May the 4th Be With You: How Prana is Like The Force

Star Wars and yoga go together like peanut butter and jelly. Huh? Well, I was watching Star Wars and binging the latest season of Mandalorian the other day with my young padawans and as I was listening, I immediately saw the analogy between The Force and yoga (addressed by a certain Jedi). Specifically, one of its driving principles, prana and its relation to our lives.

Have you ever been in a yoga class and heard the teacher say the word, prana? What the heck is that? What do they mean by feel your breath and ignite your prana? Or, with each breath, you are inhaling prana? It may sound hokey, and sometimes can be, but at its most basic level, the concept of prana is actually very interesting and is legitimate.

So, what is prana and how the heck does it have anything to do with Star Wars? Obi Wan Kenobi explained it the best:

It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.

Just as The Force is within us, all around us-just as it is responsible for creation and life cycles, so is prana. It is more than the air we breathe or the blood rushing through our veins. Prana is our life...force.  The same star stuff that has created and sustained the universe resides in each of us. We are all connected by the very simple atoms that comprise everything. Prana, or The Force, can be chaos or calm, happiness or despair. It drives change, feels compassion, and mobilizes our bodies and minds. In some theologies, it is called the soul. In science, it is called electricity, physics, and chemistry (and more). In yoga, it is called prana.

And also just like Jedis and Siths, we can channel prana. We feel it best and can more easily recognize it when we take a step back, remove our egos, inhale deeply, and become cognizant of our physical, mental, and emotional bodies through yoga asana, meditation, and service to others. We may not be able to wield a lightsaber, but we can direct the flow of energy within us and around us to be beneficial for all parties!

Take a cue from Grogu aka Baby Yoda. Find a rock and a quiet place. Just breathe!

Go forth and be a yogi Jedi. Move like Yoda, breathe like Darth Vader, and be a badass warrior for good like Princess Leia. For more great Force knowledge, visit this site.

May the 4th Be With You <3

For some Baby Yoda drawing tips; go here. And read these adorable Wookiee poems here!

-Heather

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