Material world is the means and not the end. Without doing sadhana or spiritual practice the theme of Gita remains undiscovered. So, if your actions are motivated merely for material gains, you will not get the divine. Hence, we should orient towards the Divine and so Sadhana. All rituals whether it is simply visiting a holy place or fasting or any other, if it is done with faith have a hidden meaning or significance.
Faith is essential and perhaps blind but still very important.
Prana is the source of all life. Some lost way to Him. Some lost way to divine. That is the end divine. Yam is that which combines both.