Pranayam

Pranayama is controlled breathing ("prana" = breathing, "yama" = controlled).

According to the Vedic scriptures the human body is made of five elements: earth (priithvi), water (jal), fire (agni), air (vayu) and ether (space). Amongst these five elements air is considered the most essential. In pranayam not only the air in the body is inhaled and exhaled but along with the oxygen there is vital force that is taken.

This vital force permeates the entire universe and what we inhale and exhale is only a fragment of it. There are different kinds of pranayam that can be practiced in order to attain benefit and master the art of controlled breathing.

Oxygen is vital for life and life is about the breaths

Scientist have concluded that the chemical basis of energy production in the body is a chemical called ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). If the production of this ATP is disrupted in some way or the other, the result is lowered vitality, disease and premature ageing. Oxygen is considered critical for the production of this ATP and pranayam allows us to tap into this vital component.