Prana sheath

                  

Where our different types of prana reside

Inside this sheath, are a number of movements of prana, of life-force, Mauri, chi. 

The Yoga practices for awakening the pranamaya kosha

The proper practices for this are:

• the cleansing techniques of yoga, of which there are six
• lots of fast surya namaskara (sun salutes)
• bandhas (energy locks)
• and most importantly, yoga pranayama

These are the correct practices for our pranamaya kosha to "awake". The kosha is there anyway, is there, it does exist, but to be revealed on the spiritual level takes specific practices.

But, there are also other ways, going back through time, and Ancient Lore, of awakening our life-force sheath.

Powerful breathing for pranamaya kosha

The two major cleansing pranayamas (yoga breathing techniques), are bhastrika and kapalabhati. Bhastrika done pumping the abdomen, with the breath, builds up the internal fire, and this fire is intimately involved with awakening . Fire creates a strong energy, and creates movement. There are some vital aspects which need movement, for us to experience the awakening of the pranamaya kosha.

Kapalabhati is one of the six main cleansing practices of yoga.  Whereas bhastrika creates energy heat, kapalabhati cools and cleanses the brain's frontal lobes, thereby increasing perception and mental clarity. It is a sneezing type of breath, with an active exhale and a passive inhale, whereas bhastrika has both inhale and exhale done actively.

Both bhastrika and kapalabhati can be done several ways, but for the pranamaya kosha awakening, abdominal pumping in bhastrika, and an upward "flinging" energy movement with kapalabhati, both compliment each other and create a fertile "soil" for the pranamaya kosha to reveal itself.

If you only do one, do bhastrika for this.

Now balance other subtle energies

More is needed in the yoga breathing system. The practice of Nadi Shodana, sometimes called Anuloma Viloma, depending on where you learnt the technique, is invaluable. Here one breathes into one nostril, and out the other, in the nostril that you have just breathed out of, then exhale from the opposite nostril.  This breathing balances both brain hemispheres, and when breathing ratios are added, with retaining the inhale, and then moving into retaining the exhale, a change in energy happens. Energy builds up, and is also retained. If we keep doing this on a regular basis, our prana reserves build up. The build up of prana is an integral part of pranamaya kosha awakening.

I cannot emphasise this enough.

Bandhas, or energy locks/blocks, are also invaluable. I often wonder if Ashtanga Yoga (Mysore style) practitioners, awaken their life-force sheath, their pranamaya kosha. I absolutely would expect them to, even though the "bandhas" which they use, are modified, they are still creating that tension similar to a bandha proper. And, with ujjayi, the whispering breath, the breath of purification of the subtle realms, you have a potent breeding ground for the Mauri, the prana, the life-force, to build up.

Focus matters too

Adding to this mix, is focus. Not focus on building up the life-force, as such, but on what one is doing.
It doesn't matter what you are doing, focus will give the optimum results. And, it keeps us present.

If you are doing any sort of bandhas, such as Ashtanga Yoga, or any of the three major bandhas of Hatha Yoga, are you aware of the build-up of energy within yourself, on the subtle levels?

My practices changed

Nowadays, I just feel the need to maintain on the kosha level. And, surprisingly, I now use a Maori invocation to maintain my life-force.  It's so powerful.