Archive for February, 2009

Definitions and Introduction (APCh 1, 2,4, 7 Appendix C)

· Bandha is defined as co-activation (simultaneous tensing) of antagonistic (opposing) muscle groups around a joint complex; Bandhas require multi-joint muscles and multi-joint complexes; Bandhas strengthen and stabilise joint-complexes; Bandhas help to move prana (energy) citta and (consciousness) through the nadis (subtle channels including nerves, blood vessels, lymph vessels and acupuncture meridians)

· Ha-bandhas are compressive, create heat and increase local pressure. They push energy and blood away from their region and reduce local blood flow

· Tha-bandhas are expansive, decrease temperature and local pressure. They pull energy and blood away from their region and increase local blood flow

· There are many ways to generate bandhas at each of the nine main joint complexes. The main ways are listed below with simple instructions to guide you in this posture as a follows:

· Below are listed some of the instructions you can give or things you can do in the posture Utthita Trikonasana

Kulpha (ankle) bandha (APpp 178-186, 395-396)

Use ha-kulpha bandha on both feet (This bandha pushes the blood away from the feet and should mainly be used when the foot is on the floor)

· Grip (flex) the toes (like trying to make a closed fist)

· Lift the arches of the feet – (once kati (hip) bandhas are applied then emphasise the lift of outer right foot and inner left foot)

· Lean towards the front of the feet

Janu (knee) bandha (APpp 158-163, 396-397)

Use tha-janu bandha on both knees (This bandha enhances blood flow through the knee and should mainly be used with the knee extended in a weight-bearing posture)

· Pull up the knee caps (in order to activate muscles in front of the thighs or knee extensors)

· Try to bend the knee with knee caps still pulled up and/or press into the front of the foot (in order to activate muscles in the rear of the thighs or knee flexors)

Kati (hip) bandha (APpp 134-142, 398-399)

RIGHT LEG (flexed hip)

Use ha-kati bandha (This bandha restricts blood flow through the hip and should mainly be used with the hip flexed, i.e. in poses with the thigh moving towards the front of the body, in standing or in the air)

· Try to turn the thigh outwards

· Start with the RIGHT foot slightly turned inwards (outer foot parallel to the long side of the mat) then press the heel inwards and press the front of the foot outwards (this is like trying to turn the thigh outwards, but effectively co-activates hip abductors and adductors)

LEFT LEG (extended hip)

Use tha-kati bandha (This bandha enhances blood flow through the hip and should mainly be used with hip extended, i.e. in poses with the thigh moving towards the back of the body, in standing or in the air)

· Try to turn the thigh inwards

· Start with the LEFT foot turned 45-60 degrees outwards, then press the heel outwards and press the front of the foot inwards (this is like trying to turn the thigh inwards, but effectively co-activates hip abductors and adductors)

Mula (lower trunk) bandha (APpp 207-209, 400-401)

Generally best to use tha-mula bandha (This bandha enhances blood flow through the lower trunk while stabilising and firming the lower trunk. It is best maintained with natural diaphragmatic breathing where should be feeling like you are keeping your abdomen relaxed and breathing into the abdomen not the chest but if you were to touch your abdomen it would feel firm to touch because of the way you are doing the posture and using your postural muscles)

· Lengthen the spine (especially by pushing the tail bone and sitting bones in the opposite direction from the first thoracic vertebrae and the collar bone)

· Narrow and compress the waist (using the postural abdominal muscles and not the muscles of abdominal exhalation)

· Learn how to inhale using the diaphragm (pull the diaphragm down) while not letting the abdomen puff out and this will increase intra-abdominal pressure and add to the stability of the lumbar spine

· OR Try to push the sitting bones down and forward and while trying to pull the middle back in and up, without actually shortening the spine

· OR Stretch the mat with the feet (specifically try to stretch the mat apart from the ball of the RIGHT foot to the heel of the LEFT foot)

· OR Nauli (activate the rectus abdominis by pushing the pubis towards the chestwhile generating tha-uddiyana bandha on exhalation retention)

Only use ha-mula bandha (the compressional form of mula bandha which restricts blood flow through the lower trunk and is best used and learnt during forced abdominal exhalation) when both this posture (asana) and basic breath-control (pranayama) have been mastered separately and can now be applied at the same time. N.B. most practitioners with less than 10 years or rigourous yoga are not ready for this stage and will over-tax both their physiology and anatomy by inappropriately applying this type of positive pressure core stabilisation or ha-mula bandha prematurely trying to apply it in postures.

