The meaning and importance of Pranayama in the practice of Yoga

The Meaning of Pranayama

Pranayama definition: In prana, the root word "pra," meaning "to fill," is added to the root word, "an," ("to breathe" or "to live") creating the new meaning "the life that fills with the breath." In other words the life principle in action:

• Prana commonly translates as "air," "breath," "spirit," "life," "life force," "energy," "subtle energy," or "the upwards moving energy currents within the body." 
• Prana is that vital force said to pervade the whole Cosmos. It is in all things, whether animate or inanimate. It is closely related to the air that we breathe.
• Prana is more subtle than air and perhaps can be defined as the energy essence that is in air, and in everything in the universe.   

Ayama means restraint - the regulation of Prana.    

So in essence in a Yogic point of view, pranayama - the science of breath -consist a series of exercises intended to bring more oxygen to the blood and to the brain, and to control prana or the vital life energy in the body.     

According the the Yogic text the meaning of pranayama is:

Patanjali Yoga Sutras.   Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras (Ch. 2, Sutras 49-51) describes pranayama as (Taimni, 1961):

Tasmin sati svasaprasvasayor-gativicchedah pranayamah—“Regulation of breath or the control of Prana is the stoppage of inhalation and exhalation, which follows after securing that steadiness of posture or seat.”  ( Yoga Sutras 2:49)

" (it is in) external, internal or suppressed modification; is regulated by place, time and number, (and becomes progressively) prolonged and subtle". ( Yoga Sutras 2:50)

"That Pranayama which goes beyond the sphere of internal and external is the forth variety"  ( Yoga Sutras 2:51)

According to the Gita (Melbourne CAE, 2004), (Apane juhvati pranam pranepanam tathapare; Pranapanagatee ruddhva pranayamaparayanah) (Gita, Ch. IV-29.). Others offer Prana (outgoing breath) in Apana (incoming breath) and Apana in Prana, restraining the passage of Prana and Apana, absorbed in Pranayama. Pranayama is a precious Yajna (sacrifice). Some practise the kind of Pranayama called Puraka (filling in). Some practise the kind of Pranayama called Rechaka (emptying). Some are engaged in the practice of Pranayama called Kumbhaka, by impeding the outward passage of air, through the nostrils and the mouth, and by impeding the inward passage of the air, in the opposite direction.

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika refers to Pranayama as a technique through which the quantity of prana (vital life force) in the body is activated to a higher frequency.

Iyengar's  view. lyengar (2002) describes pranayama as:

"Pranayama is not just automatic habitual breathing to keep body and soul together. Through the abundant intake of oxygen by its disciplined techniques, subtle chemical changes take place in the sadhaka's body. The practice of asanas removes the obstructions which impede the flow of prana, and the practice of pranayarna regulates the flow of prana throughout the body. It also regulates all the Sadhaka's thoughts, desires and actions, gives poise and the tremendous will-power needed to become a master of oneself.

...

Pranayama is an art and has techniques to make the respiratory organs to move and expand intentionally, rhythmically and intensively. It consists of long, sustained subtle flow of inhalation (puraka), exhalation (rechaka) and retention of breath (kumbhaka). Puraka stimulates the system, rechaka throws out vitiated air and toxins; kumbhaka distributes the energy throughout the body. The movements include horizontal expansion (dairghya), vertical ascension (aroha) and circumferential extension (visalata) of the lungs and the rib cage……. This disciplined breathing helps the mind to concentrate and enables the sadhaka to attain robust health and longevity."

The literal meaning of Pranayama is Prana’s ayam that is an extension of the Prana. The vital life force. ‘Tasmin ati shwas prashwas yogati vichehhedah pranayamah’. That is, Pranayama is the retention of the Prana - the vital life-force breath through break in the rhythmic breathing. Prana is that vital life force which seems to be controlling every thing on this tangible earth, and exist as a thought in the world.

In other words, the prana is related to the mind and mind is related to the brain and the brain is related to the soul (Atma) and the soul (Atma) is ultimately related to that eternal divine force called Paramatma. Thus the objective of Pranayama is to stimulate, communicate, regulate and control the vital life force that exist in the body.

The importance of Pranayama in the practice of Yoga

Tapo na param pranayamati, Tata vishuddhirmalana diptishch gyanasya". That is no other Tapa or penance greater than the Pranayama. It helps in removing the blemishes and also helps the knowledge to rise. Performing Pranayama many kinds of diseases are cured and most importantly one learns to control the breath.    Moreover, because pranayama (breathing) is the important means of supplying our body and its various organs with prana (oxygen) it is absolutely vital for our survival.

Another important reason that pranayama is important is that it is because breathing is one of the most important ways that we are able to get rid of waste products and toxins from our body.   The practice of asana tuned to pranayama ujthe breath builds internal heat and prana (vital energy). This process removes impurities and transforms blockages in the body.   This is supported according to Mohan:

"Pranayama is considered to be the highest of the tapas, which literally means "to cook. just as the proper cooking of food enables the body to take it in, assimilating from it what it needs and eliminating what it doesn't need, pranayama both enables the mind to focus on a chosen object (Yoga Sutras 11:53) and to remove the impurities that cloud clear perception (Yoga Sutras 11:52). It thus cleanses the mind to prepare it for focusing on a desire object.     ...  According to yoga texts, agni (fire) exists inside our bodies near the navel. The impurities settle below that, in the abdominal area called apana. This fire burns impurities, and our breath affects the quality of the flame. Furthermore, breath regulates the flow of impurities toward the fire for burning, and away from it in order to leave the body. "

Moreover, like stated by Sri Swami Sivananda (1998):