The Currents of Flow - The Five Vayus

Balance Your Energy Flow with the Five Vayus

​The Five Vayus – The Winds of Life – Energy Currents
 
Prana is life force, the primal and vital energy of life.  Prana is the animating intelligence of the universe.  Creation flows or breathes this force into every living being. Prana follows patterns and flows in ways we can learn and master.  Just as the earth has streams and rivers and oceans that circulate the planet’s water, and the atmosphere has streams that direct air flow and drive weather patterns and moisture in the atmosphere, your body and energy field has currents of air and prana and energy flow that you can actively work with to embody balance. 
 
Just by learning about these flow directions, and bringing your awareness to how they move energy thru your body and field already is creating balance within.  You can also use pranayama (energy aligning breathing techniques) and visualizations to direct these currents for smooth free balanced flow.
 
Prana (life-force) can be subdivide into 5 constituent flows with distinct directions and characteristics.  Ayurveda calls these the Vayus (the Winds).
 
Prana-Vayu flows in and upward
Apana-Vayu flows down and outward
Vyana-Vayu flows from core to periphery (center to edge, centrifugal)
Samana-Vayu flows from the periphery to the core (edges to the center- centripetal)
Udana- Vayu flows all around, swirling whirling spirals
 
Here is a diagram to show these flowing current patterns….
(note the color code of above list to the picture)

 
Currently, in Spring of 2018, we are under some heavy influences of wind.  There have been storms and blowing currents and intense weather throughout the planet most of March and April.  And currently there is a solar wind blowing from the sun towards earth.  We live in a constant influx of media and information.  All of these are having a cumulative effect of overly activating the Prana-Vayu (pictured in purple). 

An over excited updraft of Prana-vayu can lead to: - increase of anxiety, swirling thoughts and an overactive mind, trouble settling the mind down at the end of the day, trouble falling asleep and staying asleep.  Headaches, jaw stiffness and pain, teeth “stuff” (esp molars), sinus pressure, pressure behind the eyes, vision fluctuations, frayed and wiry nervous system – generalized feelings and ungrounded-ness and trouble settling yourself.
 
We can balance out this tendency in many ways.  Therapeutically, we would target both soothing out and softening the over predominance of the “updraft”, along with opening the downward flow in the Apana-Vayu channels – to help you ground, soothe and get steady.  We need to give the “extra” energy that is flowing up and out a pathway down and in for balance.
 
Here is a list of some of my favorites and most easy to use and effective techniques…

To pacify and soothe an overactive Prana-Vayu
- Keep yourself warm, keep your feet warm, use hats, scarves, shawls on your head and neck/shoulders
-  Eye pillow, to rest the eyes and relax the muscles, warm eye pillow even better
-  Enjoy periods of quiet with minimal stimulation (avoid TV, media, reading etc esp  right before bedtime)
- Warm baths, self massage with oil, eating a bit more healthy fat (avocados, healthy oils) – keep yourself lubricated
-   Warm beverages (tea, lemon water, spiced chai minus caffine)
 
And, then we stimulate the Apana-Vayu to open the channels of “down and out”:
- Foot massages, rolling a ball under soles of feet, grounding feet to earth
- Self massage or use of balls on the Marma points at top of shoulders, top of thighs, sole of feet
- Thigh stretches, particularly ones that focus on seating the head of the thigh bone deeper into the hip socket.  Forward bends, standing poses, restorative yoga poses, Constructive Rest position.
- creating ceremony to release unwanted thoughts and energy patterns
 
If you would like some personalized advice and assistance getting your mind clear and balanced, and getting grounded and steady, an Inner Space Journey is a great way to balance the 5 Vayus, give yourself a spring tune up, and ensure your energy and inner wind currents are flowing smoothly.

I am also offering a classes on April 15 at Inner Space called "Ground on Down" to hold space and offer tools and techniques for balancing the 5 vayus, specifically opening the Apana-Vayu. There is a class in person, and an online version so everyone who wants to participate can connect in.
Click here for details...