Heartfulness – July 2019

VYADHI

The first of the vikshepas is vyadhi or disease. Here Patanjali means physical dis-ease, where the

system is away from ease. Where does disease start? Rarely does it initiate in the physical body

itself, unless it is the result of an accident or physical trauma. Generally, it starts in the sheath of

prana, in the bio-energy field known as the pranamaya kosha in Yoga.

The pranamaya kosha is the sheath where we experience the flow of energy within us, and with

the world around us. Yogis describe the energy flow according to five energetic processes (karmendriyas)

and five energy flows (pranas):

INWARD FLOW

governs respiration and

reception, e.g. air, food, ideas

and impressions,

DOWNWARD OUTWARD FLOW
elimination – excretion, urination
and menstruation, mental
removal, BALANCING AND
INTEGRATING FLOW
at the meeting point between the
inward and outward flows, associated
with assimilation and digestion,

ASCENDING FLOW

directs energy towards

higher levels of consciousness

and governs self-expression

through communication,

SYSTEMIC FLOWS

e.g. the nadis, circulatory system,

nervous system, lymphatic system,

movement of muscles and joints,

and thoughts and emotions.

Elimination,

Reproduction,

Movement,

Grasping with our hands, and

Speaking.

Five energy

flows or

vayus

Five

energetic

processes

52 Heartfulness

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