In the age-old yogic tradition, there are five known modes or forms of the vital subtle breath, which manifest at the level of the bioenergetic sheath of the human being, corresponding to the different functions of the organism:
1) apana vayu, the inhalation or respiratory breath considered as descending, which is controlled through the subtle force centre muladhara chakra, and has a role in the processes of excretion;
2) vyana vayu, the subtle intermediate breath between prana and apana, which is controlled through the subtle force centre swadhisthana chakra and corresponds in the organism to the blood circulation;
3) samana vayu, the subtle breath which performs digestion or assimilation of substances and is controlled through the subtle force centre manipura chakra;
4) prana vayu, the aspiration or actual breath of respiration, which is controlled through the subtle force centre anahata chakra;
5) udana vayu or the ascending respiratory breath, which is controlled through the subtle force centre vishuddha chakra.
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