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I have a bit of an embarrassing confession to make. I used to ignore bandhas. There, I said it! Before I started teaching yoga I used to go to asana classes, hear the Yoga teachers remind us about the bandhas, ‘body locks’ that are engaged by tightening and lifting certain muscles. Instead of doing as instructed I kept thinking it doesn’t matter and surely no one else is doing it either. The idea of tightening the pelvic floor or lower abdominal muscles did not seem very accessible and I foolishly thought bandhas wouldn’t make much of a difference anyways.
I could have not been more mistaken! Now that I am a teacher I sometimes see students rolling their eyes when I mention the issue, and I kindly encourage them to keep practising even if it feels trivial. The practise of (especially the first two) bandhas have transformed me both as a practitioner and a teacher.
There are four main bandhas: moola bandha (located in the perineum), udhyana bandha (abdomen), jaladhara bandha (throat) and maha bandha that ties all three together. These four techniques allow the practitioner to control different nerves and organs of the body. They also have subtle effects on the chakras and release spiritual power by allowing kundalini (our spiritual energy) flow freely up the sushumna nadi (the central channel through which kundalini rises)

1. Moola bandha can be translated into ‘root lock’.

The Sanskrit word moola means ‘basis, root, bottom, firmly fixed’ and bandha means ‘restrain, hold, lock or closed’.

How To: Gently engage and lift the pelvic floor. If you are not sure what to do, imagine you need to use the loo, but there is not a single one around. Sometimes teachers tell their students to tighten the anal sphincter as the pelvic floor automatically tightens at the same time. This is technically not the right technique, but can be useful in the very beginning to figure out how to move the muscles in the pelvic region.

Benefits: The benefits for moola bandha are almost endless. The energy around your pelvic region has a natural direction of down and out. When moola bandha is engaged, this energy starts flowing up and in. All this energy now staying in will give your asana practise plenty of oomph and make you feel much lighter on your mat. Inversions and jump throughs, for example, become much easier. Moola bandha practise also tones the reproductive organs and can help women with painful periods.
Spiritually this is an important bandha, as it stimulates the root chakra. When root chakra opens, kundalini starts rising. Moola bandha essentially prepares you for a spiritual awakening. But that is a topic for an article on its own!

2. Udhyana bandha.

The word udhyana means ‘to fly up’.

How To: There are two kinds of udhyana bandha, but fear not, it really isn’t complicated. The first one is used with asana. If you have ever been to an astanga class, you are familiar with the concept. Tuck the lower abdomen in and slightly up. You might notice that as you do this, your tailbone ‘tucks under’. Use this during your asana practice along with moola bandha and see your asana soar into new levels. These two bandhas are emphasised in astanga tradition, but do not limit the practice only to astanga class. Engage them whenever you roll out your mat.
The second uhdyana bandha is takes usually a bit more practise. It is not used during asana but as a separate practice. To begin with, exhale fully. At the end of the exhalation draw your abdomen in as far as possible and then lift up. Imagine you are lifting your inner organs towards the chest, as if trying to touch the underside of your heart. Make sure you do not draw the belly in on an inhalation. Once you exhale, keep the air out. Hold for a while, release and repeat.

Benefits: Both practices tone and strengthen the abdominal muscles and lower back. In addition the first one gives your asana completely new strength, especially when used with moola bandha. The second one helps to increase lung capacity and improves digestion.

3. Jalandhara bandha.

In Sanskrit, jala means ‘net’ and dhara is translated to ‘stream’.

The meaning of the word jalandhara bandha is a lock controlling the nadis (energy channels) of the neck.

How To: In a seated pose lengthen the back of the neck and lower the chin towards the chest and draw it in. In the beginning I found it easier to imagine my head in a shoulder stand, as it is in quite a similar position.

Benefits: Practising this bandha regularly makes your mind ready for meditation. It helps to control the flow of prana and relaxes the mind. This one is very useful while practising some pranayama (breathing techniques), especially kumbhaka (holding the breath).

As with any other yogic technique, it is highly advisable not to start the practise without an experienced teacher. With a teacher you can clear your mind from any doubt and have someone to watch over the practise. So if you have never ever tried bandhas, bring the topic up with your teacher in your next asana class and feel the change!

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