调息法Pranayama
人体中有三大能量，分别是：
“瓦塔”（Vata）。控制着我们的能量和活动，是我们身体里面的“气”。
“皮塔”（Pitta）。提供给我们身体温暖和转化物质的能力，是我们身体里面的“火”。
“卡帕”（Kapha）。构成肌肉和分泌物，是我们身体里面的“水”。
“瓦塔”（Vata）的五种形式
1、普拉那（Prana 根本气）
位于喉和胸，中心在大脑。控制着感觉、思想、心脏和意识。能够帮助我们进行吸气，也就是吸气的过程是凭借Prana的力量才可以进行。
2、乌达那（Udana 上行气）
位于胸部，中心在喉轮。控制着呼气和语言。负责记忆、力量、意愿、努力。是一种向上走的能量，和神经相关。如果上行气越好，呼气越好。（上行气也和轮回有关，将意识带到下辈子，此处不做详细解释。）
3、维雅那（Vayana 遍行气）
位于心脏，遍及全身。控制着循环系统、运动关节和肌肉。能够控制和激发人身的整体运动，控制身体不受外界影响。
4、萨玛那（Samana 中住气）
位于小肠，控制着消化系统，维持身体的平衡与均衡，是消化系统的动力源泉。保证根本气和下行气的分开。
5、阿帕那（Apana 下行气）
位于结肠，控制着所有向下的运动，排尿、分娩、性生活等。有了下行气，Prana才能够被排出。
一般我们所说的瑜伽的“调息法”在梵语中用“Pranayama”表示其中Prana意思是”生命之气”，ayama是“扩张、扩展”的意思。是八支瑜伽体系中的第四步。
调息法Pranayama其实不仅仅指具体呼吸，而是指控制这五种生命之气（动能）我们通过有规律地吸气和呼气，刺激和按摩所有的内脏器官，进而唤醒潜藏在体内的能量（生命之气），使之得以保存、调理和提升。也可以更好帮助练习专注力，把意识集中在当下，为冥想做准备。
Vayu有五种，称为风息或生命能量，彼此是相互关联的。这些气流在人体里面有特定的流动方向，流向特定的身体部位，负责调节并控制身体内外在的功能。所以可以说，Vayu是一个体内负责活动跟体验的工具，或是一种能量运行在所有跟控制「生理功能」有关的系统，这些生理功能包括消化、呼吸、神经系统等等。
这五种Vayus分别为：
1、命根气（Prana Vayu）：又译为入息，指的是身体由外部（大自然）接收到的能量，举凡吃进来的（食物）、喝进来的（饮水）、吸进来的（空气）皆属于，也是驱动其它Vayu的主要能源。Prana Vayu集于心轮，从上到下直达肚脐的位置。与呼吸与心跳有关，通过呼吸进入身体，再循环至全身。
2、下行气（Apana Vayu）：又译为出息，指的是在生理系统工作后所不需要的、所排除的能量，例如呼气、排泄等，跟Prana Vayu的动向是对立而互补的。Apana Vayu集于密轮，在下腹部从肚脐到骨盆，训练根锁有激发、平衡之用。与大小便排放有关，由肺及排泄系统将废物排放出去。
3、上行气（Uḍana Vayu）：又译为上息，与喉咙跟头部有关，举凡（利用每一次吐气）说话或任何产生声音的动作皆属于。Uḍana Vayu集于喉轮，其运作特别是透过喉锁激发而来的。与唾液及其它体液的流动有关，使我们能讲话、唱歌、沟通。
4、平行气（Samana Vayu）：又译为均等息，负责保持所有Vayus的平衡。将接收到的Prana Vayu加工分类，排出Apana Vayu，将Viyana Vayu散播到全身，并将Udhana Vayu送到喉咙后方。Samana Vayu集于脐轮，训练脐锁有激发、平衡之用。与消化有关。
5、遍行气（Vyana Vayu）：又译为周遍息，也就是我们中国人说的气（chi），流动于全身的经络或说能量通道，以连结神经、静脉、肌肉和关节的功能，藉此产生全身需要的营养及能量。Vyana Vayu集于头部和四肢，并无特定的部位。与身体的移动和姿势有关，负责协调并贯穿全身的能量，有顺、逆时针等两个方向。
What does Udana Vayu mean?
