Breath is life. Meditating upon its presence is meditating upon our lives. It is the now, the present as it is. We can apply the skill in almost all the things we do daily. As soon as we bring our attention to the breath, the great power of observation comes to us naturally.
Hovering above the pelvic floor in the hips is a soft (cloud-like) element encased in a white pouch. It is the Kanda nadi. Kanda means ‘root’. The three fundamental nadis; Ida, Pingala and Sushumna are attached and spring from. From the kanda nadi, they branch out and will intersect again at the eyebrow centre in the middle brain. From experience, aside from khechari mudra, the kandasana can powerfully activate the ajna chakra.
The mind emerges the energy of the soul. This spiritual force is the most healing, for ourselves and others.
In a functional perspective, the goal of pranayama is to refine and make the natural breath healthier, balanced and more efficient. Pranayama purifies the Nadis so that the prana (life force) can freely flow through them, nourishing and recharging our vital organs. Further still, deep and meditative pranayama stills and calms the mind in preparation for the state of Samyama (concentration, meditation and absorption).
The brain and the vital inner organs get most of the energy to sustain their healthy function. This leads to the drying out of our essential fluids, nutrients and tissues, including the Ojas. Yoga is one of the many disciplines which teaches us the various techniques of slowing down the depletion of our vital tissues.