Udana Vayu: The Up Breath—Voice and Intention

We arrive at the fifth and final prana vayu, Udana Vayu (to see the previous blog postings on the prana vayus, see the website blog). Udana Vayuis sometimes called the "up breath", reflecting the force moving upthrough the central nerve channel—or sushumna nadi—with exhalation. Theexperience of Udana Vayu is specifically located in the throat and the face. When your perform Ujjayi breathing you experience Udana Vayu asthat ocean-like quality of breath that you feel primarily in the baseof the throat. The ordinary functions that are governed by Udana Vayu are actions like swallowing, facial expression, and speech. As it rules the throat chakra, Udana Vayu  is the power behind speech and expression and governs growth and metabolism through the thyroid and parathyroid glands. So, Udana Vayuis generally the energy behind all expression, both facial expressionas well as speech, both inward speech and outward speech. It is activeprimarily in the space between heart and head, bringing prana to theenergy centers deep in the brain. An ascending and radiant force, Udana Vayuis responsible for taking the mind from waking to sleep and to deepsleep (and the state of yoga nidra), as well as to higher planes ofexistence after death. As the prana vayu that ascends through sushumnanadi (the central axis of the subtle body), Udana Vayu is associated with kundalini shakti—the creative, blissful consciousness of enlightenment.

Since Udana Vayu is an ascending force, poses thatdirect energy to the head, neck, and upper back, and poses that turn thebody upside down, are especially beneficial for activating Udana Vayu. I find that inversions, particularly headstand, are a really potent place to begin to feel the energy of Udana Vayu,especially if I go directly from headstand to a seated meditation, whenthe energy, at this point now moving in an upright body, seems to floateffortlessly toward my throat and skull, and delivers a particularlysweet kind of space and clarity. Give it a try sometime, as a way to endyour yoga practice and prepare for Savasana.

I hope you've enjoyed this 5-part sketch of the prana vayus over thepast few weeks. It has been really gratifying to spend some time puttingdown my thoughts and exploring my own inquiries.

Love,
Leslie