What is bandha: Mula, Uddiyana, Jalandhara. Benefits

Bandha – it is a special technique of yoga to keep and redirect prana energy inside the body. By doing bandhas, we gently but powerfully lock, tighten, and contract certain parts of the body and hold them. Also hold your breath by doing this. Then it stimulates our internal organs and muscles. When we contract those parts, they redirect prana energy to different parts of the body and impact our mind, emotions, actions. Body and mind become calm, they can rest and experience higher states of awareness.

Bandhas help us to prepare for meditation practice. It is important to learn to master bandhas gradually carefully in order not to harm body or mind. If you practice bandhas and even the smallest physical discomfort happens, stop practicing until you find an experienced teacher.

Bandhas have an effect on physical, pranic, and mental levels.

There are 3 main bandhas:

1) Udiyana bandha.
2) Mula bandha.
3) Jalandhara bandha.

When you master all 3, you can do Maha bandha: when you do all 3 bandhas in one time.

There are more bandhas, but in the beginning when you start practicing yoga, we little by little master those 3 bandhas.

What are the benefits of bandhas

Udiyana bandha

1) Increases vitality.
2) Positive impact on internal organs, muscles, nervous system, endocrine glands.
3) Blood stimulation and absorption become better.
4) Digestion becomes better.
5) Respiratory muscles become stronger.
6) Apana vayu moves up.
7) Slow down the aging process. Older people look younger.
8) Revitalizes all organs.
9) Prevent a large number of abdominal ailments, including indigestion, constipation, diabetes, colitis, and so forth, if they are not too serious and chronic.
10) Regulate energy level in the whole body.
11) Improves lung efficiency.

Mula bandha

1) Revitalizes organs in the pelvic area.
2) Stimulates nerves and blood supply in pelvic area.
3) Moves apana vayu upwards.

Jalandhara bandha

1) Stimulates nerves in neck.
2) Improves blood pressure.
3) Regulates thyroid functions.
4) Give mental relaxation.
5) Relaxes nervous system.
6) Massages thyroid gland.

Also, it is positive to do bandhas with asanas. Usually we do it in meditation pose or certain other posture.