Module 2: Theory & Philosophy
The eight steps are:
Yamas: How you interact with the world around you Niyamas: How you
conduct yourself Pranayama: Breath work Asana: Postures Pratyahara:
Withdrawal of the senses Dharana: Concentration Dhyana: Meditation
Samadhi: Enlightenment
Eight Limbs of Yoga
Most people think of yoga as the physical postures practiced in
class, yet these postures are but one part of the eight limbs of
yoga as described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra. In the Yoga Sutra, he
describes the eight steps toward enlightenment through Ashtanga
yoga. In addition to performing postures, doing breath work, and
meditation, there are methods of conduct – the yamas and the
niyamas – and steps of self-reflection and concentration that lead
to the all-conscious ecstatic state of Samadhi and your connection
to the Divine.
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Yamas & the Niyamas
Yamas are disciplines or restraints, and include the methods you
use to interact with the world around you. All of the other seven
limbs are built around the first yama Ahimsa: non-harming. They are
like an etiquette manual for yogis, and can be applied to the yoga
practice as well as a larger guideline for how to treat others.
Ahimsa literally means non-harming or injuring any creature or
person in any way. This yama asks the yogi to practice kindness and
compassion in thought, word, and deed. On the mat, it means
avoiding getting too deep into a pose or using negative self-talk
when a challenging pose is experienced. If you spoke your thoughts
aloud, how would they sound? Would you dare to be as unkind to
others as you are to yourself? Off the mat, it encourages the
practitioner to speak and act kindly in a conscious way. Are your
actions or deeds fostering the growth and well-being of others? As
a yoga teacher, it would ask that you release judgment of your
students and treat all with the same compassion. Words are like a
knife that can pare a fruit or stab an enemy – the fault is not in
the instrument, but in the user.
The second yama is Satya: speaking the truth. All of the yamas
follow the first yama of non-harming, so caution is advised when
speaking a truth that could cause hurt or harm in some way.
Consideration for how your words might land on the person hearing
them is imperative. My teacher, Sri T.K.V. Desikachar told me that
Buddha advised laypeople to “speak only if your words are kind,
only if they benefit the person hearing them, and then only if they
improve upon the silence.” This is right speech. On the mat, this
is discovering your truth about where the middle of your own pose
is. Off the mat, it is honesty and choosing your words with
discernment. It might be better to keep quiet than to hurt someone
with the truth. Speaking lies are harmful, even if they are
pleasing to the ear. As the teacher, this is selecting a kind and
constructive way to give feedback to a student.
The third yama is Asteya: abhor theft. Steya means to steal, and
asteya is the opposite – to take nothing that does not belong to
us. Do not take anything that has not been freely given. An example
is interrupting a conversation, or not asking if the person has
time to talk when you call. The Yoga Sutra suggests that a person
who is firmly anchored in asteya will “receive all the jewels of
the world.”1 On the mat, this means staying connected to your every
breath, and not letting your thoughts or “monkey mind” distract or
detract from your experience of each pose. Off the mat, this means
literally not taking something that does not belong to you, but in
an intangible sense; it is not stealing someone’s attention when
they are in the middle
of a conversation or activity. As a teacher, this means devoting
yourself to the class, giving all your attention to your students.
When you do your own poses in the class, you are taking your energy
away from the students to do so. Demonstrate if needed, and then
get back to assisting and teaching from a fully conscious and
connected place.
The fourth yama is Brahmacharya: sense control. Traditionally, this
was meant in the sense of abstinence from sexual activity, because
Brahmins were required to be renunciates, and not engage in sexual
relations. This was only for a short period of time before they
were asked to be householders and have a family. In today’s
interpretation, it is meant to have integrity in relationships, not
using or manipulating others for one’s own gratification, but
rather seeking the divine in one another and acting accordingly
with mutual reverence and respect. On the mat, this is the
relationship you have with yourself. Are you constantly criticizing
or judging your ability in each pose, or are you accepting what is
possible today? Off the mat, this means acting with respect in your
external relationships. Are you being truthful, honorable, and
respectful? As a teacher, it means recognizing and keeping
boundaries of respect with each student, understanding the balance
of the teacher/student relationship.
