Bandhas! They're important in our yoga practice, but sadly not always explicitly taught these days ... Read on to discover what they are and why and how to use them.
Bandha is a sanskrit word meaning "lock", "seal", or "bind". The Bandhas are an important element in everyone's yoga practice, and they perform a range of functions, including:
Stabilising, strengthening and protecting our bodies in poses (asana)
Bringing lightness and lift in poses
Helping to keep precious prana, or life force energy, within our body so that we can maximise its beneficial effects, by directing it to where we want it to be
Temporarily halts the flow of blood, and when released allows the freshly oxygenated and "pranified" blood surge through the body
Aids concentration and helps to still the "chitta vritti", or mind chatter
It can also aid digestion, stimulate energy levels in the body and mind generally, tone the internal organs, relieve depression and prepare the mind for concentration and meditation.
So what exactly are they?
There are three "main" bandhas, called moola (root lock), uddiyana bandha (navel lock) and jalanthara bandha (throat lock)
Most hatha and ashtanga yoga classes will incorporate the use of moola bandha and uddiyana bandha, and if you've been in any of my classes you've probably heard me say "engage your bandhas" more often than you can count; these are the two I'm usually referring to
Moola bandha is activated by contracting/lifting up the muscles of the pelvic floor to lift and tone the organs and ancillary muscles in that area, as well as activating the first and second chakras
Once we have mastered moola bandha, we can add uddiyana bandha to further tone the muscles and internal organs, by drawing the navel back into the spine to "hollow" the belly, and then lifting the diaphragm up in the direction of the ribcage.
In our physical practice, the bandhas are useful in many poses:
They help to stabilise the lower body and legs in standing poses such as triangle, warrior two, tiptoe descent, and utkatasana (chair pose)
The are very important in poses like navasana, boat pose, and bakasana, crow pose; by using them in the former they help to avoid straining the lower back area, and in the latter they give you the lift and stability you need to maintain the balance
They enable other muscles to be activated in strength poses, such as plank and side plank and variations, as well as in arm balances.
Quick practice: If you're already familiar with bandhas and want to experience how they can support you in your asana practice, try this, from "The key poses of hatha yoga" by Ray Long, who says:
"Recruitment is a process whereby one contracts an easily accessed muscle group while simultaneously contracting "hidden" muscles, such as those of the pelvic floor."
The practice he suggests (see also main photo above) is to bring the feet together, then bending and squeezing the knees together, lowering the hips as if sitting into a chair. Then lift up the perineum and vaginal walls (just the perineum will do if you don't have a vagina!) to engage moola bandha. Note here how the pose feels, particularly focussing on the bandha and its level of engagement. Then, lift the arms up above the head parallel to each other, contract the biceps and press the hands together (unless this is not available due to tight or injured shoulder issues) combining this with the contraction of the pelvic floor muscles to create "a more powerful moola bandha".
"Even an old person can become young when [Uddiyana Bandha] is done regularly" (Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika 3.58).
Notes for practice:
Contraindications (i.e. avoid) for moola and uddiyana bandhas are; when menstruating, if you have untreated low or high blood pressure, stomach or intestinal issues such as ulcer or hernia, glaucoma or heart disease
Practice on an empty stomach, and make sure you've emptied your bladder and bowels before practicing bandhas.
xCx