Bandhas

"He who constantly practices uddiyana bandha as taught by his guru, and as it occurs in a natural way, becomes young though he may be old. He should draw back the intestines below or above the navel, and within a month he will conquer death, without a doubt. Of all the bandhas, uddiyana bandha is the most excellent. When mastered, liberation (mukti) follows naturally." - Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Bandhas have an almost mythical or mystical status among yoga practitioners, seeming somewhat elusive and difficult to comprehend, however there are some easily understandable and accessible features that have immediate practical benefits. In fact, both in asana practice and in everyday life there are some features that we simply cannot do without.

Today we have a huge epidemic of back pain: over $90 billion a year is spent in the USA on doctors visits, drugs and surgery. Unfortunately this money is just wasted - the net result of all this spending is a 0% improvement! There is some pain reduction, some worsening of symptoms and mostly no benefit at all - on average there is no improvement whatsoever as the result of medical intervention.

The lumbar spine is supported by a dense network of muscles on the back of the body that are designed to be re-enforced by the abdominal muscles. However, due to our sedentary lifestyles and the fact that we spend our days sitting slumped in chairs rather than upright on the floor (like our ancestors), these abdominal muscles have become weak and lost their function.

As a result, the lumbar spine has lost essential support and strength required for everyday activities, even for just sitting comfortably. This inevitably leads to injury and pain.

Although bandhas have esoteric and energetic functions like introverting the senses, concentrating the mind and awakening the kundalini, they also have an immediate practical application and benefit in supporting spinal health. The $90 billion a year we spend on medical procedures, doctor's visits and drugs are wasted! The yogic solution costs nothing! It is simple and accessible.

Beyond the medical benefits and applications, bandhas are essential for certain yogic achievements, whether they be physical or energetic. Application of bandhas is not rocket science or magic but simple practical implementation of basic principles.

Application of bandhas are essential for proper breathing, good digestive health, asana, pranayama and meditation - they are the very foundation of good health! They can be used in therapy - post-partum kegels are an example and for curing many back pain issues and for developing core strength. Bandhas also improve endocrine and autonomic/parasympathetic nervous system function and have esoteric energetic benefits utilized in spiritual practice.

Anatomy and Application of the Bandhas

The word bandha means to bind, restrict, control or contract. There are three bandhas - Mula Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha and Jalandhara Bandha - these are muscular contractions at three locations in the body - Mula Bandha is the contraction and pulling up on the anus, Uddiyana Bandha is the abdominal lock and Jalandhara Bandha is the throat lock. Bandhas have various benefits - they give integrity to postures and protect against injury, they have various therapeutic benefits, they are applied in pranayama and meditation practice and have various energetic and psychological applications.

Bandhas when used in Pranayama practice, help to bring the mind and prana (energy/breath) under control - they are used as a focus in dharana and pratyahara - and in Hatha Yoga - bandhas are related to the awakening of Kundalini.

Mula Bandha (MB) and Jalandhara Bandha (JB) are mostly used in Pranayama and Meditation practice, while Uddiyana Bandha (UB) also has various physical strengthening and therapeutic benefits. In asana practice UB gives integrity to postures and protection from injury and also facilitates deep breathing. UB can also be applied to support back health and has various therapeutic benefits, including support for digestive health and recovery from various types of back injury.

In asana practice bandhas protect the spine, facilitate moving deeper into the poses, support healthy breathing and core strength. For instance, a posture like chaturanga dandasana cannot be performed without using UB. There are various other poses that require bandhas - in shoulderstand the chin presses on the chest - this is jalandhara bandha, vinyasas - jumping back and jumping through - require UB, strength poses require uddiyana to protect the spine. Full yogic breathing also requires the use of bandhas.

On the mundane level the word bandha indicates a contraction of certain muscles to create a binding or strengthening effect. The most useful and immediate application of a bandha is in every day life - such as when you lift a heavy object - but even on every occasion you move your body or when you are just sitting still, bandhas give valuable support.

Research in physical therapy has determined that even before a healthy person moves their body, for instance, reaches out to pick up an object, there is a subtle contraction of the abdominal muscles that supports the lumbar spine - unfortunately this healthy function has been lost for many people. UB thus is an essential tool for lumbar spinal health.

We have an epidemic of back pain and injury that is caused by our sedentary lifestyle and the fact that we spend our days sitting in chairs rather than on the floor (as is done in the East and in yoga practice) and due to a lack of exercise. When you sit on the floor, you have no choice but to use your abdominal muscles to support your spine - but when you sit in a chair, it is easy to slouch and to use the chair back to keep your body upright.

