Pranic Energy

The Yogi teachings go further than does Western Physical science regarding one particular part of the nervous system. We allude to that which physical scientists call “the Solar Plexus,” or “Abdominal Brain,” and which they consider as merely one of a series of certain matted nets of sympathetic nerves which, with their ganglia are found in various parts of the body.
Yogi science teaches that this Solar Plexus is really a most important part of the nervous system, and that it is the great storehouse of Prana, which supplies the minor storage batteries, and the entire system. The Solar Plexus is situated in the Epigastric region, just back of the pit of the stomach, on either side of the spinal column. It is composed of white and gray brain matter, similar to that composing the other brains of man. It plays a much more important part in the life of man than is generally supposed.
Men have been killed instantly by a severe blow over this region, and prize fighters recognize its vulnerability, and frequently paralyze their opponents by a blow over it. The name “Solar” is well bestowed, as, in fact, it does radiate energy and strength to all parts of the body, even the upper brains depending upon it for energy with which to work.
Just as the blood penetrates all parts of the system, by means of the arteries, and smaller blood vessels, terminating in tiny, fine hair-like vessels called capillaries, and the system is thereby kept supplied with rich, red blood, building up and repairing the cells of the body, and supplying the material required for that endless work of repair and rebuilding which is constantly going on in every part of the body, under the direction of that faithful servant, the Instinctive Mind – so does this Human Magnetism, or Pranic Energy, penetrate every portion of the system, by means of this wonderful and complex machinery called the Nervous System, with its complicated systems within systems of cables, wires, relays, storage batteries, and the like.
Without this magnetism there could be no life, as even the machinery and apparatus for the carrying on of the work of the circulation of the blood depends for motive power upon this Pranic Energy. The healthy human body is filled from head to toe with this wonderful force, which keeps its machinery moving, and which is used not only on the physical but on the astral plane, as we shall see later on.
But, it must be remembered that the Instinctive Mind is back of all this distribution, for it keeps up a continual demand and draught upon the storage batteries of the system for a sufficient supply of magnetism to supply all parts of the body, and only calls for a special amount in response to a sudden and immediate demand. But the Instinctive Mind regards the supply and demand question in this continuous draught upon the storage batteries, and the consequent sending forth of the magnetism to all parts of the body. It sends forth only a certain reasonable percentage of the amount stored up, otherwise it would soon bankrupt the system.
If one has an abundant supply of magnetism, the Instinctive Mind is quite liberal in disbursing that amount, for it is no miser – it is merely prudent and such a person fairly radiates magnetism, so that others coming in contact with him feel the healthy outpouring which leaps beyond the confines of the nervous system, and fills the astral atmosphere around him. We have described the human Aura in our Fourth Lesson, and in the same lesson have touched upon the Aura of the third principle, or Prana, which is practically the Aura of Human Magnetism.
This Aura may be felt by many, and seen by those having a certain degree of clairvoyant vision. In fact, a good clairvoyant may see the magnetism as it moves along within the nervous system of a person. When in or very near the body, it has a faint rosy tint, which leaves it as it moves away from the body. At a little distance from the body, it resem bles a vapory cloud of the color and appearance of an electric spark, or rather of the radiations from an X-ray tube. Clairvoyants see spark-like particles of it being shaken from the fingertips of those giving “magnetic treatments” or mesmeric passes. It is also seen by some persons who do not consider themselves clairvoyants, to whom it appears like the heated air arising from a stove, or from the heated ground; that is, like a colorless, vapory something, pulsating and vibrating.