
A bandha () is a
kriyā in
Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga (; Sanskrit हठयोग, International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''haṭhayoga'') is a branch of yoga that uses physical techniques to try to preserve and channel vital force or energy. The Sanskrit word ह� ...
, being a kind of internal
mudra
A mudra (; , , "seal", "mark", or "gesture"; ) is a symbolic or ritual gesture or pose in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. While some mudras involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers.
As well as being spiritual ges ...
described as a "body lock," to lock the vital energy into the body. ''Bandha'' literally means bond, fetter, or "catching hold of".
[Iyengar, 1976: pp.435–437][Iyengar, 1976: p.525]
''Maha Bandha''
Mahā Bandha ("the great lock") combines all the other three bandhas, namely:
* Mula Bandha, contraction of the
perineum
The perineum (: perineums or perinea) in placentalia, placental mammals is the space between the anus and the genitals. The human perineum is between the anus and scrotum in the male or between the anus and vulva in the female. The perineum is ...
* Uddiyana bandha, contraction of the
abdomen
The abdomen (colloquially called the gut, belly, tummy, midriff, tucky, or stomach) is the front part of the torso between the thorax (chest) and pelvis in humans and in other vertebrates. The area occupied by the abdomen is called the abdominal ...
into the
rib cage
The rib cage or thoracic cage is an endoskeletal enclosure in the thorax of most vertebrates that comprises the ribs, vertebral column and sternum, which protect the vital organs of the thoracic cavity, such as the heart, lungs and great ve ...
* Jalandhara Bandha, tucking the chin close to the chest
In
Ashtanga Yoga, these three Bandhas are considered to be one of the three key principles of yoga practice.
''Mula bandha''
''Mūla bandha'' is a primary ''bandha'' in traditional
yoga
Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...
. The earliest textual mention of ''mūla bandha'' is in the 12th century Shaiva
Natha text ''
Gorakṣaśataka'' which defines it as a yogic technique to achieve mastery of breath and to awaken the goddess
Kuṇḍalinī.
Etymology
Mula Bandha (
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
: मूल बंध) is from ''Mūla'', meaning variously root, base, beginning, foundation,
[Iyengar, 1976: p.459] origin or cause.
[
]
Description
'' Gorakṣhaśataka'' defines ''mūla bandha'' as:
Iyengar defines Mūla Bandha as "A posture where the body from the anus
In mammals, invertebrates and most fish, the anus (: anuses or ani; from Latin, 'ring' or 'circle') is the external body orifice at the ''exit'' end of the digestive tract (bowel), i.e. the opposite end from the mouth. Its function is to facil ...
to the navel
The navel (clinically known as the umbilicus; : umbilici or umbilicuses; also known as the belly button or tummy button) is a protruding, flat, or hollowed area on the abdomen at the attachment site of the umbilical cord.
Structure
The u ...
is contracted and lifted up and towards the spine". This is qualified in that the actual muscle contracted is not the sphincter
A sphincter is a circular muscle that normally maintains constriction of a natural body passage or orifice and relaxes as required by normal physiological functioning. Sphincters are found in many animals. There are over 60 types in the human bo ...
muscle nor the muscle which cessates urination, but the muscle equidistant between the two.
Maehle defines it as "root lock" and further specifies that:[
Mūla Bandha is a primary Bandha in traditional ]yoga
Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...
. Iyengar likens the functionality of the Bandha and especially Mūla Bandha to "safety-valves which should be kept shut during the practice of kumbhakas".[ He specifies the energetic prāṇas of Vāyus engaged through Mūla Bandha as: "...Apāna Vāyu (the prāṇa in the lower abdomen), whose course is downwards, is made to flow up to unite with Prāna Vāyu, which has its seat within the region of the chest."][ He cautions that "Mūla Bandha should be attempted first in antara kumbhaka (retention after inhalation). The region of the lower abdomen between the navel and the anus is contracted towards the spine and pulled up to the diaphragm. He further states that "While practicing Mūla Bandha, the yogi attempts to reach the true source or mūla of creation."][
]
''Uddiyana bandha''
''Uḍḍīyana bandha'' (Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
: उड्डीयन बन्ध), also called abdominal lock or upward lifting lock, is the abdominal ''bandha'' described and employed in hatha yoga
Hatha yoga (; Sanskrit हठयोग, International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''haṭhayoga'') is a branch of yoga that uses physical techniques to try to preserve and channel vital force or energy. The Sanskrit word ह� ...
, in particular in the nauli purification. It involves, after having exhaled all the air out, pulling the abdomen under the rib cage by taking a false inhale while holding the breath and then releasing the abdomen after a pause. The process is repeated many times before letting the air into the lungs, resuming normal breath.
''Jalandhara bandha''
''Jalandhara bandha'' (, IAST
The International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration (IAST) is a transliteration scheme that allows the lossless romanisation of Brahmic family, Indic scripts as employed by Sanskrit and related Indic languages. It is based on a scheme that ...
: Jālandhara bandha) is the chin ''bandha'' described and employed in Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga (; Sanskrit हठयोग, International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''haṭhayoga'') is a branch of yoga that uses physical techniques to try to preserve and channel vital force or energy. The Sanskrit word ह� ...
.
Etymology
Jālandhara bandha comes from ''Jāla'', web or net and () ''dhara'', "holding".
Description
This bandha is performed by extending the neck and elevating the sternum
The sternum (: sternums or sterna) or breastbone is a long flat bone located in the central part of the chest. It connects to the ribs via cartilage and forms the front of the rib cage, thus helping to protect the heart, lungs, and major bl ...
(breastbone) before dropping the head so that the chin may rest on the chest. Meanwhile, the tongue pushes up against the palate in the mouth.
See also
* Kundalini
* Kapalabhati
* Tummo meditation
* Mulabandhasana
References
Sources
* Iyengar, B. K. S. (1966, 1976). '' Light on Yoga'', Thorsons.
*
* Maehle, Gregor (2007). ''Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy'', New World Library. &
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{{Hatha yoga
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Kriyas
Mudras
Pranayama