The spine is designed to be supported both by the back muscles and the abdominal muscles in the front - but when you sit in a chair, the stomach muscles do not work. They become weak, short and lose their function.

When the abdominal muscles work well they create something like a corset supporting the spine and protecting it from injury - but when they are weak the back is extremely vulnerable to injury and pain. This results in the huge number of back injuries and chronic back pain we see in our society. There are many other factors which can cause weakness in the abdominal muscles and lower back problems that can be helped through using UB: poor digestion, sedentary lifestyle, stress, overeating, accidents etc. all impact lumbar spinal health.

In the USA we spend something like $90 bn per year on back pain and injury - on doctors visits, drugs and surgery. The net result of these medical interventions is a 0% improvement - some improvement, some worsening of conditions and mostly no benefit whatsoever! Yoga is a much cheaper and much more effective solution!

Anatomy of Uddiyana Bandha

There are three varieties of UB. In one variation, after fully exhaling, it is possible to suck in the whole belly. This is the method used in Pranayama Practice on exhale retentions (kumbhaka) and in Agni Sara and Nauli Kriya. The stomach also hollows deeply in certain postures such as downward dog. But in general, when practicing asanas, the abdominal contraction is more subtle, or partial, and involves the drawing in of the abdomen below the navel. A third variation of UB is applied on the inhale retentions in pranayama - when holding the breath after inhaling, the stomach is drawn in strongly, but the hollowing is somewhere between the fullness possible in exhale retention and that used while breathing in asana.

There are four muscle groups involved in UB: The rectus abdominus, external obliques, internal obliques and the transverse abdominus. These four muscle groups wrap around the abdomen, insert along the lumbar spine, into the pelvis, attach to the lower ribs and join together at the front of the abdomen in a segment of fascia that connects the front of the rib cage to the pelvis, known as the linea alba.

Each of these muscle groups contracts in a different direction.

Rectus Abominus: The most superficial muscle layer is the rectus abdominus (RA) - this muscle group is relaxed during UB. The muscle fibers of the RA run vertically - from the rib cage to the pelvis, so that when they contract, they draw the chest towards the legs. Although these muscles are used in various postures, their contraction can get in the way of UB and need to be totally relaxed for a deep UB.

External and Internal Obliques: UB has a few possible applications. It facilitates breathing, it protects the lumbar spine from injury, it strengthens the lumbar spine to perform certain postures, it tones the autonomic parasympathetic system and it has certain energetic applications in pranayama and meditation. Its application can be subtly different in different postures and practices. The obliques are used asymmetrically in spinal twists and in drawing one shoulder towards the opposite hip. They are also used to some extent to draw in and stabilize the floating ribs in certain postures such as chaturanga dandasana and backbends. However they are also more relaxed on deep pranayama inhalations that depend on a full expansion of the chest. There are different schools of thought within different yoga systems.

The obliques are fan shaped. The two layers have slightly different applications. As with the other abdominal muscles they attach into the ribs, spine, pelvis and join the linea alba in the center of the abdomen. Their muscle fibers run diagonally from the ribs and pelvis towards the center of the stomach. In UB the obliques may, in certain postures, be slightly contracted to draw in the floating ribs, but are not much used in general in UB. In pranayama they are relaxed.

Transverse Abominis (TA): The deepest abdominal muscle layer is the TA. As the word transverse implies - their fibers run transversely - they contract in a direction across the stomach and act to pull the abdomen back towards the spine. Each of the four muscle groups are superficial to the abdominal organs and the effect of UB is to wrap around the organs and pull them in towards the spine. The TA are the main actors in this function.

Ilio-psoas: The psoas muscle is not involved in UB but should be mentioned, since it is also an abdominal muscle. The IS lies underneath the abdominal organs against the front of the spine. The IS connects the spine to the pelvis and into the top of the femur and is a major actor in most asanas and in both maintaining posture within and outside yoga practice as well as dysfunctional postural problems. UB allows one to feel asymmetrical dysfunctions of the IS muscle and, to some extent, facilitates the release or re-balancing of IS spasming.

The use of UB in asana practice varies. In some poses, a deep abdominal hollowing is possible - think about downward dog or uttansana. In others only a reduced uddiyana is possible. Sometimes it is better to relax the bandhas all together (intense backbends). Some poses are impossible without bandhas - chaturanga dandasana is an example. Other examples are deep twists or poses where heel of the foot presses the abdomen. Generally, in asana practice, we are focusing on drawing back the abdomen below the navel - if we draw the whole stomach back we will not be able to breathe properly.

