Mudras and Bandhas

• In order to to follow the techiques of pranayama , it is necessary to know something about mudras and bandhas. The sanskrit word mudra means a seal of a lock. It denotes positions which close the body apertures, and where the fingers are held, together with special hand gestures.

• Bandha means bondage, joining together, fettering or catching hold. It also refers to a posture in which certain organs or parts of the body are gripped, contracted and controlled.

• When electricity is generated, it is necessary to have transformers, conductors, fuses, switches and insulted wires to carry the power to its destination; otherwise the current would be lethal. When prana is made to flow in the yogi's body by the practice of pranayaam, it is equally necessary for him to employ bandhas to prevent the dissipation of energy and to carry it to the right places without damage. Without the basdhas, pranayama practice disturbs the flow of prana and injures the nervous system.

• Out of the several mudras mentioned in hatha-yoga texts, jalandhra, uddiyana and mula bandhana are essential to pranayama. They help to distribute energy and prevent its waste through pyperventilation of the body. They are practised to arouse the sleeping kundalini and direct its waste through hypervenilation of the body. They are practised to arouse the sleeping kundalini and direct its energy up through the susumna channel during prabnayama. Their use is essential for experiencing the state of samadhi.

JALANDHARA BANDHA (Pls 55 – 65)

• The first bandha the sadhaka should master is jalandhara bandha, jala meaning a net, a web or a mesh. It is mastered while performing sarvangasana and its cycle, during which the sternum is kept pressed against the chin.

Technique

(a) Sit in a comfortable position like siddhasana, swastikasana, bhadrasana, virasana, baddhakonasana or padmasana. (b) Keep the back erect. Lift the sternum and front part of the rib cage. (c) Without tensing, stretch the sides of the neck and move the shoulder – blades into the body; keep the thoracic and cervical spine concave and bend the head forwards and downwards from the back of the neck towards the chest. (d) Do not constrict the throat or strain the neck muscles. It should not be forced forward, downward or tensed back. Keep the neck and throat muscles soft. (e)Bring the head down so that the point and both sides of the jawbone rest evenly in the notch betweenthe collar-bones on the front wall of the chest. (f)Do not stretch the chin more to one side or the other also do not tilt the neck to one side, which may cause pain and strain that continue for a long time. As elasticity is gained, the neck bends down increasingly. (g) Do not force the chin to the chest, but lift the chest to meet the descending chin. (h) Keep the centre of the head and chin in alignment with the midle of the sternum, the navel and the perineum. (i)Do not cave in the ribs, while resting the chin on the chest. (j)Relax the temples and keep the eyes and ears passive. (k) This is jalandhara bandha. EFFECTS

• The solar plexus is situated at the centre of the trunk. According to yoga, it is the seat of the digestive fire, which burns food and creates heat. The lunar plexus is in the centre of the brain and creates coolness. By performing jalandhara bandha, due to the lock of the nadis around the neck, the cool energy of the lunar plexus is not allowed to flow down or to be dissipated by the hot energy of the solar plexus. In this way the exlier of life is stored and life itself is prolonged. The bandha also presses the ida and pingala channels and allows the prana to pass through sussumna.
• The jalandara baandha clears the nasal pasages and regualtes the criene glandds in the neck. If pranayama is performed without jalandhara bandha, pressure is immediately felt in the heart, brain, eyeball and in the inner ear. This may lead to dizzoness.
• It relaxes the brain and also humbles the intellect

NOTE

• Those with stiff necks should keep the head as far down as possible without undue discomfort or roll a piece of cloth and place it on the top of the collar-bones. Hold it by lifting the chest rather than by pressing down with the chin. This releases tension in the throat and breathing becomes comfortable.

UDYANA BANDHA

• Uddiyana, which means flying up, is an abdominal grip. In it the prana or energy is made to flow up from the lower abdomen towards the head. The diaphragm is lifted from the lower abdomen up into the thorax, pulling the abdominal organs back and up towards the spinal column.

TECHNIQUE

• First master uddiyana in the standing position as explained below. Only then introduce it into pranayama practices while sitting during bahya kumbaka. Never do uddiyana during pranayama until you have mastered the latter, nor during antara kumbaka, as it will strain the heart.

