The Bandhas
The Bandhas are seals for containing and directing prana flow within the body. They are practiced in the central body and find their organizing structures in four of the main diaphragms. Mula Bandha is the seal at the root and is organized around the perineal body within the pelvic diaphragm. Udiyana Bandha uses the thoracic diaphragm and includes its full length from coccyx into the mid thorax. Jalandhara Bandha involves the vocal diaphragm in the throat, in concert with the soft palate at the roof of the mouth.
The containment of energy in each of the bandhas is achieved through cultivating a fine balance between attention, sensitivity to prana, and muscular action. Both udiyana and mula bandha are commonly taught as very strong muscular contractions. Jalandhara bandha is often done in such a way as to completely disconnect the head from the body. This way of practicing shows a misunderstanding of the three bandhas and often adds further hardening and restriction to the body. It's sad to see these beautiful and delicate inner actions being misinterpreted in this way. Hardening is counter to the purpose of the bandhas which is to enhance and contain, not restrict energy flow. Due to their subtle nature, the bandhas need to be perfected and refined through a light and sensitive touch. Given enough time and patience the bandhas should develop spontaneously out of good practice and inquiry.
UDIYANA BANDHA — BREATHING DIAPHRAGM AND PERITONEAL SAC
Udiyana means flying up. This refers to the sensation of lift that the bandha provides in the torso and also to its ability to draw prana up the spine. Udiyana is primarily an action of the breathing diaphragm.
Udiyana begins with a complete exhale. The breath remains suspended as the entire navel region involutes drawing the abdominal contents in and up. The peritoneal sac, including the organs contained within, draws upward and into the back abdominal wall while the diaphragm maintains its fully relaxed and lengthened state, from coccyx to the mid thorax.
The stem of the breathing diaphragm is a critical part of udiyana bandha. It contains the root of the breath at the lowest portion of the breathing diaphragm, the coccyx, so that its top portion, the double domes, can rise upward maximally drawing the peritoneal sac, and the organs contained within it, into the body and upward, as well.
During the exhale that precedes and sets up the bandha, the tail is rooted downward, along its stem. This is done by exhaling down the front of the spine, along the muscular pathway of the crura, all the way to the coccyx. The muscular stem of the breathing diaphragm is the means by which udiyana bandha roots to the tail. Like the stem of a mushroom the breathing diaphragm tethers into the earth at its root.
“The containment of energy in each of the bandhas is achieved through cultivating a fine balance between attention, sensitivity to prana, and muscular action.”
The very bottom portion of udiyana bandha is created by a refined muscular action that grabs and holds the coccyx. This "grabbing" at the coccyx tethers the diaphragm into the earth at its stem. This is a fine and particular muscular action at the back of the pelvic diaphragm. It provides an energetic and physical root to the breathing diaphragm and is critical for tethering the upward movement of udiyana bandha.
This is an important root of the breathing diaphragm with or without udiyana.
Udiyana draws prana from the deep pelvic belly all the way to the seat of the heart and lungs. The profound lift and emptying of the abdomen stimulates the flow of vital life force upward and into the solar plexus where it can seep quietly and softly into the heart and lungs.
MULA BANDHA — PELVIC DIAPHRAGM, PERINEAL BODY, AND DEEP PELVIC BELLY
Mula Bandha is the seal of energy flow at the root of the torso organized around the perineal body in the center of the pelvic diaphragm (pelvic floor). The perineal body is the central point of our root. It is the focal point of apana vayu in the body. Apana is the downward and inward flow of life force. The perineal body draws this movement toward itself. Mula bandha contains this vital force within the body and draws it upward from the perineum into the pit of the deep pelvic belly. Without mula bandha too much of our life force flows out of the body through the pelvic floor.
From the center of the perineum there is a sheet of fascia that rises upward, behind the genitals and in front of the anus. This strong strand of connective tissue tethers the bottom of the peritoneal sac to the perineum—and especially to the perineal body. The lifting action of mulabandha follows this upward thread. It ends where it meets the bottom portion of the peritoneal sac. This union point is contained in the area we call the pit-of-the-belly. The belly pit has been a powerful center of life force since we were first forming embryologically. It is the seat of personal power. In yoga practice it relates to the knob of the kanda, which is the primary coalescing weave of nadis in the body.
“Mulabandha takes us to this powerful energy hub. Exploring and experiencing the qualities of the pit-of-the-belly is deeply transformative practice that leads to greater self-awareness and acceptance of personal responsibility and dedication to a life of dharmic action. Mulabandha is a key practice for realizing and embodying this depth.”
The action of mula bandha rises up from the center of the pelvic floor into the deep pelvic belly, a couple of finger breadths above the pubis. As mula bandha rises upward through the central body, udiyana bandha maintains its root tethered down behind it and to the coccyx. With proper use, mula bandha encourages downward flowing prana to rebound off the pelvic floor and billow upward. Udiyana picks up where mula bandha leaves off in the pit of the lower belly. If udiyana bandha is engaged, the upward moving prana continues its upward flow along the spine. If udiyana is not engaged the prana spreads and diffuses through the pelvic organs.
Approach mula bandha by becoming familiar with the structure, sensations, and options for movement at the pelvic floor. Mula bandha is achieved through balanced tone, resiliency, and awareness at the pelvic floor. The muscles of the pelvic floor should be toned and yet soft. Learn to differentiate the four quadrants of the pelvic diaphragm (pelvic floor) and use them in movement. Learn the boney landmarks: pubic bones, the pubic disc, sitz bones, and coccyx. Explore the sensations and positioning of the anal sphincter, perineal body, and vagina or prostate. Feel your perineal body at the center of the pelvic floor and notice how it affects the flow of prana in your body.
Mula bandha should not tighten or restrict the pelvic floor as this just cuts us off further from our root chakra and our connection to the earth under us. The amount of physical action required in mula bandha is exactly the amount you need to maintain your energy within the body without allowing it to leak out through the bottom of your core.
JALANDHARA BANDHA Jalandhara is the energy seal at the throat. This bandha keeps the head cool when agni —digestive and spiritual fire—burns in the navel. Jalandhara involves a lifting of the chest and a moving of the chin toward the chest. The cave of the mouth and the soft palate form a supportive arc around which the skull can roll to bring the chin toward the chest without inappropriate compression.
The movement originates in the soft palate and just above it. The rotation of the head moves around the arc of the head glands: pituitary, pineal, and mammillaries. It can be found by learning to rotate the skull on the jaw while maintaining awareness of the soft palate. It creates an arching crescent moonlike sensation in the palate and the skull.
Jalandhara bandha balances the head glands and the autonomic nervous system. The rocking of the head forward in calms pituitary and presents pineal upward. Jalandhara bandha ties off the ida and pingala nadis at the ajna chakra encouraging the flow of prana through sushumna nadi. As we continue to explore the bandhas we begin to feel the qualities and effects of the bandhas on the subtle level as containers for space, prana, and awareness.
Embodying the Bandhas with Patty Townsend
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patty Townsend
Patty Townsend is the founder of Embodyoga®, an inclusive and fully embodied approach to yoga developed out of over 50 years of dedicated practice and 20 years of intimate study with her current teacher Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen. Patty's breath and awareness centered approach incorporates a deep understanding of how Awake-Alive-Intelligence expresses through the body-mind shaping our perceptions and experiences.
Patty embodies a strong understanding of yoga philosophy and encourages deep inquiry into all things personal and universal. She is an expressive and joyful teacher and her offerings are the culmination of a lifetime of serious practice and inquiry.
