Activating Samana Vayu at the Navel Centre
- Uma Shankari
- Apr 11
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 21
The Pranayama Series : Part 4
From Expansion to Integration
In the previous practice, the focus was on expanding the lungs — bringing more areas of the respiratory system into participation.
Now, the direction changes.
The breath is no longer being expanded outward. It is gathered and organized inward.
Understanding Samana Vayu
Samana means "that which equalizes".
It operates in the region between the chest and the navel — the central field of the body.
Here, two opposite movements meet:
• Prana — moving upward
• Apana — moving downward
Samana is the balancing of these two movements.
This is also the seat of digestive fire (Vaishwanar Agni) — the force that governs digestion, metabolism, and assimilation.
When this region becomes active:
digestion becomes more efficient
energy is better distributed
the system feels more stable and centered
The Practice: Activating Samana
To perform the Samana Vayu breathing practice, you should follow a specific combination of posture, hand placement, and breath control designed to harmonize the energies of prana and apana in the belly area.
1. Preparation and Posture
Seated Position: The ideal pose for this practice is Padmasana (Lotus Pose) because the position of the heels allows for specific pressure against the abdomen. If you have knee or hip injuries, you can use Vajrasana as an effective alternative.
Hand (The Fist) Placement
Touch your thumb to the root of your small finger and fold your other fingers over it to make a fist.
Place your fists above the navel area.
Specifically, the bone at the root of your thumb should touch your bottom floating ribs.
The middle finger of your fist should align with the navel, leaving a small gap between your two fists initially.
2. The Breathing Technique
The practice involves a combination of Ujjayi breath, movement, and Ashwini Mudra,.
Inhale: Take a deep breath in, allowing your belly to move out.
Exhale (Ujjayi): Exhale using the Ujjayi technique (a constricted throat breath) while simultaneously folding your body forward.
Movement: You do not need to go completely down; folding until your torso is parallel to the floor is sufficient.
Activation: As you move down, press your fists toward the center of your belly and toward each other. This pressure activates the Samana Vayu and the "digestive fire" (Agni).
Inhale and Retention: Inhale as you return to an upright position. Hold your breath (internal retention).
3. Ashwini Mudra
While holding your breath after the inhale, perform Ashwini Mudra by rapidly squeezing and releasing the anal sphincter,.
Perform about 21 squeezes during the breath hold, though you can do more (up to 100) if your capacity allows.
4. Practice Structure
Repetitions: Complete the cycle (Exhale/Fold -> Inhale/Up -> Hold/Ashwini Mudra) multiple times.
Rounds: A standard session consists of three rounds of 10 repetitions each.
Concluding: After finishing the repetitions, relax your hands, keep your eyes closed, and focus your awareness on the Samana center (the belly area) to feel the flow of energy.
The Principle Behind the Practice
The body is first prepared through position and pressure.
the exhalation compresses the center
retention stabilizes the center
the lower engagement draws energy upward. The breath is then allowed to respond — not forced.
Gradually, the movement of breath begins to settle at the centre. It is neither strongly upward nor downward, but contained and balanced.
At this Samana point, the instruction is simple: observe.
As the breath becomes quieter and more even, the body feels more stable, and the mind less scattered.
This reveals something fundamental: prana is not controlled directly. It is guided by preparing the body, directing attention, and allowing the system to organize itself.
Why Ashwini Mudra Is Included
Ashwini Mudra
activates the lower region
directs Apana upward
supports the meeting of opposing forces at the center
Why This Matters
This one practice reveals something fundamental:
You cannot directly control prana.
But you can:
prepare the body
guide the breath
and allow the system to organise itself
This is exactly how deeper systems like Kriya Yoga work — indirectly, but precisely.
Summary
Samana Vayu is experienced when the breath begins to gather and balance at the navel center.
By preparing the body, directing attention, and allowing the breath to settle naturally, Prana and Apana begin to harmonize in the center.
Closing Line
In the following practice, we will explore how this centred breath begins to balance and integrate the system more deeply.
Read Entire Pranic Practice Series
Part 4 : https://www.be-naturallyhealthy.com/post/harmonising-apana-vayu-through-pelvic-centred-breath
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