Introduction to the Bandhas - Interior Body Locks Used in Yoga

An introduction to the bandhas - interior body locks used in yoga. There are three bandhas - Mula Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha and Jhalandara Bandha. Each bandha is a lock, eaning a closing o!! o! "art o! the interior body. These locks are used in #arious "ranaya a and asana "ractices to tone, cleanse and energi$e the interior body and organs. %hen all three bandhas are acti#ated at the sa e ti e, it is called Maha Bandha, the great lock.

&Mula Bandha&
Definition: 'oot lock. The !irst o! three interior body (locks) used in asana and "ranaya a "ractice to
control the !lo* o! energy. To acti#ate ula bandha, e+hale and engage the "el#ic !loor, dra*ing it u"*ards to*ards your na#el. I! you don,t kno* ho* to access the "el#ic !loor, think o! it as the s"ace bet*een the "ubic bone and the tailbone. Initially you ay need to contract and hold the uscles around the anus and genitals, but really *hat you *ant is to isolate and dra* u" the "erineu , *hich is bet*een the anus and genitals. -o not hold your breath. Engaging ula bandha *hile doing yoga "oses can gi#e the "ostures an e+tra li!t. This is es"ecially use!ul *hen .u "ing.

&Uddiyana Bandha&
Definition: Abdo inal lock. The second o! the three interior body (locks) used in asana and
"ranaya a "ractice to control the !lo* o! energy. Uddiyana bandha can be "racticed alone or in con.unction *ith ula bandha. To engage this bandha, sit in a co !ortable cross legged "osition. E+hale your breath, then take a !alse inhale /dra* the abdo en in and u" *ithout taking in any breath.0 -ra* the belly u" underneath the rib cage. To release, so!ten the abdo en and inhale. Uddiyana bandha tones, assages and cleans the abdo inal organs. I! you are !a iliar *ith ula bandha, you *ill see that the dra*ing u" o! the "el#ic !loor naturally leads into the dra*ing u" o! the abdo en. This is ho* the bandhas *ork together

&Jhalandara Bandha&
Definition: Throat lock. The third and last o! the three interior body (locks) used in asana and
"ranaya a "ractice to control the !lo* o! energy. Jhalandara bandha can be "racticed alone or in con.unction *ith ula bandha and uddiyana bandha. To engage this bandha, sit in a co !ortable cross legged "osition. Inhale so the lungs are about t*o-thirds !ull, and then hold the breath in. -ro" the chin do*n, and then dra* the chin back closer to the chest so the back o! the neck does not round. 1old as long as is co !ortable and then bring the chin u" and release the breath. To "ractice in con.unction *ith the other t*o bandhas, !irst dra* the "el#ic !loor u"*ards, engaging ula bandha. This leads to the abdo en dra*ing in and u" under the ribcage /uddiyana bandha0. 2inally, the chin dro"s to the chest and dra*s back into .halandara bandha. %hen "racticed together, the three locks are kno*n as Maha Bandha, the great lock.

Introduction to 3ranaya a and Yogic Breathing

Breathing is so si "le and so ob#ious *e o!ten take it !or granted, ignoring the "o*er it has to a!!ect body, ind and s"irit. %ith each inhale *e bring o+ygen into the body and s"ark the trans!or ation o! nutrients into !uel. Each e+hale "urges the body o! carbon dio+ide, a to+ic *aste. Breathing also a!!ects our state o! ind. It can ake us e+cited or cal , tense or rela+ed. It can ake our thinking con!used or clear. %hat4s ore, in the yogic tradition, air is the "ri ary source o! "rana or li!e !orce, a "sycho"hysio-s"iritual !orce that "er eates the uni#erse. Pranayama is loosely translated as "rana or breath control. The ancient yogis de#elo"ed any breathing techni5ues to a+i i$e the bene!its o! "rana. 3ranaya a is used in yoga as a se"arate "ractice to hel" clear and cleanse the body and ind. It is also used in "re"aration !or editation, and in asana,the "ractice o! "ostures, to hel" a+i i$e the bene!its o! the "ractice, and !ocus the ind. Belo* are se#eral o! the ost co only used !or s o! "ranaya a.

Ujjayi
U..ayi is o!ten called the &sounding& breath or &ocean sounding& breath, and so e*hat irre#erently as the &-arth 6ader& breath. It in#ol#es constricting the back o! the throat *hile breathing to create an &ah& sound -- thus the #arious &sounding& na es.

