We allow Prana to move through us and animate us through yogic breathing or conscious breathing. Think of Prana as the life force. It stimulates and activates the chakras.

Conscious / yogic breathing is the practice of bringing our attention to our breath. To practice this, breathe in through the nose to a slow count of four, hold 1,2,3 then exhale through your mouth 1,2,3 for a complete breath. Repeat 30 times.That's it.

Make this a practice, see what happens, share what happens. It doesn't matter who we are or what we think about anything or what we think about ourselves or the world or our lives. There is no judgment in this practice, nothing negative. Breathing is just breathing It opens us to Tao.

But Prana requires our breath to move through us.

Here is the ancient quote:

In transporting the breath the inhalation must be full. Where it is full, it has big capacity. Where it has big capacity, it can be extended. When it is extended it can penetrate downward. When it penetrates downward it will become calmly settled. When it is calmly settled it will be strong and firm.When it is strong and firm it will germinate. When it germinates it will grow, When it grows it will reach the top of the head. The secret power of Providence moves above. The secret power of the earth moves below. He who follows this will live. He who acts against it will die.

- 500 BCE Zhou Dynasty stone inscription

Footnote: "He" is "we".