If you have ever attended a yoga class taught by a tenured yoga teacher they will cue breath techniques throughout the practice. In the best case scenario, they may even take 5 minutes to completely still the physical body to focus only on pranayama. If you are really lucky, your teacher will teach you about samana vayu which is the vayu of digestion and assimilation.

Within the realm of social media and extensive ‘influencer influence’ we are taught to believe that our personal health and abundance lives outside of ourself. Perhaps it’s Siri taking copious notes about my interests but I have more Instagram targeted ads on meditation cushions then I can count.

The truth is, we don’t need the perfect meditation cushion, or app, to tap into the infinite abundance that already lies within you. That message may feel cheesy and overused but I can promise you, it’s true.

Lifeforce Energy

True energy, or what you may have heard of as Prana, is lifeforce that is pure. When you begin working with pure energy it begins to clear away the murky mental obstructions that drive a wedge between us and our innate abundance. It slowly disintegrates constrictions on the mental-emotional body. It dissolves unconscious ignorance to clear the mind for total spaciousness.

If you have been able to work with lifeforce energy you know that the effects can almost be felt instantly. One moment you are riddled with doubt, fear, and uncertainty and the next you feel weightless and softened, like melted ghee.

It’s as if we are finally relieved of the heavy burden we have spent most of our life carrying. We are free!

You may have heard – where attention goes, energy flows. This is exactly what we are trying to achieve when practicing energy work. Prana is flowing from our attention to subtle energy and gently clearing away tension.

What does Vayu mean?

Vayu can be translated to ‘wind’ or ‘breath.’ However, it is much more than that. Vayus are the subtle energy of prana and pure energy itself.

There are 5 main vayus including

• apana vayu
• prana vayu
• samana vayu
• udana vayu
• vyana vayu

Each has it’s own unique physical and subtle impact on the body. For today’s purposes we are going to take a deep dive into Samana Vayu which is the vayu of digestion and assimilation.

Samana Vayu

Samana can be translated as ‘same’ or ‘equal.’ If Vayu means wind or breath then Samana Vayu translates to..

• The Balancing Wind
• The Energy that Balances

Samana Vayu governs agni which as many of us know is our digestive fire. The element of fire is purifying. There are practices all over the world of intentionally burning fields down to the bare earth which leaves behind a purity for renewal and rebirth. This renewed soil allows for crops to grow in abundance.

Samana vayu is not only connected to agni, but also how we assimilate the food or the information we draw in from the 5 senses. Agni is only able to burn adequately when prana (lifeforce energy) and apana (downward flowing energy) are balanced. This is because samana vayu is the meeting point between these vayus and unites the two energies together.

Samana Vayu in the physical body

Samana vayu is located at the navel or the Manipura Chakra. We can also think of it as being associated with the organs such as the small intestine, liver, pancreas, spleen, and stomach. It is said that samana vayu is located in every cell of our body which has it’s own metabolic activity.

As mentioned, samana vayu is related to the element of fire which helps you to digest and assimilate all which enters your field. You may even image this as a whirlpool swirling around and around. Churning like Shakti at the navel center.

Without balanced samana vayu we are unable to digest food or experiences. On top of that we are unable to absorp the micro-nutrients from our foods. It’s as if we take in but nothing sticks.

Gas, digestive disturbances, malnourishment, obesity, or slow metabolism are all signs that samana vayu is imbalanced.

Samana Vayu in the subtle body

How well do you assimilate emotions? How well can you manage emotions? Are you easily bothered or outraged by things that someone else may not even think twice about?

When we are tapped into our pure lifeforce energy, we have discernment about who, what, and where we choose to spend our precious time. Truthfully you may be more sensitive to what you subject yourself too.

Once you deeply realize that your body is a temple you make different decisions about what to injest, what movies you watch, and activities you partake in. For example, I have no interest in attending a large beerfest. The alcohol, the many over-indulged adults, the loudness, and the potential fights – it’s quite honestly not worth my time anymore. My 20 year old self would be so proud.

When we have balanced samana vayu we are able to make better decisions and see through the non-sense that is occurring around us all the time. We are attuned to our intuition and feel aligned to our path.

In regards to karma, you don’t have to keep experiencing the same lessons over and over. It’s like dating the wrong guy, you break up, vow you will never date such a meathead ever again, and the next guy is the exact same. This is imbalaned samana vayu. It’s when we are not learning from karmic lessons whether that is from previous lifetimes or in this life.

Choosing partnerships, jobs, or food and being able to discriminate what is poison, and what is medicine, is balanced samama vayu.

Balancing Samana Vayu

When our body is riddled with ama, which is toxic sludge, it’s hard for energy to move through the body. Traditional Ayurveda practices to reduce ama is wonderful place to to start when balancing samana vayu.

Eating at regular meal times and sipping hot water throughout the day are two classical ways of reducing ama.

Taking in whole foods, fruits, vegetables, grains, and digestive herbs ensure that we are properly nourishing our cells. If you find yourself with a slow metabolism, which is a sign of weak samana vayu as well as imbalanced Kapha dosha, then bring in a Kapha pacifying diet.

On a more subtle realm, we want to intentionally observe our mental health. Notice how you are spending your time and what you are taking in. Begin to slowly discard what is not filling you up with joy and happiness. Notice after you listen or watch something how it affects of your nervous system.

You can also begin to incorporate twists, boat pose, or core yoga postures that focus on the abdominals. Deep belly breathing is helpful to soften any constriction in the abdominal area to help the prana move more freely. Working with energy at the Manipura Chakra will also be nourishing for this vayu.

Balancing samama vayu is critical to digestion and assimilation of all that we bring into ourself both physically and mental-emotionally.

If you have a practice you love to balance samana vayu I’d love to hear about it! Either comment below or shoot me a DM over Instagram.

I hope you enjoyed this!

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Kate Lumpkin is an Ayurveda Wellness Coach offering Ayurveda coaching to women all over the world. Ayurveda has the ability to change your life in the most profound ways. Find out more about her services HERE. Follow her on Instagram HERE.