Udana vayu is one of the five vayus, or subdivisions of prana, each of which has specific qualities, functions and directions of flow. Udana vayu is located in the throat and flows in a circular manner around the neck and head. This vayu regulates speech, growth and self-expression. Derived from Sanskrit, this term translates as “ascending air.”或普拉纳的细分，每个都有特定的品质，功能和流动方向。乌达纳瓦尤位于喉咙和流动在颈部和头部的圆形方式。这种vayu调节言语、成长和自我表达。源于梵语，这个术语翻译为"上升的空气"。
Yogis can control the energy of udana and other vayus by bringing their awareness and focus to them. Such awareness allows the yogi to cultivate health and wellbeing.
Udana Vayu can be translated as “the air that flies up” and is seen as the gateway to the higher states of our consciousness. This energy moves clockwise and is centered on the throat and head. Physically, its function is to carry energy from the base of our backbone to the brain.
As it is located in this region, Udana is responsible for the functioning of our five senses. It regulates the communication, the production of sounds, the voice, the singing and the swallowing of what we eat. In addition, it also allows our thinking and expression.
Udana Vayu also plays an important role in strengthening our core and the growth of our body. It helps in the good physical constitution, in our motor and standing capacity.
Energetically, Udana Vayu is located in the Vishudda Chakra, our vital center that sits in the middle of our throat. Emotionally, this Vayu corresponds to our enthusiasm and willpower before life.
It is imperative to keep the Vayus always in balance. If the energy of Udana Vayu is blocked, we can have problems related to our ability to communicate and our throat in general, affecting our hearing, taste and smell.
Problems of vision and the difficulty in reaching the elevation of our conscience while we meditate are also related to the malfunction of Udana Vayu.
The color of Udana Vayu is teal and its element is the air.
HOW TO BALANCE YOUR UDANA VAYU
First, you need to work on the ability to feel your Vayus. Once you acquire knowledge of the energies that circulate in your body, it is easier to know when they are out of order and take care of them.
To get in touch with Udana, we must do something different from what we are used to. Breathe through the foot (that’s right!) or pelvic area (if sitting) to the spine and exhale through the throat.
Monitor the chest cavity elevation as you inhale. This will help expand the upper thorax and back and open the shoulder joints, creating a clearer perspective.
You can work Udana Vayu through some asanas:
1. Standing, supine or sitting asanas
When inhaling: imagine your breath starting from the ground and passing to the soles of the feet. Feel the air rising through your legs, spine and reaching the chest.
On exhaling: invite the energy to continue rising to the top of your head.
2. Inverted asanas
When inhaling: imagine your breathing beginning in the hands and/or arms (whatever is in contact with the ground). Feel the air rising through the arms and trunk, while along the inspiration.
On exhaling: move your breath through your legs so that it comes out through the soles of your feet.
Asanas to balance Udana Vayu:
Belly backbends
Virabhadrasana I
Utkatasana
Garudasana
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Udana vayu, one of the five divisions of the life force, prana, holds special significance in spiritual practice. Udana is the upward-moving breath, which directs the flow of prana from the lower to the higher planes of consciousness. An ascending and radiant force, udana vayu is responsible for taking the mind from waking to sleep and to deep sleep, as well as to higher planes of existence after death. It is active primarily in the region between the heart and the head, bringing prana to the energy centers deep in the brain. As the vayu moving through sushumna nadi (the central axis of the subtle body), udana is associated with kundalini shakti, the creative, blissful consciousness of enlightenment.
Udana rules the throat center, manifesting as speech and other refined expressions, and governing growth and metabolism through the thyroid and parathyroid glands. When udana is balanced and strong, we stand tall and are joyous, enthusiastic, alert, articulate, and strong-willed. Deranged udana, on the other hand, may prod us to negative, inappropriate, or excessive speech—or render us unable to express ourselves at all. Since the throat center controls reception, deranged udana may hamper the intake or use of physical nourishment, while on a mental level, new ideas or experiences can seem “hard to swallow,” leaving us obstinate, arrogant, and inflexible—in a word, stiff-necked.
ASANA FOR UDANA VAYU
The enlivening of udana is the result of the healthy functioning of samana vayu, which governs the navel center and is itself activated by working with prana vayu and apana vayu. Thus, a well-balanced asana practice will utilize a range of poses to awaken and direct these three vayus, and culminate in a closing sequence that focuses on udana to lead the mind and body into a refined and more subtle awareness conducive to deep relaxation and meditation.
Since udana is an ascending force, poses that direct energy to the head, neck, and upper back, and poses that turn the body upside down, are especially beneficial for activating udana. To avoid the negative consequences of reversing the normal energetic flow in the body, it is best to do inversions toward the end of practice when alignment has improved and physiological functions are more balanced.