· Narrow and compress the waist and especially the lower abdomen (using the abdominal muscles of exhalation), but generally only hold for a few moments

· Grip the perineum then exhale fully and tighten the genital, the lower abdomen and armpits

· OR contract the diaphragm with or without an inhalation

Uddiyana (chest and upper back) bandha (APpp 208, 211, 402-403)

Ha-uddiyana bandha (This bandha restricts blood flow through the upper trunk and is good to use during spinal bending postures, i.e. use when bending forward, backward, sideways or twisting in order to stabilise the spine)

· Contract the front lower rib cage and the rear lower rib cage (near the kidney region) inwards towards each

· Exhale fully from the chest (ha-uddiyana bandha is easiest to feel on a safely performed forced chest exhalation)

· Equally round out the upper back then lift the collar bones so the front and the back of the chest are equally stretched

Tha-uddiyana bandha (This bandha enhances blood flow through the upper trunk and is safest to use in neutral spine postures such as Utthita Trikonasana)

· Expand the lower rib cage

· Inhale to the chest or expand the chest as if you are inhaling (this can be done at any time of the breath cycle)

· Equally round out the upper back then lift the collar bones so the front and the back of the chest are equally expanded

Jalandhara (neck & head) bandha (APpp 209-211, 404)

Ha-jalandhara bandha (This bandha restricts blood flow through the neck)

· Move the head down and move the neck back

· If and when you rotate the head to the left then move your left ear away from your left shoulder

Amsa (shoulder) bandha (APpp 87-92, 405-406)

Generally to create amsa (shoulder) bandha, move or push the armpits in the direction they are facing and move the elbows in the opposite direction

Ha-amsa bandha (This bandha restricts blood flow through the shoulder and is best used when the shoulders are extended by the side of the body or abducted out to the side)

· Push the shoulder down towards the hips and push the elbow away from the hips

Tha-amsa bandha (This bandha enhances blood flow through the shoulder and is best used when the shoulders are flexed, i.e. arms above the head)· Push the shoulders forward towards the chest and push the elbows backwards away from the chest

Kurpara (elbow) bandha (APpp 112-113, 407)

RIGHT ARM

Tha-kurpara bandha (This bandha enhances blood flow through the elbow and is best used when the elbow is extended)

· Gently and simultaneously tighten (bulge) the biceps and triceps brachii

· Here the arm is pulling against the ankle (or the big toe or the floor) so try and bend (flex) the elbow then try to rotate the forearm inwards (elbow pronation)

LEFT ARM

Tha-kurpara bandha

· Gently and simultaneously tighten (bulge) the biceps and triceps brachii

· Here the arm is pushing to try and straighten (extend) the elbow so try to rotate the forearm outwards (elbow supination)

Mani (wrist) bandha (APpp 113-120, 408-409)

RIGHT ARM

Ha-mani bandha (This pushes the blood away from the hand and should mainly be used when the hand is weight-bearing or grabbing something)

· Grip (flex) with the fingers and pull the back of the hand towards the wrist (extend the wrist), as if trying to make a closed fist with the hand

· OR in an open handed position in case the hand is on the floor or resting by the side of the ankle in the air then try and make a tight closed fist with the hand

LEFT ARM

Tha-mani bandha (This pulls the blood towards the hands and should mainly be used especially on inhale when the hand is not weight-bearing or grabbing something)

· The wrist is guided by a closed hand position (in this case grabbing the ankle but it could also be the big toe) so stretch (extend) the fingers and slightly pull the front of the hand towards the wrist (i.e. slightly flex the wrist)