(a) Stand in tadasana. (b) Spread the legs about a foot apart. (c) Stoop slightly forward with bent knees, spread the fingers and grip the middle of the thighs with the hands. (d) Bend the arms slightly at the elbows and lower the chin as far down as possible into jallandara bandha. (e) Inhale deeply and then exhale quickly so that the air is expelled from the lungs in a rush. (f) Hold the breath without inhalation. Pull the whole abdominal region back towards the spine and lift it upwards. Never hollow the chest during uddiyana practice. (g)Raise the lumbar and dorsal spine forwards and upwards. Squeeze the abdominal organs towards the spine and press the against it. (h)Maintain the abdominal grip, lift the hands from the things and rest them a little higher on the pelvic rim for a still firmer contraction. (I) Straighten the back without loosening the abdominal grip or raising the chin up. (j) Do not try to hold it beyond your endurance, but gradually increase the time as it becomes comfortable. (k) First relax the abdominal muscles without moving the chin and the head. If they moves, strain is at once felt in the region of the heart and temples. (l) Allow the abdomen to return to its normal positions. Then inhale slowly. (m) Do not inhale during the processes described in paras(f) to (k) (n) Take a few breaths, then repeat the cycle in paras (a) to (k) not more than six to eight times at a stretch. Increase the duration of the grip or the number of cycles as your capacity increases, or do so under the personal supervision of an experienced teacher or guru. (o) The cycles should be performed once a day only. (p) When firmness is achieved in practice of uddiyana, gradually introduce it in various types of pranayaama, but only while holding your breath after exhalation.

NOTE

(I) Practise on an empty stomach only. (ii) Do not squeeze the abdomen until the breath has been expelled. (iii) If strain is felt on the temples or if the intake of breath is laboured, this means that the uddiyana has been done beyond capacity. (iv) Never inhale until the grip of uddiyana is released and the abdominal organs are brought to their original relaxed state. (v) Do not constrict the lungs while the abdominal organs are compressed.

EFFECTS

It is said that through uddiyana bandha the great bird prana is forced to fly up through the susumna nadi, the main channel for the flow of nervous energy, which it situated inside the spinal column. It is the besst od bandhas, and he who constantly practises it, as thought by this guru, becomes young again. It is said to be the lion that kills the elephant named death. It should be performed only during the interval between a complete exhalation organs. The lift of the diaphragm gently massages the muscles of the heart, thereby toning them. It tones the abdominal organs, increases gastrics fire and eliminates toxins in the digestive tract. As such it is also called sakti chalana pranayama.

MULA BANDHA

• Mula means root, source, origin, or cause and basis, or foundation. It refers to the principal region between the anus and the genitals. Contact the muscles of this area, and lift them vertically towards the navel. Simultaneously, the lower anterior abdomen below the navel is pressed back wards and upwards towards the spine. The downward course of apana vayu is changed and then made to flow up to unite with the prana vayu, which has its seat in the region of the chest.
• Mula bandha should be attempted first in internal retention after inhalation. There is a difference between the abdominal grips in uddiyana and in mula bandha. In the former the entire region from the ansu to the diaphragm is pulled back towards the spine and lifted up towards the diaphragm.
• The practice of contracting the anal spincter muscles hepls one to master mula bandha. Asva means a horse. It should be learnt while doing various asanas, espicially tadasana, sirsasana, sarvangasana, urdhava, dhanurasana, ustrasana and paschimottasana.
• There is a grave danger in attempting to learn the uddiyana and mula bandhas by oneself. Improper performance of the former will cause involuntary discharge of semen and loss of vitality, while that if the later will seriously weaken the practitioner, who will lack virility. Even the correct performance of mula bandha has its own dangers. It increases sexual retentive power, which the practitioner is tempted to abuse. If the succumbs to this temptation, all his dromant desires may be aroused and become lethal lika a sleeping serpent stirred by a stick. With the mastery of the three bandhas, the yogi is at the cross – roads of his destiny, one road leading to bhoga and the other to yoga or union with the supreme soul. The yogi, however, feels greater attraction for hid creator. Normally, the senses open outwards and are attracted to object and follow the path of bhoga. If this direction is changed, so that they turn inwards, then they follow the path of yoga. The yogi's senses are turned inwards to meet the source of all creation. It is when the aspirant has mastered the three bandhas, that the guidance of a guru is most essential, for under proper guidance this increased power is sublimated to higher and nobler proper pursuits. The practitioner is then known as a celibate. Having mastered the sexual urge naturally but not by force, he stops dissipating his virlity. He is fully potent yet a master of himself. He then acquires moral and apiritual power, which will shine forth like the sun.
• While practising mula bandha, the yogi attempts to reach the true source or mula of all creation. His goal is the complete restraint or bandha of the chitta which includes the mind, the intellect and the ego.

References

The above mentioned information is added from the book called LIGHT ON PRANAYAMA by B.K.S. IYENGAR.