The following classical finishing sequence can easily be modified to accommodate various levels of proficiency, though beginners will want to proceed with caution. Inversions are contraindicated if you are menstruating or suffering from heart disease, high blood pressure, disorders of the eyes or ears, or any other condition that may be aggravated by increased pressure in the head. In addition, sarvangasana (shoulderstand), halasana (plow pose), and shirshasana (headstand) are contraindicated for shoulder and neck injuries, osteoporosis, and obesity. Always practice inversions on an empty stomach.
1. SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA (BRIDGE POSE)
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana is both a preparation for sarvangasana and halasana, and a substitution for them when menstruation or any of the contraindications preclude more difficult inversions. The bridge pose helps integrate the energy of the pelvis and legs with the chest, and draws focus to the upper back and throat—the provenance of udana.
Lie on your back with your knees bent and the feet parallel on the floor no more than hip-width apart. Keep the ankles directly under the knees, and press the arms into the floor alongside the body.
As you inhale, press into the feet and peel the spine off the floor, starting with the pelvis and rolling slowly up to the tops of the shoulders. Roll the inner thighs strongly down as you press the sacrum up into the body; do not allow the knees to splay out to the sides.
To work the arms inward and underneath the body, shift slightly to one side and draw the opposite shoulder and arm in; do the same on the other side. You may be able to interlace the fingers as you press your arms into the floor to lift the sternum toward the chin. In this position, the weight of the body should rest on the outer edges of the shoulders, not the base of the neck. (Note: If you are experiencing pressure on the neck, it’s a good indication that you’ll need props to practice other inversions, such as the shoulderstand.)
Relax the throat, jaw, and face, while keeping the pelvis, legs, and arms engaged. Stay in the pose for one to three minutes, feeling the energy focused in the upper chest and throat. To come out of the pose, release the arms, and on an exhalation begin to slowly roll the spine to the floor from the neck to the pelvis.
2. VIPARITA KARANI (INVERTED ACTION POSE)
For those who can’t do advanced postures like sarvangasana, halasana, or shirshasana, viparita karani is the inversion of choice. Its effects on udana are similar to setu bandhasana, but more intense.
Begin in bridge pose. Bend the elbows and support the back of the pelvis with your hands. Extend one leg upward toward the sky, then the other. Angle the legs over the body to rest the pelvis in the hands; the torso will be at about a 45-degree angle relative to the floor. Keep your legs fully extended, relax the torso, and notice the natural gathering of energy in the throat, upper chest, and head.
Hold the pose for one to three minutes, maintaining relaxed breathing. To come out, release the hands and roll down, or step your feet down one at a time to bridge pose, then release the hands and roll the spine down to the floor. (For a popular restorative version of this pose, rest the legs up the wall and the pelvis on a bolster.)
3. SARVANGASANA (SHOULDERSTAND)
Sarvangasana turns the normal flow of energy in the gravitational field upside down and directs it into the throat center, the home of udana.
Start with three neatly folded and evenly stacked blankets. Place your shoulders on the blankets so that you can support your entire weight on the tops of the shoulders and allow your head to rest on the floor. Either roll the legs over the torso and catch the pelvis in the hands, or step the legs up from bridge pose; avoid putting any weight on the cervical vertebrae. (You can add or subtract blankets as needed to create an effortless lift without putting pressure on the neck).
Work the hands up the back toward the neck, drawing the elbows together. Press down strongly through the upper arms and elbows and extend through the legs. Stretch the spine toward the ceiling from the base of the neck. Reach up through the inner edges of the feet as you draw the sacrum into the body. Hold the pose for one to three minutes, keeping your gaze soft and your face relaxed.
4. HALASANA (PLOW POSE)
The grounding of the feet overhead in halasana provides an additional foundation from which to direct energy through the backs of the legs and up the back to the neck and head.
From sarvangasana, lower one foot and then the other to the floor directly above the head. If the back is tight, rest the feet on a prop, such as a block or a bolster. As in sarvangasana draw the elbows together and press them down strongly; walk the hands up toward the neck, and extend through the spine as you move the sacrum into the body.
Stretch the heels away from the sitting bones. Keep the throat and face soft, and be aware of the smooth flow of the breath. Let your attention rest in the throat and upper chest, pressing the tops of the shoulders into the floor and lengthening the upper spine. To come out of the posture, lift your legs overhead and begin to roll down your spine as you slowly lower your legs to the floor.
5. MATSYASANA (FISH POSE)
Matsyasana is a throat-opening counterpose to sarvangasana and halasana. For most of us, it’s also an intense opening for the seldom stretched and often stagnant area of the upper chest, including the collarbones and the front of the shoulders.
