Prana

(“breath”) As a collective noun, the
name for the five “winds” considered to
be responsible for basic bodily functions. The first of these, located in the
chest, is labeled by the general term
prana. Because it performs those functions necessary for sustaining life—respiration, the movement of food into the
stomach, and the circulation of blood
through the body—its name is often
used to designate all five winds. Of the
other four winds, apana (in the anal
region) is concerned with elimination,
521
Prana
Pramukh Swami, the present spiritual leader of the Swaminarayan religious community.
samana (in the navel) aids digestion,
udana (in the throat) conveys things out
of the mouth—like speech, song, burps,
etc.—and vyana circulates throughout
the body, mixing things together. These
winds are the focus of the yoga exercise
known as pranayama, the aim of which
is to achieve control over the central
forces of life.