Prana
Steps to Mastership
Uranda 1936
Let us now consider the Breath of Life. Air is free, but few people use it freely. In the Book of Books we read, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the Breath of Life; and man became a living Soul." To appreciate the value of air, we must study deeper than the usually recognized physical fact that it is a gaseous substance, mainly composed of approximately one part of oxygen to four parts of nitrogen, which must be breathed by all species of the animal kingdom, including man, to perpetuate life.
Modern science has proven that a force called electricity can be generated out of the air. The fact that automobiles equipped with generators can absorb electricity out of the atmosphere at all times and in all places proves that this force is everywhere present in the air. The Adepts of all ages have known that this force existed, and they have used it in ways that are far more valuable than the mechanical uses to which it is put. These wise men have for thousands of years consciously used this energy to promote perfection within their own bodies, and to help in healing of others. This force, in its free state as found in the atmosphere, is called Prana in the Sanskrit language. It is this Prana that is absorbed by the generator and transformed into what we call electricity. From a material standpoint it is impossible to determine what electricity is, because it has a spiritual source. Without this spiritual substance the fleshly body would be as inert as a clod, for it is really the Prana in the air we breathe that gives us life. It is the lack of Prana, and not the lack of oxygen, which kills so quickly when a person or animal is choked or strangled.
Prana is the vibration of the everywhere-present Spirit of God to which physical life is attuned. There are, of course, other vibrations of the Spirit of God, but Prana is the primary vibration of the Spirit which the fleshly body can absorb and use. Prana is the Spirit of God which man can use, if he will only do it. This force is absolutely unlimited. It will work through you with unlimited power if you will only let it. Through the use of it any and all adverse conditions can be overcome. When you learn to use it fully and freely you will find that the so-called miracles of healing, and other accomplishments, are really the natural results of natural law applied in a natural way.
Just to realize that Pranic Power is present in unlimited amounts is not enough. You are like a giant electric motor, with tremendous potential power; but unless you know how to "throw the switch" and connect yourself with the unlimited Prana, you will soon deteriorate and die from lack of use. The body is so constructed that it would never wear out if it were properly used. People do not wear out from use; they rust out from lack of use. You have a finer and better motor than man has ever made. And what kind of care do you give it? How much do you know about running it properly?
When we realize that this great power is at hand and that we have the right to use it freely, the next step is to learn how to contact it fully, for the greatest possible benefit. The human motor is self-repairing, and the switch is automatic, so that when something goes wrong in the human motor the current is slowed down until the damage can be repaired. If man willfully, or ignorantly, produces a short-circuit within himself by disobeying Nature's Laws, the power is taken from him according to the degree of his wrong use of it. If man persists in his wrong use of this power, his motor is badly damaged and in time is completely disconnected from the Source. And then he is pronounced dead.
It is easier to begin to use the Prana if we first prove to ourselves that it really exists by seeing it. Anyone with fairly normal vision can learn to see the Prana under certain conditions, and as one develops and becomes proficient in the use of it, the Prana can be seen at will at any time. The person who has received Enlightenment can see the Prana in all objects, whether it be stone, wood, flower, grass, trees, human beings, or any other physical manifestation of life. Many people have learned to see it and use it, and you can also. There is nothing more beautiful in this physical world than to see the life forces vibrating in all things about you. It opens up a new world to you. Everything will be more beautiful, and you will find a sweet peace and joy which begins within yourself and radiates to everyone and everything around you. Even people who know nothing about these things will notice a something about your presence which soothes and uplifts. Sick people will say that it makes them feel better for you to enter the room where they are. Can you imagine anything more delightful than to be of such service to those about you? It is as possible for you as for anyone else. To those who have never given any thought to these things it all seems quite impossible.
The easiest way to see Prana is to go out-of-doors just before sundown and sit in an easy chair, or recline on the ground, in the shade. Face any direction except toward the sun. Relax as thoroughly as possible, taking several long, deep breaths of air. Next, close your eyes and keep them closed for a minute or two. Then open your eyes slowly and direct the gaze up into the sky without looking at anything. If you focus your eyes on some object, you will look through the Prana and not see it. The only reason we do not see it all the time is because we look through it, just as we look through a perfectly clean, pure glass without seeing it. After a few trials you will see that the air is filled with millions of silvery dots, some larger than others and all moving continuously. After practice you should be able to see the Prana as far as thirty or forty feet away. These silver-like dots are not to be confused with such optical illusions as specks or lacelike appearances which are sometimes seen in front of the eyes and which float or dance with the movement of the eyes. The silver dots of Prana will be seen moving in every direction, both far and near, and at first these dots will seem to be in great confusion. However, as you watch and study them, you will find that they are moving in orderly fashion and in symmetrical formation. Once you see the Prana you will learn to let your eyes "rest easy" many times during the day so that you can see it. As you fully realize the constant presence of Prana, you will find yourself working with a force that is as tangible to you as wood or stone is to most people. This eliminates blind faith, because you know.
