Bodies, all bodies, are saturated with genius. There is intelligence everywhere. You can conceive of it any way you like – evolution, God’s design shop, spontaneous divinity. At every level, from that of the atoms dancing through your body right now, to your cells, organs, muscles, and senses, there is awe- inspiring order. A body is a small part of the universe that has organized itself so that it can gaze in awe at the beauty of the vastness and dance with it. One aspect of the genius of bodies is that they know how to engage in action, then rest up, repair themselves, recover, recharge, and jump back into action again. We live our whole lives in this cycle. This self-repairing dynamic of life is a mighty power. In Sanskrit there is a beautiful word, pranashakti, for referring to this mighty power.
Prana: Filled, full. The breath of life. Respiration, spirit, vitality. Breath as a sign of strength. Vigor, energy, power—with all one’s strength, with all one’s heart.
Shakti: Power and skill in the use of power. Ability. Strength, might. Energy. Capability. Effectiveness of a remedy or cure. Regal power. Divine Feminine Power. The power of a word. Creative power of imagination.
Pranashakti is not other than your own life. The body you are breathing in right now is always flowing and pulsing with the genius of life in its rhythmic flow of action and rest. Meditation is a celebration of the rhythms of life.
