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Whatever the case, they’re generally referring to the same thing. Prana is the Sanskrit word for “breath” or “life force,” but it can also mean “vital energy,” as well as “spirit.” Ayama means “to extend” or “to draw out,” though it can also mean “restraint,” “control,” or even “stopping,” in some cases.
The relationship between breath and the autonomic nervous system has long been understood by doctors.
medical researchers now accept that certain breathing techniques have very real, very measurable, and very repeatable effects on the mind and body. This is good news, because the health benefits claimed by yoga and meditation practitioners for thousands of years are being proven by modern science.