Lie on your back and place the hands, palms down, under the pelvis to support the sacrum. Press the legs and arms into the floor, rolling the thighs inward as you lift the chest and tilt the head backward, shifting your weight onto the forearms and the top of the head. Draw the shoulder blades in and down. Fix your gaze at the eyebrow center and breathe freely.
Hold for roughly half the time you held sarvangasana and halasana. To release, press down through the forearms strongly and lift the head slightly to bring the chin toward the chest. Lower onto the shoulders and the back of the head, and roll down to rest. Turn the head side to side to release the neck.
6. SHIRSHASANA (HEADSTAND)
Balancing on the head focuses attention on the axial alignment of the whole body, reverses the normal effect of gravity on the pranic energy field, and recruits gravity to help the flow of udana energy.
Start on the knees and forearms, with the elbows directly under the shoulders; interlace the fingers, keeping the little fingers parallel and even on the floor. This is your foundation, and it’s important to keep the elbows in position so you can support most of your body weight with your arms and shoulders rather than collapsing into the neck.
Place the top of the head on the floor inside the cup of the hands, press the arms into the floor, lift the pelvis, and walk the feet toward the chest. Draw one knee and then the other toward the chest and balance here with the thighs drawn into the body, knees bent, feet off the floor. (Practice only this much until you are confident and strong and can easily stay for a minute or more.)
Gradually unfold one leg at a time from the hip joint, bringing the knees toward the sky. Finally, unfold the knees and stretch the inner edges of the feet up, rolling the thighs inward, and drawing the tailbone inward and upward. Move the front ribs into the body and lift up out of the shoulders.
Build up your capacity over time to stay in the pose for 10 or more breaths. Release by reversing the steps—bend the knees, flex at the hip to bring the thighs to the chest, lower the feet to the floor, sit back on the heels, and rest for a few breaths in child’s pose, letting the blood flow return to normal.
7. SIMHASANA (LION POSE)
Simhasana activates udana, and relieves blocked or excess energy in the throat center. To begin, sit on the heels in vajrasana (thunderbolt pose). Close your eyes and follow the flow of the breath, paying particular attention to the navel center and pelvis. Gather your awareness and your energy with an inhalation. Then lean forward, open the mouth, stick out the tongue, look up between the eyes, and propel the breath out with an unvocalized roaring exhalation from the navel center.
Feel the energy from the pelvis, the navel center, and the upper body and arms all collecting in the throat and pushing out through the mouth. It helps to spread the fingers and stiffen the arms—you’re making a bold, ferocious lion-leap. Then close the mouth, inhale through the nose, and sit back down on the heels. Repeat this action three times. Then sit quietly and follow the flow of the breath between the nostrils and the heart.
PRANAYAMA FOR UDANA VAYU
Ujjayi pranayama (victory breath) adds a slight constriction in the throat to a basic diaphragmatic breathing pattern, and thus engages and directs the flow of udana.
To practice, sit in a comfortable posture with a neutral spine. Gently constrict the aperture of the throat to create a subtle hissing sound; this action is similar to saying “aah” without vocalizing and then closing your mouth. Keep the throat constricted on both the inhalation and the exhalation and draw the breath in and out from the diaphragm, not from the chest. Make both parts of the breath equally long and smooth, and make sure there’s no pause in between.
上气，下气， 平气，元气， 以及充周气，上气引下气， 下气牵上气，有如鸟系絷。人而得知此。
上气初在心， 下气次在胦，
平气在脐处， 元气喉处沏，
周气遍肢体， 常自为转折。
乃亦有五色， 五气依次别，
红似末尼珠， 称为上气色。
下气居其中， 光如甲虫赤，
平气在其内， 乳白辉晶莹，
元气淡黄白， 周气似火明。
静虑心思息； 渐导行下气， 上引渐满吸， 更散舒上气， 兴起潜伏力，明人久修为，无等智可得。
气遍身；
静虑心思息；穿越了肉体静止阶段，就会专注于呼吸过程，似乎肉体成为外部存在。当注意力更加深入，穿越呼吸并进入头脑感觉过程，肉体和遍身气；都成为存在。
Pranayama）有三种：吐、纳与停息，即为“制气”，此支除身恶。（如熔山矿石，杂质尽焚烧；诸根过恶业，制气炼皆销）；
是为比丘所一法。
为一法相便相行相多为身得息。
为意相念相待。
便止无有余。
但黠行法念增满行。
若比丘。是一法比丘能行能使能念能多作得堕道。