In daily life UB protects the lumbar spine from injury and also protects against hernia. Hernia happens when the intestine gets pushed through the weakened abdominal muscle wall. Engaging UB also has the effect of drawing up MB - they are connected. There are contra-indications - with constipation, hemorrhoids, menstruation and pregnancy one should not use the bandhas. It may also be inadvisable to use jalandhara bandha with high blood pressure or obesity.

The Mechanics of Breathing

Bandhas are very important for breathing and breathing is the most important factor in yoga practice - in fact, the most important action in life! If you stop breathing you will die. As Krishnamacharya said, “if you can breathe, you can practice yoga” - without attention to breathing, yoga is just exercise.

We have forgotten how to breathe properly and fully. Typically we only use a small fraction of our lung capacity - breathers are categorized into three types by modern medicine - abdominal, thoracic or cervical - in yoga practice we are aiming for the full breath.

Breathing is mainly facilitated by the movement of the diaphragm. The diaphragm is a large dome shaped muscle situated beneath the lungs inside the rib cage. When the lungs are empty, the diaphragm is at rest and as we inhale, the diaphragm moves downwards into the abdominal cavity and presses on the abdominal organs and making the belly bulge out.

In yoga practice we want to resist this downward action. This is achieved by the action of mula and UB. As a result, instead of moving downwards - the diaphragm moves outwards expanding the chest in a horizontal and upward direction. The result is a full complete breath - the bandha increases the lung capacity.

MB and UB - Esoteric and Energetic Aspects

While UB is the drawing back of the abdomen, MB is the contraction and drawing up of the anus and rectum. In practice, UB and MB are connected - ie it is not really possible to completely isolate them from each other - the application of one simultaneously engages the application of the muscles associated with the other. In fact there may be some confusion about the distinction between the two: Krishnamacharya apparently referred to the hollowing of the lower abdomen as MB. However the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, which is the main source text on these practices, makes the distinction. Pattabhi Jois referred to MB as contracting or "controlling" the anus and UB as the drawing back of the abdomen 4 angulas (approximately 2 inches) below the navel.

While UB tones the abdominal muscles and organs, MB tones the pelvic floor and associated organs. In some traditions, it is suggested that MB, especially for women, involves the drawing up of the perineum and/or urethra. In practice, once again, it is not possible to completely isolate the action of drawing up of the anus without also drawing up on the other organs. This action is very much associated with postpartum Kegel exercises used to strengthen and tone the pelvic floor and have been found to be effective in reducing the symptoms associated with inguinal hernia.

Although MB has some therapeutic benefits, the main application of MB is energetic or psychological.

"Press the perineum with the heel, contract the anus, and force the apana upwards. This is mula bandha. Through contracting of the muladhara the normally downward flowing current of apana is guided upwards. ... Through mula bandha prana and apana unite to give perfection to the yogi." - Hatha Yoga Pradipika (HYP) - Ch 9 v 61-64

One definition of yoga is the uniting of prana and apana - prana and apana are two different energetic forces in the body. Prana dominates the upper part of the body whereas apana governs the lower part. Prana is pure - associated with intelligence, refinement, tranquility - Apana is impure, heavy, dirty, downward moving and dense. Apana has a downward action and governs excretion, urination and menstruation. It is also associated with the force of gravity as well as "downward" moving or negative thoughts. Forcing the apana upwards is associated with counteracting negative thoughts, overcoming the force of gravity, and moving the energy (prana) to the higher centers in the body connected to meditation and samadhi.

Prana and apana are associated with inhalation and exhalation - merging of the two together, indicates restraining or holding (kumbhaka) of breath, that is associated with controlling the mind, as well as overcoming the duality represented by inhale and exhale, thus moving the mind towards the non-dual state, ie samadhi.

"When apana rises upwards and reaches the fire orbit, the flame becomes large and bright, fanned by the apana. When apana and the fire join with prana which by its nature is hot, then the fire in the body becomes especially bright and powerful. The kundalini feels the great heat thereby and awakens from its sleep like a snake that is hit by a stick, hisses and raises itself. Then it enters the opening of sushumna. Therefore the yogi should always practice mula bandha.” - HYP - CH 9 v 66-69

The fire orbit is the navel region. Prana and Agni (fire) are two essential components for life. Agni performs many functions in the body. Agni is the digestive fire, it is associated with eyesight, intelligence and the sun. It is the heat element in the body. Increasing the digestive fire is a central theme in Hatha Yoga. Heat is a purifying element, it is also the element that aids the digestion.

