Sunday, March 8, 2009
Moola Bandha
The word bandha maybe defined as "lock", "hold back", "to restrain" or "to redirect". According to the yogis, these definitions give an indication as to what the physical action involved in performing it is. The aim of practicing bandhas is to lock the pranic flow in certain locations and redirect it into sushumna nadi for the purpose of spiritual awakening.
The yogis say that bandhas can be practised along with pranyama and mudra, but must be practiced exclusively and mastered as well, before they can be combined.
There are four bandhas: Moola, jalandhara, uddiyana and maha. I will focus, for now, on Moola Bandha, because it is the most relevant of the four for including in a prenatal yoga practice.
I am detailing a simple version of this practice so that it may be easily practiced during pregnancy. I personally benefitted a great deal through this practice.
Sit in a comfortable position, maybe against the wall with a cushion if necessary to support teh back. Take your awareness to the the region of the vagina (perenium for men). As you inhale contract the vagninal area by pulling up the muscles of the pelvic floor. Continue this practice in a rhythmic way. Breathe normally throughout the practice.
Moola Bandha benefits the practitioner at the physical, mental and spiritual levels. Most importantly, it tones the nerves in the pelvic region, the uro-genital system and the excretory system. It will directly benefit one during pregnancy for precisely these reasons.
Source: APMB by Sw Satyananda Saraswati, Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India
The yogis say that bandhas can be practised along with pranyama and mudra, but must be practiced exclusively and mastered as well, before they can be combined.
There are four bandhas: Moola, jalandhara, uddiyana and maha. I will focus, for now, on Moola Bandha, because it is the most relevant of the four for including in a prenatal yoga practice.
I am detailing a simple version of this practice so that it may be easily practiced during pregnancy. I personally benefitted a great deal through this practice.
Sit in a comfortable position, maybe against the wall with a cushion if necessary to support teh back. Take your awareness to the the region of the vagina (perenium for men). As you inhale contract the vagninal area by pulling up the muscles of the pelvic floor. Continue this practice in a rhythmic way. Breathe normally throughout the practice.
Moola Bandha benefits the practitioner at the physical, mental and spiritual levels. Most importantly, it tones the nerves in the pelvic region, the uro-genital system and the excretory system. It will directly benefit one during pregnancy for precisely these reasons.
Source: APMB by Sw Satyananda Saraswati, Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, Bihar, India
Labels: moola bandha, pregnancy yoga, prenatal yoga
