~Sunday, November 03, 2013
Prana—the Sankrit word for “life force.”
I must admit, I used to think prana was just a brand of
really cute yoga clothes. Then I started
to practice yoga, and learned it meant much more. Not only is it comfy, organic work-out wear, the
ancient word prana is defined as the sum total of all energy that is manifest
in the universe— pretty powerful stuff,
wouldn’t you say?!?!
“Encourage the healthy flow of prana by receiving your
breath,” our yoga teacher said, “also reminding you what a miracle it is just
to be alive.” (Okay, now I really stopped
thinking about the beautiful blend of chocolate brown and pistachio green in my
new outfit.) However, this practice
has gone way beyond the meditation music and my mat lately. Reminders of this “life force” and the many
benefits of yoga are everywhere these
days! I have come across numerous
articles in magazines that have featured umpteen
reasons to say “Om” these days.
First of all, the practice has produced downward-dog lovers
in the masses. Twenty years ago, I only knew
two people who practiced yoga (and also
were the only two people I knew who frequented the local health food market for
hummus and soy milk!). Now, practically everyone I know incorporates a form
of yoga into their exercise routine.
Yes, it battles stress and anxiety, but regular exercise also equates to
looking and feeling better—and a great night’s sleep! Less stress, and more activity is a surefire
combination to catching more ZZZ’s. “Our
nervous system is built for a sprint, but we’re living in a stress marathon,” says
Rubin Naiman, Ph. D., a sleep and dream specialist at Andrew Weil’s Program in
Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. Another intriguing discovery I’ve read, is
how the principle of yoga science and brain science mesh together to create a
blueprint for transformation. Practicing
yoga naturally evolves into the art of living well; negative habits and
influences are replaced with healthier paths and can become a way of life. We all know how powerful the mind is, and how
we alone can create our own reality—whether it's a positive or negative one is up
to you.
Another ‘wellness’ word I recently became acquainted with is
lokahi—the Hawaiian word for “balance or harmony of body and spirit.” Of course, experiencing the bounty of
island-fresh botanical essences while vacationing in Kaua`i will surely result
in lokahi, but for Hawaiians lokahi is an everyday
way of life. The Hawaiian culture believes
that the balance of opposing forces is natural.
Even when a hurricane uproots trees, Hawaiians perceive this force of
nature as a balance to the gentle breeze blowing the leaves of a tree and
producing a beautiful sound in nature:
The true meaning of lokahi is seeing conflict as a natural part of life
that does not necessarily create disharmony.
“Lava cools. The flames
fade. Wind and water break down the lava
rock. The cinders become grains; the
grains soil. Birds overfly, hover, and
stay. Seeds drop. Ferns cautiously stretch forth their fronds
in a new landscape. New ground has been
created; pushing the earth further into the sea.” —
The Lokahi Foundation
We are all humans of culture, religion, emotions, beliefs,
needs, holidays, and ways of loving. However,
even through our kaleidoscope of differences, the way we choose to respond to
opposition—rather than only trying to “defeat” opposition—can free us to walk different
paths of contentment; thus, whether it resonates through the notes of prana or lokahi, a life of ‘wellness’ is a
life of true triumph.