Kundalini represents divine consciousness - when awareness is extroverted, she is sleeping. Kundalini is another word for Prakriti, Maya or Shakti. Yoga practices are designed to awaken Kundalini, or the divine consciousness (by introverting awareness), she then enters the shushumna nadi with the prana and ascends to merge with Shiva, who is the presiding deity of the sahasra (crown) chakra. When the prana is concentrated in the sahasra chakra, the yogi is in a deep state of samadhi - cosmic consciousness has awoken and extraverted attention has been eliminated.

Shakti (Kundalini) is the female counterpart to Shiva. Shiva represents meditation and resides in the crown. Shakti is shiva's power as manifested in the body. When the energy flows outwards, she sleeps, when the prana is absorbed, she awakens and returns to merge with Shiva. The merging of Shiva and Shakti is one definition of yoga.

The sushmna nadi, associated with the center of the spinal chord, is one of innumerable energy channels in the body. Prana moves downwards through shushumna as attention becomes extraverted. At the muladhara energy splits into innumerable channels that spread throughout the body. The purpose of hatha yoga is to re-merge this diversified energy back into the central channel and up to the crown.

Kundalini has many names - Prakriti, Shakti, Maya or the eternal truth. In the human body she is represented symbolically as a coiled sleeping serpent in the navel region. She is said to be sleeping because man’s attention is directed externally - he only has interest in superficial things. Her awakening represents the awakening of spiritual knowledge

The reversal of the downward movement of apana intensifies the heat in the navel region and awakens the sleeping kundalini. She then enters the shushumna nadi and moves to the sahasra chakra in the crown of the head - resulting in samadhi.

Nadis

Nadis are channels or tubes through which prana travels - the word nadi means river - prana travels via the blood stream and the nervous system as well as a network of subtle channels similar to the meridians of acupuncture. There are 3 important nadis - these are ida pingala and shushumna.

The shushumna nadi is equivalent to the center of the spinal cord. According to yoga - energy moves downwards through the shushumna nadi from the crown chakra as we engage in earthly pursuits - while when practicing yoga this energy flow is reversed. This is achieved by MB.

At the muladhara chakra - the base or root chakra - located at the bottom of the spinal cord, the shushumna nadi splits into two - these two nadis are called ida and pingala - the pingala nadi is on the right side and the ida nadi is on the left side. Pingala represent the male, solar, hot or rajasic and extroverted energy, while ida represents female, luna, cool or tamasic energy in the body.

These nadis originate at the muladhara and terminate at the left and right nostrils. Mulabandha blocks the splitting of the nadis and redirects the prana back into the shushumna - this action is intensified as kundalini awakens. Prana in the shushumna represents the non-dual state whereas once the nadis split into ida and pingala we experience duality.

"Uddiyana Bandha, (which literally means to "fly upwards") is so called by the yogis because thereby the prana flies up through the shushumna. Through this bandha the great bird prana constantly flies up through the shushumna; that is why it is called uddiyana bandha. Drawing back the intestines above or below the navel is called uddiyana bandha.... He who constantly practices uddiyana bandha as taught by his guru, and as it occurs in a natural way, becomes young though he may be old. He should draw back the intestines below or above the navel, and within a month he will conquer death, without a doubt. Of all the bandhas, uddiyana bandha is the most excellent. When mastered, liberation (mukti) follows naturally." - HYP - CH 9 v 55-62

"Contract the throat and press the chin against the breast. This is jalandhara bandha and destroys old age and death. It is called jalandhara bandha because it makes the nadis taught and stops the downward flow of nectar which issues from the throat. When JB is accomplished and the throat contracted, not a single drop of nectar can fall into the fire of life and the breath does not take a wrong path. When the throat is firmly contracted, the two nadis are dead." - HYP - CH 9 v 70-73

The nectar referred to here is known as - "ojas" - this is the third essential component of the body along with prana and agni - prana is energy, agni is fire/heat and ojas is the substance of the body. The ojas falls from the moon center in the throat is consumed by the fire in the navel area. When this nectar has all been consumed, life is over, we are dead - the nectar is the fuel of life. When JB is applied it conserves the nectar - prevents it from falling and being consumed.

"JB makes the nadis taut or dead" - the author is referring to ida and pingala. JB closes these two nadis and forces the prana into the shushumna - from duality we enter the non-dual state. When prana moves in ida and pingala the human being is engaged in extraverted every day activities. When the prana moves in sushumna - the yogi is in a state of samadhi.

