Top up your pranic tank with this mid-year meditation.

With the sun at its highest point, now is a great time of year to stock up on prana. Prana (or chi, qi or spirit) roughly translates as life force. Sources of prana include breath, food, water and sunshine. Some now believe that what yogis called prana, is in fact ATP, adenosine triphosphate, the energy carrying molecule in the cells. Oxygen drives the whole set of ATP producing reactions within cells’ mitochondria. This is aerobic respiration. So it makes sense that a breath practice (or pranayama)  is a great source of prana for the body.

You can sit on the floor or in a chair for this one. I like to do pranayama outside at this time of year – the air seems charged and fresh air at any time of year is preferable.

Pranic Meditation for the Heart Centre

1/ Triangle

Make a triangle bringing the tips of your index fingers and thumbs together (the rest of the fingers curl into the palms). Place this triangle in front of your chest (index fingers pointing up), a comfortable distance away from your body. Relax your upper arms. Keep your eyes closed and focus on your breath. Visualise that you’re breathing in through the triangle, drawing prana into the heart centre. As you breathe out, that you’re releasing toxins. worries, bad habits, anything holding you back. Continue for 5 to 15 minutes.

2/ Rapid Breath

Then interlace your fingers and bring the hands onto the back of your neck. Push the elbows back and open the chest. Make your mouth into a “O” shape and begin a panting Breath of Fire through the mouth for 1 minute. Keeping your hands behind the neck, inhale through the nose, hold for 10-15 seconds then exhale with a whistle. Repeat. Then inhale, hold the breath for 20 seconds and tighten every muscle in the body, then exhale.

Relax for 1 minute.

3/ Claws

Finally open and close your hands, spreading the fingers into claws as you open them, for 1.5 minutes. Relax for as long as you can.