Benefits
2ocuses the ind Increases ind!ulness 7enerates internal heat How to do it 8. 9o e into a co !ortable seated "osition *ith your s"ine erect, or lie do*n on your back. Begin taking long, slo*, and dee" breaths through the nostrils. :. Allo* the breath to be gentle and rela+ed as you slightly contract the back o! your throat creating a steady hissing sound as you breathe in and out. The sound need not be !orced, but it should be loud enough so that i! so eone ca e close to you they *ould hear it. ;. Lengthen the inhalation and the e+halation as uch as "ossible *ithout creating tension any*here in your body, and allo* the sound o! the breath to be continuous and s ooth. To hel" create the "ro"er &ah& sound, hold your hand u" to your outh and e+hale as i! trying to !og a irror. Inhale the sa e *ay. <otice ho* you constrict the back o! the throat to create the !og e!!ect. <o* close your outh and do the sa e thing *hile breathing through the nose. When to do it -uring asana "ractice Be!ore editation Anyti e you *ant to concentrate

Dirgha Pranayama =no*n as the &co "lete& or &three-"art& breath, dirgha

"ranaya a teaches ho* to !ill the three cha bers o! the lungs, beginning *ith the lo*er lungs, then o#ing u" through the thoracic region and into the cla#icular region. Benefits 3ro otes "ro"er dia"hrag atic breathing, rela+es the ind and body, o+ygenates the blood and "urges the lungs o! residual carbon dio+ide. How to do it >it *ith your s"ine erect, or lie do*n on your back. Begin taking long, slo*, and dee" breaths through the nostrils. 8. As you inhale, allo* the belly to !ill *ith air, dra*ing air dee" into thelo*er lungs. As you e+hale, allo* the belly to de!late like a balloon. 'e"eat se#eral ti es, kee"ing the breath s ooth and rela+ed, and ne#er straining. 'e"eat se#eral ti es. 2. Breathe into your belly as in >te" ?8, but also e+"and the id-chest region by allo*ing the rib cage to o"en out*ard to the sides. E+hale and re"eat se#eral ti es. 3. 2ollo* ste"s ?8 and ?: and continue inhaling by o"ening the cla#icular region or u""er chest. E+hale and re"eat. 4. 9o bine all three ste"s into one continuous or co "lete !lo*. When to do it -uring asana "ractice 3rior to editation 3rior to rela+ation Anyti e you !eel like it

Nadi Shodhana <adi >hodhana, or the s*eet breath, is si "le !or o! alternate
nostril breathing suitable !or beginning and ad#anced students. <adi eans channel and re!ers to the energy "ath*ays through *hich "rana !lo*s. >hodhana eans cleansing -- so <adi >hodhana eans channel cleaning. Benefits 9al s the ind, soothes an+iety and stress, balances le!t and right he is"heres, "ro otes clear thinking

How to do it 1old your right hand u" and curl your inde+ and iddle !ingers to*ard your "al . 3lace your thu b ne+t to your right nostril and your ring !inger and "inky by your le!t. 9lose the le!t nostril by "ressing gently against it *ith your ring !inger and "inky, and inhale through the right nostril. The breath should be slo*, steady and !ull. <o* close the right nostril by "ressing gently against it *ith your thu b, and o"en your le!t nostril by rela+ing your ring !inger and "inky and e+hale !ully *ith a slo* and steady breath. Inhale through the le!t nostril, close it, and then e+hale through the right nostril. That4s one co "lete round o! <adi >hodhana - Inhale through the right nostril E+hale through the le!t Inhale through the le!t

E+hale through the right.

Begin *ith @-8A rounds and add ore as you !eel ready. 'e e ber to kee" your breathing slo*, easy and !ull. When to do it Just about any ti e and any *here. Try it as a ental *ar -u" be!ore editation to hel" cal the ind and "ut you in the ood. You can also do it as "art o! your centering be!ore beginning an asana or "osture routine. Also try it at ti es throughout the day. <adi >hodhana hel"s control stress and an+iety. I! you start to !eel stressed out, 8A or so rounds *ill hel" cal you do*n. It also hel"s soothe an+iety caused by !lying and other !ear!ul or stress!ul situations