The fifth yama is Aparigraha: non-coveting. Aparigraha means to
take only what is necessary, not taking advantage of a situation or
acting greedy. If you take more, you are exploiting someone else,
and that goes right back to ahimsa – non-harming. On the mat, this
can be interpreted as a desire to have a pose like someone else in
the class, or a desire to be further along in a pose than the last
time you were there, instead of enjoying what is possible in your
body at this moment. Everything is impermanent, even our bodies: we
must give back. When you hold on too tightly to anything,
especially a relationship or youth, you lose it. Off the mat, this
is about respecting what is others, enjoying what is yours, and
being satisfied with both. If a thought, idea, or attitude has not
served you for at least a year, let it go. As a teacher, this is
charging a fair rate for your classes or private sessions, and not
taking advantage of student/teacher relationships.
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Module 2: Theory & Philosophy
Niyamas are the way we act in our relationship with ourselves. They
are codes or rules that are followed for personal observance.
The first niyama is Shaucha: cleanliness. This involves being clean
on the outside, but is really about being clean on the inside. This
is accomplished by practicing the poses that purify and detoxify,
as well as using meditation and pranayama to wash our minds of
chaos, watching what we feed our minds, from what we read to what
we watch on TV and even to the conversations we have.
The second niyama is Samtosha: contentment. Being at peace with who
you are and what you have is the essence of this niyama. It is a
bit similar to aparigraha, by being satisfied with what is yours,
but it goes to the next level, where who you are and what you have
give you a sense of peace and well-being, knowing that you are
exactly where you should be at this moment. Gratitude cultivates
contentment. The Taoists say, “those who are contented with
contentment are always contented.”2
The fourth niyama is Svadhyaya: the study of the self. Sva means
self, and adhyaya means inquiry or examination. Through meditation
and yoga asana, we learn more about ourselves. Erich Schiffman once
said in class: “when you find out who you are, God will show up.”
And Geeta Iyengar said, “there is a beginning, but no end to
knowledge.”
The third niyama is Tapas: fire. This refers to the discipline of a
daily practice that results in toxins inside the body being burned
away. It is the mental habit of routine. In the poses, it is the
ability to bear the pains of extremes while remaining steady
without the mind getting upset.
Asana
Asana are generally known as the yoga poses performed in yoga
practice or class, and translates as “to take a quiet seat.” The
poses were developed to allow yoga practitioners an ease in their
bodies to sit quietly so they could meditate without physical
disturbance. There is only one of Pantajalis Yoga Sutra that
addresses asana 2.46 “sthira sukam asanam.”3 Sthira is steadfast
action, the ability to be conscious of the body’s actions and to
feel and notice what it can do. Sukam is ease, in this case the
ability to breathe easily and fully – without restriction or
struggle. The yogi can then create an awareness of the body’s
actions, and the space to relax into what they offer. There are
many asanas appropriate for various levels of the practitioner, and
it is the teacher’s responsibility to determine what poses to
include in the sequencing of the class so the student can find that
balance of effort and ease.
Pranayama
Pantajali says pranayama is the “controlled intake and outflow of
breath in a firmly established posture.”4 It is the ability to
regulate inhalation and exhalation, as well as the pause between
breaths. This third limb is what makes yoga, yoga. Connection of
the breath to the body and mind is what differentiates asana from
stretching or calisthenics. The most commonly used form of
pranayama in today’s yoga classes is ujjayi breathing, which
reminds some people of Darth Vader or an underwater scuba diver.
The sound comes from the vibration in the throat both on the inhale
and the exhale, and when the mind is solely focused on each phase
of the breath, the breath will grow louder than one’s own
thoughts.
The fifth niyama is Ishvara Pranidhana: to surrender to something
greater than you. This is knowing that there is a divine presence
and that you are part of it. It is also about letting go of
anticipation of the outcome of one’s actions, and being open to
whatever the moment provides.
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Pratyahara
Pratyahara means to draw the senses and awareness inward, to move
away from the stimulation of the external and become engaged with
the occurrences inside the body-mind. When you start to narrow your
focus down to every inhale and every exhale, the withdrawal of
attention to external stimulus occurs and the mind can remain
present to what is going on right now inside of you. You still have
a state of awareness; it is located on the inside instead of the
outside. Meditation is an active state of pratyahara. The outside
stimulus is removed and a heightened awareness occurs of what is
going on inside. This practice allows the yogi to dis- engage from
the demands of daily life, and allows the practitioner to be
conscious and in the moment.
Dharana
Dharana means to hold, representing the immovable concentration of
the mind when focused on the breath. It is the focus during
meditation, to the exclusion of any other distractions.
Dhyana
Dhyana is a contemplation or worship, wherein concentration on the
currents of the mind in meditation narrow down to awareness, taking
it one step further from Dharana, which is fo- cused on one thought
or sensation. It creates the path for the eighth and final
limb.
