Week 1: Breath of Life / Light of Christ / Prana

Breath of Life, by J. Kirk Richards

"My beloved brothers in Christ, the God of creation, who breathed life into the universe, surely has the power to breathe life into you. Surely He can make of you the genuine, spiritual being of light and truth you desire to be."
Pres. Uchtdorf,  Being Genuine 

The scriptures teach us that God gives us “the breath of life” and we become “living souls.” They also teach that the Light of Christ is available to us all. “It is the divine energy, power, or influence that proceeds from God through Christ and gives life and light to all things.” This is the same thing as the yogic “Prana”, which is often defined as “life force” or “life energy.” In yoga, the BREATH is one of the main conduits for PRANA (Light of Christ) to fill our souls (combination of body and spirit). Prana/Light of Christ, rides the breath like a wave. As we become more awake and aware of the capacity we have choose how we receive this life and light energy, we can fill our souls and lives more fully with this Prana/Light of Christ. In yoga, “Pranayama” is the practice of controlling the breath. It is also said to remove that which covers the light of the mind. As we make conscious breathing a part of our lives, not only do we benefit physically (which extensive research has proven), but spiritually as well. As we make greater space for breath in our lives, we make greater space for the Breath of Life. Do we want to be zombies? Or “living souls”?

Scriptures:
Genesis 2:7 - And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Job 12:9,10 - Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
Job 33: 4 - The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
Psalm 150: 6 - Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
John 20:21,22 - Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive the Holy Ghost.
Mosiah 2:21 - I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another--I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
Ether 2: 19, 20 - And behold, O Lord, in them there is no light; whither shall we steer? And also we shall perish for in them we cannot breathe, save it is the air which is in them; therefore we shall perish. And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou shalt make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood.
(In the Book of Mormon, many examples of people “breathing out” impure and wicked things. It says “woe unto them.” How are we using our breath? Our “breathing out”?)
D&C 88:7,12 - This is the light of Christ… which proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space.
Abraham 5:7 - [God] formed man from the dust of the ground, and took his spirit, and put it into him; and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.
​“The Light of Christ is the divine energy, power, or influence that proceeds from God through Christ and gives life and light to all things.” LDS.org

Articles:
Light of Christ LDS.org Topic Page
​Great Article by LDS and Yogini, Felice Austin: “Prana, the Breath of Life, the Light of Christ” 

Yoga Practice Outline:
Seated Pranayama : 
Natural Breath, Long Deep Breathing/3 Part Breath, Ujjayi/Nostril Breath
Warm-Ups: 
Neck, Spine     
Yang Sequence (Learning to synchronize breath with movement):         
Partial/Full Sun Salutation (slow)       
Prep for Balance Pose and Balance Pose     
Yin Sequence (Using breath to aid in surrendering to the pose):
(include seated, inversion, back, and twist poses)     
Savasana with Guided Imagery with Christ