How Star Wars Helps Us Understand Prana

In the Luminous Soul Method, we begin by asking the student to get curious about What is prana? Simply put prana means breath, life force and energy. But understanding prana is anything but simple. Prana is a mystical unseen force of intelligence that exists at the heart of the Yogic tradition.

Modern References Harken Back to the Ancient Transmission

In the pop culture film, Star Wars, prana is referred to as ‘the force.’ When Master, Yoda, begins Luke’s Jedi training in the hyper natural swamp-like environment, he begins by instructing Luke to connect with ‘the force.’ He tells Luke not to judge things by their outer form alone, but to go within and connect with this unseen force. There Yoda assures Luke, he will discover a profound power that is luminous and beyond what the physical eyes can see. The implication is that when a person deeply connects with this field of understanding (the force/energy) he/she achieves the experience of interconnectedness with all of life.

The training scene between Master Yoda and his paduan Luke:

Yoda: My ally is the force and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow, its energy (hyperlink to previous blog) surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the force around you, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, even between the land and the ship.

Luke, feeling frustrated at his lack of understanding of this unseen force which his teacher speaks of, as well as his inability to lift his star cruiser from the swamp, says angrily to Master Yoda, “You want the impossible.”

Star Wars Scene: Yoda Training Luke For the First Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YkbgvRMpW0

Each of us, can feel similarly to Luke. We deeply want to understand prana/the force and the nature of our time here in embodied life. This month, grow your pranic understanding by working with the Luminous Soul Daily Statement (LSDS). Say the LSDS with attention, perseverance and with your heart and you will access this field of intelligence. Stay the course by holding to your deep curiosity and prana will reveal herself more and more. My Guru ji, Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, used to say, “Pade Pade,” which in this context means, stay with it, everything is opening up for your growth: step by step.

© 2016 Sanskrit Studies/Luminous Soul & Manorama

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