Samadhi
Samadhi and the Isvarapranadhana are the eighth limbs of yoga.
Isvarapranadhana means to surrender, to be conscious of a greater
being than you. Samadhi is the state of enlightenment where you are
connected to the greater being and are totally present and aware.
It is ananda, “bliss.” I asked my teacher, Erich Schiffman, what it
was like to be in a state of Samadhi, and he responded, “it is like
little boys playing in a puddle, some stay in longer than
others.”
Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi happen through the practice
of yoga and through be- ing in the right conditions to allow the
process to occur. The time in meditation creates the op- portunity
and the avenues to experience the transformative effects of these
limbs.
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Module 2: Theory & Philosophy
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
The Yoga Sutras are Patanjali’s guide to illuminating human
consciousness, and provide direction on how to navigate life’s ups
and downs. He was a scholar in India who wrote on Sanskrit grammar
and Ayurveda, and lived sometime between 500 BCE and 200 CE. His
text has become the primary text on yoga philosophy, transforming
the way we think, act, and communicate, by directing our attention
inward and developing tools to cultivate inner contentment.
The Yoga Sutras are 195 threads (aphorisms) in four chapters,
written in Sanskrit. Many have translated them; some of the most
popular include “The Essence of Yoga: Reflections on the Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali” by Bernard Bouanchaud, “The Yoga Sutra of
Patanjalai: A New Translation and Commentary” by Georg Feuerstein,
“The Path of the Yoga Sutras: A Practical Guide to the Core of
Yoga” by Nicolai Bachman, and my favorite, “Patanjali’s Yoga
Sutras, An Introduction” by T. K. V. Desikachar.
The classical definition of sutras is that “they must be concise,
unambiguous, meaningful, comprehensive, devoid of superfluous words
and faultless.”5 Designed to teach the subtle aspects of yoga, the
Sutras describe human consciousness in detail, including how our
heart-mind functions, how and why suffering happens, and how you
can refine body, breath, heart, and mind to cultivate inner
happiness and rid yourself of negativity.
The first chapter has 51 sutras that define some of the obstacles
to achieving yoga and some ways to achieve samadhi. My favorite is
1.2: Yogas Chitta Vritti Nirodha. Yoga is the cessation of the
fluctuations of the mind. We are so distracted by external stimuli
and our own “monkey mind;” it is not our natural state to be quiet
and still. It is the release of the distractions of the mind that
make the space for samadhi, enlightenment. Patanjali describes two
essential qualities for success in yoga: abyhasa – constant
practice – and vairagya – detachment from material
experience.
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Module 2: Theory & Philosophy
The second chapter has 55 sutras and concentrates on the practice
(sadhna) and obstacles to the practice (kleshas) and how to remove
them, and five of the eight-limbed path steps to enlightenment. The
five kleshas are fear-based emotions that cause a negative reaction
instead of a positive reaction when we have our buttons
pushed.
Avidya: Ignorance and a lack of awareness that prevents us from
understanding. Vidya means inner light of knowledge, so kleshas is
the opposite: darkness. Yoga offers the path to inner knowing,
knowledge, which is why yoga teachers are often called gurus: Ru is
light and Gu is darkness, so a guru is an individual who takes a
student from dark to light. By clearing out the clutter of the
mind, and the toxins from the physical body, there is space for the
light to grow brighter.
Asmita: Egotism, a distorted sense of self that does not reflect
reality. It can be an overinflated ego or a deep insecurity –
either one is a delusion, because it does not represent the truth.
Both are fear-based; the feeling that you are better than something
or someone comes from a desire to hold power, and when we feel we
are less than the other, it causes a sense of powerlessness. We
tend to identify with our physical body and external surroundings,
and yoga teaches us to look inside and see the light of our
nonphysical being.
Raga: Attachment to that which gives us pleasure. The second of
Buddhism’s four noble truths is that suffering comes from desire,
so this klesha is one of the most powerful. Whenever we experience
something pleasurable, we want to have that sensation again. Desire
by itself causes little harm; it is the attachment to the outcome
that causes pain.
Dvesa: Similar to raga, dvesa is the aversion to pain based on past
experience. When we suffer a negative emotion from a past event,
our consciousness becomes affected in a negative way. Yoga teaches
us to reprogram our heart- mind to change our negative emotions and
replace the unconscious reacting to connecting and understanding
our divine inner nature, to act with positive awareness.
