Yoga, Energy, and Your Subtle Anatomy

A Woman's Book of Yoga
by Machelle M. Siebel, M.D., Hari Kaur Khalsa

(Page 2 of 3)

There are "invisible" parts of yourself which are called your Subtle Anatomy in yoga. Just as your physical body is made up of complex layers, so is your Subtle Anatomy, but because of it's elusive nature, it may be harder to understand and appreciate. The "invisible" parts of you can be defined in several ways: as your Chakras, the Ten Bodies, the meridians (channels through which your energy flows), your prana and apana (generating and eliminating energies), your Moon Centers, and the Kundalini energy.

For the purposes of this book, we are going to emphasize the essential concepts of Subtle Anatomy that form the basis of achieving the goal of yoga, synchronization, and the still point. We also devote an entire chapter of this book to the Moon Centers, which are unique to women. Knowledge of the Moon Centers can build awareness and effectiveness in a woman's life.

When we speak of "energy" in yoga, we are referring to the energy of your body and mind. Physically, energy is the movement you have in a particular physiological system-in your circulatory, nervous, or glandular systems. The energy of your Subtle self becomes evident when you put your awareness or attention toward a certain end, either to move a part of your body or to manifest a new idea. Energy and movement follow your intention or thought. Your thoughts, intentions, and the focus of your awareness are vital because they signal a chain of events that can ultimately end in an action or manifestation of word or deed. Kundalini Yoga is the art of stimulating, accessing, and directing your energy.

There are two major types of energy flows in your body: prana and apana. Prana is the generating energy located in the upper body, chest, heart and ribcage. Apana is the eliminative energy located below the diaphragm and has a natural downward flow. During your yoga practice, the exercises, breathing techniques, meditations, and especially the Root Lock (discussed in Chapter Two) all help you direct your energy.

Prana and apana mix together in the area of your belly, called your navel point. As these energies mix, the resulting downward pressure stimulates the upward flow of Kundalini energy. The Kundalini energy uncoils and then rises, and brings you a new level of increased sensitivity and awareness. The raising of Kundalini energy is a natural response to yoga practice and to events in life that deeply inspire you (like seeing the birth of your child, or reading a passage of text or scripture that you connect with). Kundalini energy is considered the energy of the soul. When you experience this energy you feel awakened, sensitive, and aware of your potential; when you directly experience your expansive nature and limitless mind, while still feeling grounded and relaxed, you are in touch with the Mother energy of Kundalini.

Your Subtle Anatomy can be vital, radiant, and effective, despite the physical condition of your body. Many elderly Masters can teach powerfully, despite illnesses and infirmities. This is because they can master the use of all their bodies, beyond the physical. They can perceive using their subtlety, and they know their minds. Their pranic body serves them through their breath and energizes all other bodies. They have the capability of communicating from their Chakras to your Chakras, beyond the intellect, so you understand them, and their words reach your heart.

This ability to live in both the physical and subtle realms is your capacity as a woman. As you increase your knowledge of both your physical and Subtle Anatomy, you can better understand aging, cope with physical challenges and pain, and project truth and light through the most chaotic situations. Navigating your life with an understanding of your subtlety brings grace, too. This grace can guide you through your transitions with a broader understanding of their deeper meaning.

The many detailed writings on the Subtle Anatomy, both ancient and modern, offer more information, if you choose to read further. However, the intellectual knowledge of this is less important than your experience, which is your best teacher. Through the process of practicing the yoga kriyas, meditations, and relaxation, you can realize the depth of subtle experience. You are already living through your Subtle Anatomy; yoga is simply naming what is already so.

Copyright © November 2002, Avery Books, a member of Penguin Putnam, Inc., used by permission.

About the Author

Machelle Siebel, M.D., is a reproductive endocrinologist at the Fertility Center of New England and a clinical professor of gynecology and obstetrics at Boston University School of Medicine. He is an expert in alternative and nutritional approaches to gynecology.

Hari Kaur Khalsa, one of the most respected Kundalini yoga and meditation teachers in the world, has created specialized programs for pregnant women, senior citizens, and youngsters. She is the Director of International Teacher Training in the United States and India.