One of the fundamental principles of Yoga/Qigong practice is that prana (energy, life-force, qi) follows citta (mind, intention, focus). You can experiment with this, right now, by closing your eyes (after you read the rest of this paragraph!), and then placing as much of your attention/focus into one of your hands (say, your left hand) as you can: as you inhale and exhale, think of sending waves of love or kindness or joy (or some other up-lifting quality) into your left hand. Breathe and focus in this way, on your left hand, for a minute or two, or longer and notice what happens, notice how the feeling in that hand begins to transform, as it fills with love/joy/kindness. Perhaps youll notice it feeling a bit warmer, or notice a tingling sensation, or a feeling of heaviness, or a feeling of the fingers being a bit swollen. Perhaps that hand will begin to sweat, or feel cold or clammy. Each persons experience will be different. But what our various experiences will likely have in common is that well notice that our left hand has become, almost magically, more alive ~ were able to feel it in a more clear and immediate way.

What weve just experienced is prana following citta: we placed our mind/attention/focus (citta) on our left hand, which generated a flow of energy (prana) into that hand, creating new and more potent sensation, of some sort. We see this principle at work in every aspect of our lives: when were focused on something (a project, our work, a relationship), our energy flows into that activity, and it tends to grow

Part of the process of a Yoga/Qigong practice, then, is to become more & more conscious of this mechanism ~ of prana following citta ~ so were able to use it in ways that are supportive of our practice. One aspect of the paradox of prana & citta is that while this relationship can serve us in powerful & pleasant ways, it can also ~ when its operating unconsciously ~ be our greatest nemesis. For energy flows not only into fields/patterns that we consciously choose to focus on, but also into fields/patterns of mind/citta which we are unconsciously focused on, and hence perpetuating/giving energy to. These are the samskaras (past-life tendencies) which we work/play to unravel (make conscious) within the context of our practice.

Another paradoxical aspect of this relationship is that the inverse of the original formula can also be true, i.e. not only can prana follow citta (the basis, for one, of Yuen Method work), but its also the case that citta/mind can follow (be influenced or shaped by) prana/energy. Which is why asana practice, as well as any form of energy-body healing (e.g. acupuncture or Reiki), can work not only to transform our physical & pranic bodies, but can also, in the process, transform mental patterns ~ can shift our whole outlook or attitude in a way which then (cycling back to the original formula) has new effects on our energy-bodies

So once were able, as practitioners, to bring body, mind & breath (like a beautiful golden braid) into a conscious relationship, what is the most skillful way to use this yogic axiom: prana follows citta (and citta follows prana)? And here, once again, we find paradox On the one hand, wouldnt we want to choose, always, to focus on and therefore support/feed only the positive, only what is good or balanced or healthy? Keep your mind focused on the positive is advice that forms the core of many a yogi/yoginis daily life and practice. Yet if this is our only technique, how will those negative patterns (that are wreaking havoc from the unconscious planes of our existence) ever be transformed?

The Vietanmese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh gives the following advice to his students, on this point When were beginners, he says, its most skillful for us to give energy to, to nourish & support, what is healthy & balanced within us. Especially valuable to cultivate is what in Buddhist language is called the energy of mindfulness ~ a spacious, vibrant awakeness (a fully-awakened citta). We use this energy of mindfulness, then, to touch or nourish (to pay loving attention to) those positive qualities which we wish to augment. And if, on a regular basis, were able to focus our attention on the positive, what well notice happening also is that many of our negative qualities will ~ simply by not being given our attention, not being fed ~ quite naturally dissolve

But not all of them! Which is why as we become more advanced in the practice, and our energy of mindfulness becomes strong, it is appropriate to begin to use our energy of mindfulness to touch (or invite into our conscious mind) not only the positive within us, but also the more negative or stuck aspects of our bodyminds. So, for instance, at this point ~ once our mindfulness is strong ~ we could choose to embrace, with our mindfulness, the mental/emotional pattern called anger And to the extent that our mindfulness is strong, its energy will begin to transform, unwind, release those anger patterns. Eventually, when our mindfulness is quite bright merely shining its light onto these dark/stuck patterns will be enough to liberate them, instantaneously. (Much like the darkness of a room is gone completely once we turn on a light!)

And as our practice becomes quite advanced ~ our energy of mindfulness very bright, the braid of body, mind & breath quite coherent, fluid & fluent ~ our Presence (awakened prana/citta) will begin to have affects not only on our own bodymind, but also the bodyminds of those with whom we interact a wonderful (though not always immediately pleasant) gift were able to give to others ~ a lovely form of service Grown out of the resolved & un-resolved paradoxes of .

prana follows citta