Abhinivesa: Fear of death. It is natural to want to stay alive,
which is an attachment to experiencing life in a physical body. The
fear of the unknown and resistance to change is an obstacle to true
liberation. Accepting death and its imminence is the key to
removing the restraining nature of fear.
The kleshas are the hardest and most challenging aspects of our
selves to confront, and yet when we take steps to lessen or remove
them, it can be the most liberating part of our yoga practice. By
experiencing negative thoughts and emotions, we cloud and darken
our heart-mind. Yoga has three practices to reduce these
afflictions over time, and offers practices for creating positive
change through tapas (discipline), svadhyaya (self-observation),
and isvara-pranidhana (surrendering to something greater than you –
faith). By reducing the amount and volume of negative emotions
through practice, we can act and react from a clearer, centered
place of being. Chapter 3 has 55 sutras and details the last three
parts of the eight-limbed yoga path, dharana (focus), dhyana
(meditation), and samadhi (awareness). These three limbs flow
together and are known as samyama – flowing together seamlessly –
and are used to remove the subtler veils of ignorance. Dharana
focuses the mind on an object, dhyana is the uninterrupted flow of
the mind toward a chosen object, and samadhi occurs when the mind
is transparent and no separate sense of self is felt. An inner
experience of tranquility and peace with the reduction of all
mental disturbances is the result of samyama. The chapter then
lists 25 meditations to accomplish the state of awareness with
inner peace and a cleansing of all other distractions of the
mind.
The 37 sutras of Chapter 4 discusses kaivalya (liberation) and how
to achieve this freedom with the power of the mind, regardless of
what is going on in the world or your external situations. Kaivalya
means solitude, and is difficult to describe in words. The most
commonly attempted are liberation, freedom, permanent oneness, and
enlightenment. As our heart-mind clears through the previously
described processes, we obtain access to all knowledge, and our
perception of time stops, and contentment is the end result.
The Yoga Sutras transcend time, geography, culture, and religion to
offer a straightforward guide down the path of enlightenment. Yoga
is concerned primarily with turning our attention inward in
contrast to the external pull of our daily lives, and following the
guidance of Patanjali’s manual for self-exploration gives us the
tools to understand who we really are.
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Chakras
Chakra means “wheel of energy,” and they are located on the midline
of the body. There are seven main chakras that act as energy
software for the body – the lower chakras are instinctual and
connected to self, while the upper chakras are our connection to
others, our higher being, and are instinctual in nature.
The chakras are associated with three realms of consciousness:
Physical/ Mental – fact-based
Energetic/ Emotional – faith-based Psychic/ Symbolic –
faith-based
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Module 2: Theory & Philosophy
Chakras The chakras can have various levels of activity. When they
are “open,” they are considered as operating in a normal fashion.
Each chakra is associated with particular functions of the body and
with specific life issues and the way we handle them, both inside
ourselves and in our interactions with the world. Chakras can be
thought of as sites where we receive, absorb, and distribute life
energies. Long-held physical tension and limiting self-beliefs can
cause a chakra to become either deficient or excessive, and create
imbalance.
These imbalances may develop temporarily with situational
challenges, or they may be chronic. A chronic imbalance can come
from childhood experiences, past pain or stress, or internalized
cultural values. A deficient chakra neither receives appropriate
energy nor easily manifests that chakra’s energy in the world.
There’s a sense of being physically and emotionally closed in the
area of the deficient chakra. An example is the slumped shoulders
of someone who is depressed and lonely, with their heart chakra
receding into their chest. This is a chakra that needs to
open.
When a chakra is too overloaded to operate in a healthy way, it
becomes a dominating force in a person’s life. Someone with an
excessive fifth chakra might talk too much and be unable to listen
well. A deficient fifth chakra is characterized by difficulty in
communicating.
Each chakra has a meaning, location, element, and color, and is
either classified as yin or yang in nature.
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Chakra 1 – Muladhara
Muladhara means “root support,” the element is earth, and the color
is a bright ruby red. This is a yang chakra and is associated with
the perineum and the base of the spine, and the muscles of the
piriformis and adductors.
On the physical/mental plane, the root chakra is about being
physically there and feeling at home in situations. It is feeling
supported and meeting your primary needs. It is our connection to
traditional family and beliefs, and fosters trust through the
ability to set appropriate boundaries and stand up for
oneself.
On the energetic/emotional plane, this chakra is the foundation of
emotional and mental health. While it is open, you feel grounded,
stable, and secure. You feel present in the here and now and
connected to your physical body. If closed, you tend to be fearful
or nervous, and readily feel unwelcome. When it is overactive, you
may be materialistic, greedy, and obsessed with security as well as
resistant to change.
