“For over two billion years, through the apparent fancy of her endless differentiations and metamorphosis the cell, as regards its basic physiological mechanisms, has remained one and the same. It is life itself, and our true and distant ancestor.” – Albert Claude
Do you know that you are made of approximately 30 trillion living cells? Cells are the fundamental building blocks of life. Each one of us starts as a single unit. Let’s explore this and learn a lesson from a cell! It consists of three parts: the membrane, the nucleus, and the cytoplasm. The membrane separates a cell’s internal environment (which consists of the cytoplasm and nucleus), from its external environment, which contains the required nutrients. When nutrients penetrate the membrane, they are metabolized into energy that fuels the cell’s life functions. An unavoidable by-product of all metabolic activity is waste, which must get back out through the same membrane. Any impairment to a cell’s ability to let nutrients in or let waste out results in death by starvation or toxicity. We, humans, also thrive on a delicate balance of intake and elimination! Just as a cell selectively allows nutrients in and waste out, we too must carefully choose what we consume. Physically, mentally, and spiritually. By nourishing ourselves with positive experiences, knowledge, love, we fuel our well-being. We make space for our growth. And in order to avoid toxicity, we must make space and then let go of heavy emotions, thoughts, harmful habits; much like expelling waste from a single life unit! The yogic concepts that relate to the activity of the cell are “prana” and “apana”. The Sanskrit term “prana” is derived from “pra-“, a prefix meaning before, and “an”, a verb meaning to breathe, to blow, and to live. Prana refers to what nourishes a living thing, but it has also come to mean the action that brings the nourishment in. When capitalized, Prana is a universal term used to designate the manifestation of all creative life force. All living systems require a balance of forces (think of homeostasis), and the yogic concept that complements prana is “apana”, which is derived from “apa”, meaning away, off, or down. Apana refers to the waste that’s being eliminated, as well as the action of elimination. These two fundamental yogic terms—prana and apana—encompass the essential functions of life on every level, from cell to organism! If prana and apana are expressions of function, what are the structural conditions that have to exist in a cell, in order for nutrition to enter and waste to exit? This is the function of the membrane—a structure that must be just permeable enough to allow material to pass in and out. If the membrane is too permeable, the cell loses integrity, causing it to either explode from pressures within or implode from pressures without. In a cell, as in all living things, the principle that balances permeability is stability. Can you think of how this translates to our lives? Just as a cell’s membrane must be strong enough to maintain its integrity but flexible enough to adapt to change, we too must balance our strength and resilience with our adaptability and openness! The yogic terms that reflect these polarities are “sthira” and “sukha”. In Sanskrit, “sthira” can mean firm, hard, solid, compact, strong, unfluctuating, durable, lasting, or permanent. Sukha is composed of two roots: “su” meaning good and “kha” meaning space. It means easy, pleasant, agreeable, gentle, and mild. It also refers to a state of well-being, free of obstacles. We, as all living things, must balance containment and permeability, rigidity and plasticity, persistence and adaptability, space and boundaries. Our boundaries, akin to a cell membrane, are essential for our wellbeing. We must establish healthy limits to protect our energy, while also remaining open to new experiences and connections. This balance between stability (sthira) and permeability (sukha) is the key to our health and happiness. By embracing this cellular wisdom, we can live a more fulfilling and harmonious life.
Pavel
Do you know that you are made of approximately 30 trillion living cells? Cells are the fundamental building blocks of life. Each one of us starts as a single unit. Let’s explore this and learn a lesson from a cell! It consists of three parts: the membrane, the nucleus, and the cytoplasm. The membrane separates a cell’s internal environment (which consists of the cytoplasm and nucleus), from its external environment, which contains the required nutrients. When nutrients penetrate the membrane, they are metabolized into energy that fuels the cell’s life functions. An unavoidable by-product of all metabolic activity is waste, which must get back out through the same membrane. Any impairment to a cell’s ability to let nutrients in or let waste out results in death by starvation or toxicity. We, humans, also thrive on a delicate balance of intake and elimination! Just as a cell selectively allows nutrients in and waste out, we too must carefully choose what we consume. Physically, mentally, and spiritually. By nourishing ourselves with positive experiences, knowledge, love, we fuel our well-being. We make space for our growth. And in order to avoid toxicity, we must make space and then let go of heavy emotions, thoughts, harmful habits; much like expelling waste from a single life unit! The yogic concepts that relate to the activity of the cell are “prana” and “apana”. The Sanskrit term “prana” is derived from “pra-“, a prefix meaning before, and “an”, a verb meaning to breathe, to blow, and to live. Prana refers to what nourishes a living thing, but it has also come to mean the action that brings the nourishment in. When capitalized, Prana is a universal term used to designate the manifestation of all creative life force. All living systems require a balance of forces (think of homeostasis), and the yogic concept that complements prana is “apana”, which is derived from “apa”, meaning away, off, or down. Apana refers to the waste that’s being eliminated, as well as the action of elimination. These two fundamental yogic terms—prana and apana—encompass the essential functions of life on every level, from cell to organism! If prana and apana are expressions of function, what are the structural conditions that have to exist in a cell, in order for nutrition to enter and waste to exit? This is the function of the membrane—a structure that must be just permeable enough to allow material to pass in and out. If the membrane is too permeable, the cell loses integrity, causing it to either explode from pressures within or implode from pressures without. In a cell, as in all living things, the principle that balances permeability is stability. Can you think of how this translates to our lives? Just as a cell’s membrane must be strong enough to maintain its integrity but flexible enough to adapt to change, we too must balance our strength and resilience with our adaptability and openness! The yogic terms that reflect these polarities are “sthira” and “sukha”. In Sanskrit, “sthira” can mean firm, hard, solid, compact, strong, unfluctuating, durable, lasting, or permanent. Sukha is composed of two roots: “su” meaning good and “kha” meaning space. It means easy, pleasant, agreeable, gentle, and mild. It also refers to a state of well-being, free of obstacles. We, as all living things, must balance containment and permeability, rigidity and plasticity, persistence and adaptability, space and boundaries. Our boundaries, akin to a cell membrane, are essential for our wellbeing. We must establish healthy limits to protect our energy, while also remaining open to new experiences and connections. This balance between stability (sthira) and permeability (sukha) is the key to our health and happiness. By embracing this cellular wisdom, we can live a more fulfilling and harmonious life.
Pavel
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