Demystifying the

Elusive Bandhas
A Four-Week Online Program
for Yoga Teachers and Sincere Practitioners
with Tania Jo Ingrahm, eRYT
and Rupali Embry, eRYT500

www.blissfulyogini.com
© 2015 SHANTIGIRL PRODUCTIONS, INC.
 Week #2

The Energetics of Life

• Uddiyana bandha
• The energetics of mula and uddiyana bandhas

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 Uddiyana Bandha:
Definition
• Uddiyana = flying upwards

• Bandha = lock

• Refers to the prana (life force

or energy) flying up through
the sushumna (central energy
channel with lies in the subtle
body roughly in front of our
spine)
Guruji (Sri K. Pattabhi Jois) in samastitihi
with uddiyana bandha engaged.
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 Uddiyana vs.
Uddiyana Bandha
Uddiyana (see this week’s videos):
• is a kriya (cleansing technique)
• good for cleansing and toning abdominal organs
• relieves constipation and indigestion
• good prep for gaining understanding and muscle
proprioception for uddiyana bandha
• done with bahya kumbhaka (breath retention on
exhale)
• prep move for nauli (stomach rolling)
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 Uddiyana vs.
Uddiyana Bandha
Uddiyana bandha (see this week’s videos):
• more subtle than uddiyana
• continuous ujjayi breath (no kumbhaka)
• encourages a ribcage/chest breath, which is
more energizing than a belly breath
• done in concert with mula bandha

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 Uddiyana Bandha
Anatomy
What muscles are being used?

• main muscle is transversus abdominis

• the deepest of the abdominal
muscles
• fibers run horizontally
• contracting it compresses the
abdomen, flattening the lower
belly and toning abdominal organs
• activating this without tightening
the other layers will come with
practice
The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga by Ray Long, MD
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 Another Layer
To Consider
• Some teachers feel the iliopsoas is
also involved with uddiyana bandha

• It’s comprised of two large muscles

and is deep in the lower core

• It affects movement in the lower

back, pelvis and hip and is one of
our main hip flexors

• Gaining control over this muscle

group (contracting and relaxing at
will) can transform your asana
practice
7 The Key Muscles of Hatha Yoga by Ray Long, MD
 Finding Your
Uddiyana Bandha
• Lie on your back with eyes closed and completely
relaxed, stretch your arms overhead (tadaka
mudra)
• Relax your belly and feel it move with your breath
• On the next exhalation, activate mula bandha
• On the inhalation, activate uddiyana bandha

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 Uddiyana Bandha
Search (cont.)
• Notice: The belly can no longer move freely with
the breath and the movement is shifted to the
ribcage
• Take a few breaths, then release completely,
noticing the difference between the belly breath
and chest breath
• Try in samastitihi and adho mukha svanasana

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 Benefits
• Strengthens abdominal muscles and diaphragm

• Massages and stimulates abdominal organs

• Improves digestion and elimination, purifies

the digestive tract of toxins

• Increases agni (digestive or gastric fire)

• Stimulates and lifts the energy (along with the

effects of mula bandha)
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Contraindications
• Full stomach

• Pregnancy

• Menses

• High blood pressure

• Hernia

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 Using Bandhas
During Asana
• During the stronger parts of practice to support
stability, extension, strength
• When folding forward: Reduce work in arms
and allow the forward fold to initiate from mula/
uddiyana bandhas. Deepen without forcing it,
without striving.
• Try the same thing in backbending
• Feel the extension and front opening grow out of
mula bandha/uddiyana bandha
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 The Experience
of the Bandhas
• Mula bandha will show up as a groundedness in your
practice.

• Uddiyana bandha will show up as a floating and lightness

in your practice.

• Allow them to flow during practice, not be held rigidly.

• Just like your breath, there is a flow to the bandhas.

• Inhale and feel the extension from uddiyana bandha.

• Exhale and feel the stability and grounded feeling of mula

bandha.
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 Prana, Kundalini
and Their Journey
• Prana flows through the
approximately 72,000 nadis in our
subtle body.

• The lifting of the lower bandhas

creates an upward movement of
prana through the three main nadis:
the ida, pingala and sushumna.

• These are not physical structures

but energetic flows (nadis=stream,
flow) in the subtle body.
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 Ida and Pingala
• Ida is associated with lunar
energy.
• cooling
• moonlike
• female energy

• Pingala is associated with

solar energy.
• warming
• sunlike
• male energy
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 The Path of
Kundalini
• Kundalini is a powerful
evolutionary energy contained
within the sushumna.

• Likened to a sleeping coiled

snake at the base of the spine.

• It is awakened over time (even

lifetimes!)

• As it rises up the sushumna, it

awakens and energizes the
chakras, ultimately reaching the
sahasrara (crown chakra). http://edgeba.webs.com/thekundaliniserpent.htm
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 Mula Bandha
and the Chakras
• Area involved with mula
and uddiyana bandhas is
from the floor of the pelvis
to the diaphragm.

• Muladhara chakra is
stimulated by mula bandha.

• The physical lock activates

the energy of the chakra.

• Mula bandha drives prana

up the sushumna. Muladhara chakra is stimulated by mula bandha.

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 The Energetics of
Mula Bandha
• Considered to be the destroyer of decay and
death

• Thought to keep you young as it generates an

upward flow of life force

• Versus, life force being lost or depleted (aka,

“aging”) when not practiced

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 Energetics of
Uddiyana Bandha
• Uddiyana (flying upwards) refers to the
movement of energy
• Gives our body lightness, helping you to
overcome the force of gravity in your practice
• It is an energy valve that prevents accumulated
tensions, toxins or stagnation to develop or
accumulate in the navel region
• In conjunction with mula bandha, will increase
the effectiveness of meditation and pranayama
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 Energetics of
Uddiyana Bandha
• It opens and energizes the fire
chakra (Manipura) in our solar
plexus

• It connects the earth energy of

root chakra to the:

• water energy of Swadhisthana

(second chakra)

• fire energy of Manipura chakra

• to air energy of Anahata

chakra (heart)
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 Pre-work Videos
• Uddiyana—kriya for abdominal area/organs

• Uddiyana bandha—abdominal lock done w/

breath

• Uddiyana bandha agni sara—fire washing

(tones abdominal muscles and organs,
purifying our digestion and elimination
systems)

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 This Week’s
Homeplay
Simple pranayama practice
• seated position, eyes closed, full breathing with relaxed belly
(may use ujjayi breath throughout)
• connect with mula bandha as you begin exhale - feel lift
• connect with uddiyana bandha as you begin inhale
• does mula bandha release? do you feel a subtle flow between
the two?
• play with softening the physical aspect and using primarily focus
• breathe for at least 5 minutes (daily if you can, but at least 2x
before next week)

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 This Week’s
Homeplay (cont.)
• Take the bandhas into your asana practice

• Practice uddiyana bandha agni sara daily, upon

arising:
• drink a large glass of warm water
• wait about 15 minutes or so
• do three rounds

• Post a photo or video of your full uddiyana

bandha!
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 Reminders

• We’ll release your next module on Monday, April 20.

• Next week: Jalandhara bandha, maha bandha and

taking it off the mat

• Video will cover jalandhara bandha.

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 Teaching Platform
Reminders
• Please leave comments or questions in each week’s
module.

• Let’s keep the enthusiasm going by connecting with

the community.

• Don’t forget to post a photo or video of your full

uddiyana!

• Bring your questions to next week’s call.

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