On the psychic/symbolic plane, the first chakra’s energy manifests
itself in our need for logic, order, and structure. This energy
orients us in time and space and connects us to our five
senses.
Chakra 2 – Svadhisthana
Svadhishthana means “sweetness,” the element is water, and the
color is a bright orange. It is a yin chakra located in the lower
abdomen and is associated with hip flexors and psoas.
On the physical/mental plane, this chakra is about feeling and
sexuality. This is where we resonate our need for relationships
with other people. Second chakra actions include expressing
emotions, sensual movement and being open to pleasure. A balanced
second chakra allows us to flow in all areas of life. Associated
with water, this chakra influences circulation, urination,
menstruation, orgasm, and tears.
On the energetic/emotional plane, an open second chakra encourages
free-flowing feelings and calm expression of emotion. You are
creative and able to cultivate intimate relationships. You have a
great appreciation for your body, feel alive, and are guilt-free.
When this chakra is closed, you tend to be unemotional, wear a
poker face, and have stiff movements. If it is overactive, you tend
to be very emotional, dramatic, and feel emotionally attached to
people. It can also manifest itself in a lot of sexual
activity.
On the psychic/symbolic plane, the second chakra, associated with
emotions, allows you to have and set protective psychological
boundaries and create a sense of personal identity that pleases
you.
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Chakra 3 – Manipura
Manipura means “lustrous gem,” the element is fire, and the color
is a bright daffodil yellow. It is a yang chakra located at the
solar plexus near the navel, and is associated with the muscles of
the diaphragm and spinal erectors. It is where your digestion and
metabolism stoke your own internal fire.
On the physical/mental plane, this is our center of self-love,
self-esteem, self-worth, power and will. This is where you develop
self -respect, confidence, and the ability to make clear decisions,
as well as your sense of autonomy and your power.
On the emotional/energetic plane, a healthy, open third chakra
allows feelings of control, sufficient self- esteem, the confidence
to take risks, assertion of your will, and assumption of
responsibility for your life. While it is closed, you might be very
timid, passive, and indecisive. You are also oversensitive to
criticism. If overactive, you are aggressive and domineering.
On the psychic/symbolic plane, this is the place where the focus
begins to shift from the connection you have with others and how
you relate to people to the relationship and understanding you have
with yourself.
Chakra 4 – Anahata
Anahata means “unstruck,” the element is air, and the color is a
jade green. It is located mid-chest, at the heart, and involves the
circulatory system, lungs, thymus glands, and shoulders. It is a
yin chakra.
On the physical/mental plane, this is where we experience the
emotions of love, kindness, compassion, and affection. It is also
where hatred, bitterness, and anger develop. This is the chakra
where the focus moves away from the world of matter, the three
lower chakras, to the world of spirit, in the upper three
chakras.
On the emotional/energetic plane, harmony, peace, and love are the
focus. While this chakra is open, you are compassionate,
unconditionally loving and kind, and you work toward creating
harmonious relationships. If it is closed, you can be cold and
distant, and when overactive, you can suffocate people with your
love, and the love you give comes from a selfish place. You
experience anger and fear.
On the psychic/symbolic plane, this is the place to release
emotional pain and relinquish the need to know why things have
happened, so that you can experience a state of tranquility and
peace. This happens when you can develop the ability to
forgive.
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Chakra 5 – Vishuddha
Vishuddha means “purification,” the element is sound, and the color
is a beautiful sky blue. It is a yang chakra located at the throat,
and is associated with the thyroid, parathyroid, hypothalamus, neck
vertebrae, mouth, and teeth.
On the physical/mental plane, this chakra is connected to talking
and the ability to communicate effectively. Finding a way to convey
your inner voice to the outside world, this is where you speak your
inner truth. It is also where judgment and criticism occur, and
where grief resides, often showing up as a sore throat or
laryngitis.
On the emotional/energetic plane, you have no problem expressing
yourself while this chakra is open. You can sing with ease and
clarity. You can constructively express anger and emotions. If it
is closed, you might not say much, be introverted and shy. Lying is
a result of a closed fifth chakra. While it is overactive, you
might speak too much, share secrets, and dominate conversations.
You might also overeat and drink too much.
On the psychic/symbolic plane, this is the chakra where the
maturation of will takes place, stemming from the ability to make
clear decisions and trust your own inner judgment.
