Inner air

The term inner air or lung (Wyl. rlung; Skt. prāṇa), refers to the 'wind-energies' or 'psychic winds' that travel through the subtle channels or tsa of the body's psycho-physical system, as outlined in the Tibetan Buddhist tantras.

There are five root and five branch winds. The winds that flow through all the channels except the central one are said to be impure and activate negative, dualistic thought patterns; the winds in the central channel are called "wisdom winds".

The Five Root or Major Winds

1. 重新導向 Five root winds 五根本風／氣／息

The Five Branch Winds

1. 重新導向 Five branch winds 五支分風/氣/息

Lung 'Disorder'

The type of lung that is associated with what is colloquially called 'lung disease' or 'lung disorder' is the 'upward-moving lung' or gyengyu, one of the five types of root wind.

Tsoknyi Rinpoche teaches that this lung ideally resides four finger-widths below the navel, but travels upwards into the chest and brain when agitated.

Teachings on Lung 'Disorder'

• Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, 26 July, 2007
• Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Lerab Ling, 20 July, 2008