You know those little combinations locks you get when travelling? You pop them on your bags, through the loops of your zips, to keep the contents in and safe and secure? Well, your body has similar locks, called bandhas. ‘Bandha’ literally means lock, to tighten, to close-off and block. There are four main bandhas in the body:
- Mula Bandha – the root lock
- Jalandhara Bandha – the throat lock
- Uddiyana Bandha – lifting of the diaphragm lock
- Maha Bandha – all three locks at the same time
So what is the point and purpose of closing off the throat, contracting and lifting the abdomen and of drawing inward at the centre of the pelvic floor? Both separately, and all at once?
Essentially, bandhas are engaged to gain control and lock your energy – prana, being life force – the way you want. The locks are employed to attain control of your energy system, and to direct this energy to the parts of your body where you desire it to go and whatever action you want to perform.
Essentially, bandhas are engaged to gain control and lock your energy – prana, being life force – the way you want.