Chakra 6 – Ajna
Ajna means “to perceive and command,” the element is light, and the
color is indigo. Located at the third eye in the forehead, this yin
chakra is where you experience your own inner knowing, intuition,
and insight. The brain, neurological systems, pituitary and pineal
glands, eyes, ears, sinuses, and central nervous system are part of
this sixth chakra.
On the physical/mental plane, this is where your imagination lives.
Here is where you can see and recollect images of the past and look
into the future. Our two eyes see the physical world around us, and
this third eye sees beyond the physical, represented by
clairvoyance, telepathy, intuition, dreaming, and
visualization.
On the emotional/energetic level, this is where our intelligence
and psychological characteristics are found. While open, you have
good intuition, can fantasize and dream. If it is closed, you might
not be very good at thinking for yourself, and rely on other
people’s opinions. You might also be very rigid in your thinking
and rely on your beliefs too much, such as when you let your faith
rule how you conduct yourself. You could also get confused very
easily. While overactive, you spend a lot of time in fantasy and
are not very centered or aware.
On the psychic/symbolic plane, the sixth chakra is where wisdom is
cultivated from the lessons we have learned. It is where you know
where you need to go.
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Chakra 7 – Sahasrara
Sahasrara means “thousand fold,” and is represented by the
thousand-petaled lotus flower. The element is thought and the color
is violet, pinky white light. This yin chakra is located at the
crown of the head and is where you find the connection between the
higher power of your own understanding and where self-knowledge and
enlightenment occur. It is considered the entry point for spirit.
The central nervous system, muscular system, and skin are all
associated with the seventh chakra.
On the physical/mental plane, this is where your thoughts occur,
and the forces that nourish the body, mind, and spirit. It is where
your belief systems that control your thoughts and actions
materialize. While this chakra is open, you understand your
relationship with the universe, are not prejudiced, and you do not
have the illusion that we are separate from others. A closed
seventh chakra does not allow you aware of your spirituality. While
it is overactive, you might intellectualize things too much, and be
so connected to your faith that you neglect the needs of the
body.
On the emotional/energetic level, this is where your values,
ethics, and courage reside. It is your faith, spirituality, and
ability to connect to the Divine and the larger pattern of the
universe.
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Bandhas
The Sanskrit word bandhas means to lock, hold, or tighten, and
there are three individual bandhas that are used in yoga as well as
a fourth that combines all three at once. These muscular
contractions retain the circulation of prana (life energy) in the
subtle body. The first two bandhas are used throughout the asana
practice and are essential in any of the balancing poses. The third
is normally done while sitting, along with the fourth bandha.
Mula bandha means “root lock,” and is performed in the pelvic
floor. To activate mula bandha, exhale and engage the pelvic floor,
drawing it upwards toward your navel. Women know this as a kegel
exercise, and men can pull the area between the penis and the anus
up into the body. When engaged, this bandha helps in balancing
poses, and the ability to float easily from one pose to
another.
Uddiyana bandha means “abdominal lock,” and is the second of the
three interior body locks used in asana and pranayama practice to
control the flow of energy. Uddiyana bandha can be practiced alone
or in conjunction with mula bandha. To engage this bandha, exhale
your breath, then draw the abdomen in and up without taking in any
breath. Draw the belly up underneath the rib cage. This also helps
with balancing poses and staying centered in a pose.
Jalandhara bandha is a “throat lock.” To engage this bandha, sit in
a comfortable, cross-legged position. Inhale so the lungs are about
two-thirds full, and then hold the breath in. Drop the chin down,
and then draw the chin back closer to the chest so the back of the
neck does not round. Hold as long as is comfortable and then bring
the chin up and release the breath.
Maha bandha is practiced by combining all three bandhas at once.
First draw the pelvic floor upwards, engaging mula bandha. This
leads to the abdomen drawing in and up under the ribcage (uddiyana
bandha). Finally, the chin drops to the chest and draws back into
jhalandara bandha. When practiced together, the three locks make
the fourth lock known as Maha Bandha, the great lock.
31
Module 2: Theory & Philosophy
1. Heffernan, L. (2012). The jewels of astaya. Aloha yoga staya.
Retrieved from
http://www.alohayogashala.com/1/post/2012/07/the-jewels-of-asteya.html
2. Altobello, Robert. (2009). Meditation from Buddhist, Hindu, and
Taoist perspectives. p. 80.
3. Bouanchaud, Bernard. (1997). The essence of yoga: Reflections on
the yoga sutras of Patanjali. pp. 130-131.
4. Ibid., pp. 135-136
References