"Practice uddiyana bandha by contracting the anus muscle; tighten the nadis ida and pingala (through JB) and cause the prana to flow (through the shushumna) to the upper part (sahasara chakra). In this way the breath is absorbed (remains motionless in shushumna) and old age , disease and death are conquered. The yogi masters these three outstanding bandhas, as practiced by the great siddhas, and through which one acquires the siddhis described in the hatha yoga shastra."

Pratyahra, Dharana, Mudra, Pranayama

Although the use of bandhas is recommended in asana practice and is necessary for certain postures, very often their application remains elusive and obscure. One of the main reasons for this is the unhealthy state of the digestive system. If the digestive system has not been emptied fully before practice, undigested food or non-eliminated waste prevents the abdomen from being properly drawn in during UB. It may be possible to draw in the abdomen somewhat but food in the system will prevent one from feeling the proper sensation. Excess fat or gas in the intestine will also stand in the way of proper application of UB.

Asana practice and food disciplines associated with it are excellent support for good digestive health and gradually yoga practice will lead to a greater understanding and capacity for applying the bandhas. But it is really during pranayama practice that the full use of bandhas is required and utilized.

Although rudimentary elements of pranayama can be usefully taught relatively early in asana practice (they help a student gain more mastery and understanding of breathing), deep pranayama requires the full use of bandhas. While exhale retentions (holding the breath after exhaling) involve deep UB and the application of MB, inhale retentions (holding the breath after inhaling) require all three bandhas.

Bandhas in asana, pranayama and meditation practice also act as points of concentration (dharana) and facilitate pratyahara (sense introversion). Holding the breath in certain postures while applying the bandhas is another practice known as mudra.

Medical Benefits

There is one classic book about the bandhas called Moola Bandha - the Master Key by Chela Buddhananda written under the guidance of Brahmananda Saraswathi of the Bihar School of Yoga. This book gives quite an in depth description of the bandhas and reports on medical research which has been done on the effect of the bandhas.

“Mula bandha has been experimentally found to enforce all parasympathetic activities in the body - which includes a decrease in heart rate, respiration and blood pressure and general rest and relaxation. Sympathetic nervous stimulation also occurs at a subdued level. The overall effect is to rebalance these two major components of nervous activity in the body.”

The parasympathetic system controls all the involuntary functions of the body - such as heart beat, digestion, secretion of hormones etc., while the sympathetic system is geared to movement of the limbs and to the fight or flight reflex. The practice of the bandhas balances the two systems.

Jalandhara Bandha also affects the nervous system. As the chin moves towards the chest, he spinal cord is stretched and toned. The throat contracts and presses on the vagus nerve which is the primary nerve of the parasympathetic system. Vagus means wanderer - the vagus nerve travels from the brain stem down through the neck and thorax into the abdomen - innervating the thyroid, vocal cords, heart, lungs, liver, stomach etc.. Jalandhara tones the vagus nerve. I believe the vagus nerve may be associated with ida and pingala nadis.

Today the fight or flight reflex is constantly activated through various stresses - as a result the parasympathetic system does not function properly - resulting in bad digestion, hormonal imbalance, heart and blood pressure problems etc..

These two systems are out of balance - we are constantly in a state of stimulation and agitation or stress - yoga practice is designed to eliminate this and bring the body back into harmony by strengthening the power of the parasympathetic system and reducing the overstimulation of the sympathetic. Application of the three bandhas can be instrumental in this process.

There are various other wonderful health benefits to applying the bandhas that have already been alluded to - toning the pelvic floor postpartum, supporting digestive health, therapy for lumbar spinal injuries and movement dysfunction in general. Toning the sympathetic nervous system has a positive impact on all the abdominal organs, the bandhas further directly stimulate and tone the spinal cord, the heart, endocrine glands - in short, bandhas are a universal tonic for the whole bodily system.

Agni Sara and Nauli

Apart from the static contractions of the bandhas, there are also dynamic applications in the practices of agni sara and nauli. These are two of the most excellent yogic practices that generate many positive health benefits and are a very effective way of learning how to access the bandhas. Agni sara involves sucking the belly in, as in UB and then pumping the center of the belly in and out, while nauli involves a circular rotation of the abdominal muscles that gives deep massage to the internal organs. Neither of these practices should be attempted without the guidance of an experienced teacher. The other practices described in the HYP should also only be undertaken under experienced guidance. Rather than giving health benefits, the incorrect application of these practices can lead to serious negative health outcomes!