Prana
The "vital breath" of Ayurveda and yoga: the life energy that animates the body, absorbed through breathing, food and the senses.
Prana literally means "vital breath" or "respiration" in Sanskrit. It is the life energy that, according to Ayurveda and yoga, drives every function of the body: the heartbeat, breathing, nerve impulses, and the liveliness of the mind itself. We absorb it first through the breath, then through fresh, living food, and finally through sensory impressions — morning light, nature, silence.
In Ayurvedic physiology, prana forms with tejas and ojas the trio of subtle essences: prana is the force that sets things in motion, tejas the force that transforms, ojas the force that stabilises. Prana is also closely tied to the Vata dosha, of which it is in a sense the most refined form: when prana circulates poorly, it shows as mental restlessness, shallow breathing and light sleep.
In practice, the main gateway to prana remains the breath. That is the whole purpose of pranayama, literally "extension of the breath": simple techniques such as alternate-nostril breathing (nadi shodhana) or abdominal breathing aim to regulate this flow. Our guide to pranayama: the essential Ayurvedic breathing practices offers safe protocols for beginners, and the article Ayurveda and yoga puts this concept shared by both traditions into context.
A telling example: five minutes of slow nasal breathing before a stressful meeting is often enough to restore clarity and calm — in Ayurvedic terms, getting prana flowing again.