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In Vedic philosophy, prana is the vital life-sustaining force and quite comparable to the Chinese notion of energy, called chi (known in other Asian cultures with differing spellings). In Western philosophy, prana is referred to as the life force. The Sanskrit word, prana, means “vital life” and the force is considered one of the five “organs” of vitality or sensation. Prana also means breath. In the Vedic system, the other organs of vitality are:

• Vac (speech)

• Cakus (sight)

• Shotra (hearing)

• Manas (thought, which includes nose, mouth, eyes, ears, and mind, apparently physical eyes rather than “sight,” which is Cakus)

Prana is the foundation for all of the traditional aspects of Indian medicine, known as Ayurveda (discussed below), as well as of yoga itself. It is believed to flow through a network of fine subtle channels in the body called nadis (considered the flow of consciousness). To some extent the nadi concept is similar to the meridians of acupuncture. The most subtle form is breath, but it is also found in blood and in a concentrated form in the semen of men and vaginal fluid of women. Expounded upon in the Upanishads, prana is part of all life, but is not itself the atman or individual soul. In Ayurveda, the sun and sunshine are considered a source of prana.