The brain is the Positive Pole of the human generator, and the gonad glands form the Negative Pole of the generative system. You do not think with your brain, contrary statements notwithstanding, for your brain is a mass of millions of tiny generators which absorb the Prana out of the atmosphere. Each tiny generator changes the Prana into that vibration of Life Essence which is needed in the part of the body for which it is responsible. One vibration is needed in the bones, another vibration is required in the tissues, another in the glands, and so on through the whole body. All parts of the body require the Life Essence, but each cell in each part requires a different vibration of that Life Essence. Each brain-cell generator is set to a specific vibration that is required in a certain part of the body, and that set vibration cannot be changed. Though this is a vast study in itself, this will give you an idea of how the One Life Essence produces all the different parts of the body.
In order for the body to function rightly the positive and negative forces must be in balance. The brain cannot do it all. The gonad glands, connected with the Solar Center, must supply the negative force in amounts large enough to keep the body forces in balance. When a lack of this balance is present it is called nervousness. This shows you why it is so important not to waste the negative body forces through anger, hate, fear, jealousy, or any like emotion. And also, it shows why excess in any body appetite, such as overeating, eating the wrong foods, laziness, drunkenness, and excessive sex expression, are all so very damaging to the body machine. These things all tend to clog up the body functions and cause cross-currents, or short-circuits, which detract from the ability of the individual to enjoy life.
The first step, then, in gaining control of the Life Essence within the body, that thereby the Prana outside the body may be controlled, is to bring all the body emotions and appetites under control. The Law is: No one can attain control over the mighty power of Prana who has not first proven that he will use it wisely by gaining control over his own emotions and appetites. The accomplishment of this will take time and persevering practice. With each step forward in self-control you will find added power granted unto you.
There are three primary nerve channels, or Nadis, to which we must give attention. In Sanskrit they are called Ida, Pingala, and Sushunna. The left sympathetic nerve, which begins in the left nostril and extends back through the head and down to the Sacral Plexus, which is located in the Sacral region or wide vertebrae at the base of the spine, comprises the Ida Nadis, or channel. The right sympathetic nerve, which begins in the right nostril and extends back through the head down to the Sacral Plexus, comprises the Pingala Nadis. The spinal cord, which extends from the head down the spine to the Sacral Plexus, comprises the Sushunna Nadis. The currents of the Life Essence which flow through these Nadis are called Kundalini. This explains as much as will be required in this elementary study of the subject.
The air which is inhaled through the left nostril supplies the Prana which is taken up by the Ida Nadis and carried to the brain, where the Prana is transformed, or generated, into the Negative Life Essence, which is the energy required by the negative pole of the generative system. Thus we see that properly increased breathing through the left nostril will gradually increase the Negative Life Essence, which is the force that gives life to the Physical Body.
The air which is inhaled through the right nostril supplies the Prana which is taken up by the Pingala Nadis and carried to the brain, where the Prana is transformed into the Positive Life Essence, which is the energy required by the positive pole of the generative system. Thus we see that properly increased breathing through the right nostril will gradually increase the Positive Life Essence, which is the force that gives life and activity to the Mental Body.
When these two forces are properly combined in the Sacral Plexus, the Kundalini, which is inactive or "asleep" in the Sacral Plexus, is caused to rise in the Sushunna Nadis. The blending and transformation of the positive and negative Life Essence which takes place in the Sacral Plexus produces the specific form of Kundalini that is required for spiritual growth and development. Thus we see that properly increased breathing through both nostrils will gradually increase the release of Kundalini, which is the force that gives life and activity to the Spiritual Expression Body.
This will give you some idea of the great value that can be derived from correct breathing. All types of nervousness can be overcome by bringing the body forces into normal balance through the development of self-control and proper breathing. Normally a person breathes through one nostril for about an hour, and then through the other for about an hour. Few people have noticed this fact, but you can check yourself at different hours of the day, and if you are normal you will find that when you close one nostril and then the other, one will seem to be somewhat closed, while the air passes through the other one freely. If you find that one of your nostrils is closed constantly, so that all of your breathing is done through only one nostril, you should take steps to correct the condition.
In cases where disturbance is the result of excessive appetite in food, drink, or sex, it is usually best to increase the breathing through the left nostril. When disturbance results from excessive emotion, such as fear, anger, hate, and so on, it is usually best to increase the breathing through the right nostril. In either case the excess must be brought under control if the breathing process is to have worthwhile results.
