Yoga BLOG

Mula Bandha: How to keep your energies circulating

by Nick on Jun 19 2018
Mula Bandha: How to keep your energies circulating In yoga, three power centers of the body are defined: the bandhas. The word bandha, translated from Sanskrit, means something like "lock" or "seal." Bandhas are central bodily locks that have a special function: They direct, regulate, and preserve the body's energy. Through yoga postures and breathing exercises, prana, the life force, is activated. It should serve your body as optimally as possible—by activating your bandhas, you contribute to this optimal use. In yoga language, this activation is called "setting bandhas." Setting occurs through finely measured muscle contractions. The highest bandha in the body is the Jalandhara Bandha, the neck lock . The abdominal contraction is called Uddiyana Bandha . And Mula Bandha stands for the root lock, the pelvic floor contraction. The contractions should not be understood as the strongest possible contractions, but rather as precisely coordinated and targeted muscle contractions that can only be used beneficially through experience and persistent practice. Mula Bandha can give you support Mula Bandha addresses the root chakra , the pelvic floor in the perineal region between the anus and genitals. The pelvic floor consists of the perineal muscles as the outer layer, the urogenital diaphragm (diaphragm) in the middle layer, and the pelvic diaphragm in the inner layer. Activating the pelvic diaphragm, as the muscular connection between the pubic bone and coccyx, is of utmost importance in Mula Bandha. When performed correctly, the root closure can provide a stable foundation for your spine. It thus creates a reliable foundation for all healthy postures. It can also powerfully support yoga breathing exercises. In Hatha Yoga, the root area in particular is considered a body area that provides you with security and support, not only in a physical sense. Regular practice of Mula Bandha prevents your body's energy from flowing downward. The energies rise within you with undiminished strength. This can have a revitalizing effect and fill you with energy and zest for life. If you practice Mula Bandhas regularly, you can experience further physical and mental benefits. Root locking can stabilize your sacroiliac joint and prevent inflammation in this area. Mula Bandha can also help with incontinence and pain during intercourse. It is considered to promote circulation and potency, as well as calm the autonomic nervous system and relax your mind. However, contraindications are also described in connection with Mula Bandha. It should be avoided in cases of acute inflammation in the pelvis, coccyx injuries, and after pelvic floor surgery. Likewise, women who are pregnant or have recently given birth are advised not to practice root locking. Finely dose contractions Mula Bandha can be practiced standing or in a meditation position. Many instructions advise beginners to imagine they urgently need to go to the toilet and cannot. This is certainly a good analogy to get an idea of which muscle groups you should contract during Mula Bandha. By tensing the pelvic floor muscles, you draw your pelvic floor inward and upward. At the same time, the lower back lengthens, and the tailbone and sacrum are drawn downward in the countermovement. Experienced yoga teachers say that as you practice Mula Bandha, the feeling for the contraction becomes increasingly finer and more precisely measured. There are also exercise instructions that combine the establishment of the root lock with the yoga breathing technique of Pranayama. By combining breath and contraction, you may develop an even more precise understanding of this locking technique. Mula Bandha and Pranayama In the meditation position, exhale fully and deeply. As you do so, visualize your pelvic floor as a triangular surface (some say: a taut cloth). At the end of your exhalation, feel the pelvic floor (the cloth, the triangular surface) bulge outward. As you inhale, continue to hold this bulge. In this way, your breathing practice naturally connects you with the correctly measured pelvic floor contraction—a seamless combination of breathing practice and Mula Bandha. Image © dimol / 123rf.com

Jalandhara Bandha - the chin lock

by Nick on Nov 03 2017
Jalandhara Bandha - the chin lock Jalandhara Bandha stands for chin lock. The name of this exercise is composed of the different parts of the term: "jal" stands for the throat, "jalan" for the net, and "dharan" metaphorically represents current or energy. This exercise therefore involves a throat or chin lock, which is intended to control the energy flow in the nerves and bloodstreams of the throat and neck. Anyone who wishes to practice Jalandhara Bandha must therefore embrace the idea that they can specifically direct the energies in the body – this is also the foundation of yoga. Furthermore, it is a relatively undemanding physical exercise in which breathing plays a very special role. Execution of Jalandhara Bandha in practice To begin the exercise, you need to assume the classic meditation position. Your knees or feet are crossed and resting on your thighs. You can use your palms to support your knees, which will automatically extend your arms as well. Right at the beginning of the exercise, start breathing. Inhale deeply and hold your breath, keeping your hands on your knees. Now raise your shoulders toward the ceiling or sky, while keeping your upper body straight and leaning slightly forward. You are now ready to move into the next position for Jalandhara Bandha. To do this, press your chin firmly against your chest or directly between your collarbones. The goal is to tightly close both the esophagus and windpipe. Now focus on the Vishuddhi Chakra and hold your breath for as long as it feels comfortable. Try not to overexert yourself, as the purpose of the Jalandhara Bandha exercise is by no means to make you feel like you're suffocating. On the other hand, you should hold your breath for at least as long as it is challenging but still comfortable - for example, as if you were diving. When you want to take a breath, lift your head and exhale deeply. The exhalation is complete as soon as your head is back in a straight position and is no longer pressing on the area around your collarbone. You can now repeat this exercise three to five times. Always give yourself enough time to find yourself and inhale enough air before holding your breath again and moving into the chin lock. After three to five repetitions, the Jalandhara Bandha is complete, and you can move on to the next exercise. The Jalandhara Bandha is ideal simply because it's not physically demanding. No one needs to contort themselves or have strong muscles, as the entire exercise is performed comfortably seated in the meditation position. Therefore, it's perfect for beginners or simply for when you want to calm yourself down and "wind down." What is the Jalandhara Bandha for? First of all, you should only consider this exercise if you don't have thyroid problems or asthma (or other lung diseases). If this is the case, discuss the exercise with your doctor and ask if it's okay for you to perform it several times a week. The exercise is said to awaken and strengthen the body's energy centers. Furthermore, holding the breath automatically trains the ability to hold your breath, just as divers do. It's said that the exercise can stimulate thyroid function and/or have a healing effect on various throat conditions. Image © lightfieldstudios / 123rf.com