Where there is energy, there is prana, the universal life force that exists everywhere. Any form of energy is considered prana, including heat, light, electricity, and gravity. Prana is the prime mover of all activity; it is life and consciousness. The most obvious manifestation of prana is our breath. Each day, we take more than 20,000 breaths, but how often do we notice the life force that animates our being?
Keep Reading
Where's Deepak
Sep 3 Sydney, Australia
Sep 5 Melbourne, Australia
Sep 8 Perth, Australia
Sep 15-19 New York City
Sep 19 Sacramento, CA
Pass the Prana!
Share this issue of Namasté and be entered in a drawing to win a Chopra Center Peace shirt for yourself and a friend! When three of your friends, family members, or co-workers subscribe to Namasté, you will be entered in the drawing.
The contest ends Sept 20, so forward this today! The winner will be announced in the October issue of Namasté.Forward to a friend here
Living Perfect Health
Lack of vital energy is a problem that usually defies conventional allopathic medicine. In most cases, if you go to a doctor complaining of nagging fatigue and a flagging enthusiasm for life, you will have a series of blood tests to rule out the diseases that sometimes cause these symptoms. The chances are high that the tests will come back normal and your physician will be unable to diagnose your problem. Ayurveda offers a natural approach to healing fatigue that goes beyond the limitations of modern medicine. Read more
What We're Reading
Science and the Akashic Field: An Integral Theory of Everything
by Ervin Laszlo
Led By Faith: Rising from the Ashes of the Rwandan Genocide
by Immaculée Ilibagiza
The Real Me: Awakening Your True Self, Positive Affirmations for Empowering Your Life
by Sandra Chimenti
What We're Eating
Fresh Pesto and Almonds
Our recipe can be found here
Words of Wisdom
“Prayer is nothing but inhaling and exhaling the One Breath or Spirit of the universe.”
~Hildegarde Von Bingen
“Love is anterior to life, posterior to death, initial of creation, and the exponent of breath.”
~Emily Dickinson
Chopra Center Spotlight
This month our Chopra Center Staff Spotlight features Cindy Salmon.
Read about Cindy here
Seduction of Spirit
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Soul of Healing
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Journey into Healing
Nov 13-16, Westminster, CO
60-day special ends Sept 13
Emotional Freedom
Dec 1-5, Carlsbad, CA
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“Are you looking for me?
I am in the next seat.
When you really look for me
you will find me instantly.
You will find me in the tiniest
house of time.
Kabir says: Student, tell me,
what is God?
He is the breath inside the breath." ~Kabir
In Vedantic philosophy, prana is the life-sustaining force that flows through our bodies, similar to the energy of chi or Qi expressed in various Asian schools of thought. In Sanskrit prana means breath. And it is our breath – each breath – that keeps us in constant dynamic exchange with the universe. This energetic life force that moves in us, out of us, within us, and through us is ever present in our extended bodies as well, swirling with the wind, exploding with the surf, swaying with the trees, and rolling through blades of grass. Prana exists in every being and every piece of this planet that has life within it.
In Ayurveda, prana expresses itself through the Vata dosha, whose primary characteristic is movement. There are five Vata subdoshas that govern the flow of prana throughout our body and mind:
- Prana Vata: responsible for perception, inspiration, and thought;
- Udana Vata: governs the process of speech;
- Samana Vata: controls the rhythm of peristalsis;
- Apana Vata: the subdosha responsible for menstruation, waste elimination, and sexual function;
- Vyana Vata: governs the circulation of blood throughout the body.
Pranayama (pronounced PRAH-nah-YAH-mah) is a breath-control practice that helps us regulate prana and influence our mental and physical states. There are a variety of pranayama or conscious breathing techniques to relax, balance, or invigorate your body-mind, including Nadi Shodhana, Bellows Breath, and Ujjayi. According to yogic philosophy, the breath is merely a gateway to the world of prana and its manifestation in the body. The great yoga masters teach that as we become more attuned to the pranic energy within, we spontaneously move from a constricted state into increasingly expansive states of awareness.
This Namasté is dedicated to Prana and its energetic aspects. In his letter, David Simon explains the Sanskrit origins of this timeless concept, and Deepak shares a poetic perspective on prana’s eternal ebb and flow. This month’s recipe, meditation Q&A, and other features offer further guidance to nurture your vital energy. We invite you to begin right now by taking a deep breath, feeling your lungs fill with air – with pure prana – and exhaling in gratitude for the primordial force that sustains you in every moment of your life.
We wish you love, health, and abundance and encourage you to send us your comments, insights, and suggestions at feedback@chopra.com.
Namasté,
The Chopra Center staff
Meditation Q&A
Q:I've become more and more interested in meditation and want to develop a regular practice. However, I’ve come across so many different meditation techniques that I’m confused about which one would be the best for me. Could you please advise?
A: There are different types of meditation to accomplish different aims, so the best meditation for you will be the one that fits your goals. Almost every meditation practice will bring you greater peace and relaxation, so if that is your primary aim, then a simple breath awareness meditation is fine.
If you want a meditation practice that will allow you to experience your core Self – the timeless, formless field of all possibilities – then you need a practice that can take you beyond the mind and into the space of pure awareness. For that, traditionally what is needed is a silent mantra meditation, such as Primordial Sound Meditation.
The word mantra comes from the Sanskrit mantrayate, meaning “that which takes away the mind.” As you silently repeat a mantra, you dive below the roiling surface of the mind, which is always preoccupied with thoughts, memories, and desires, into a place of pure consciousness. This is your true Self. While mantras are certainly not the only way to go beyond the mind, they are invaluable gifts the ancient sages have handed down to us to make access to the Self easy.
If you have questions about meditation, please email us at meditation@chopra.com or click here to send your message.
Featured Workshop
SynchroDestiny
Portland, Oregon, Sept 24–28
Most high achievers know how to set their mind to a task, work hard, and get results – but often their success comes at the expense of their health, relationships, spiritual life, and even happiness. Some end up burning out, living with intense stress and losing touch with what they really wanted in the first place.
At the SynchroDestiny workshop, you will learn a better way to fulfill your deepest dreams and desires.
For more than a decade, Deepak and David have led this powerful four-day seminar, teaching thousands of participants how to harness the power of coincidence and manifest their deepest desires.
If you are ready to tap into your own infinite potential, join us in the beautiful Cascade Mountains for this life-transforming experience. There are only a few spaces left in the final SynchroDestiny workshop for 2008, so please call us today to reserve your spot. 888.736.6895
Just Announced! 2009 Dates & Locations
SynchroDestiny: January 7-11, Carlsbad, CA
Journey into Healing: Feb 3-7, Palm Harbor, FL
Healing the Heart: Feb 20-22, Carlsbad, CA
Seduction of Spirit: March 8-14, New Orleans, LA
We hope you can join us and make 2009 the most transformational year of your life. More information to follow!
Words of Wisdom
“Take the emptiness you hold in your arms
and scatter it into the open space we breathe. Maybe the birds will feel how the air is thinner and fly with more affection.”
~Rainer Maria Rilke
“When you inhale, you are taking the strength from God. When you exhale, it represents the service you are giving to the world.”
~B.K.S. Iyengar
