I had to laugh tonight when, reading how a lovely yoga teacher friend of mine is posting an awesome advanced yoga workshop, I couldn't think of what the Bandha's & Drishti are, although I'm familiar with mantras/"a mantra" (as you probably are as well, its in mainstream culture now ;)), & other traditional terms. Of course, my best friends being Google & Wikipedia, I found them right away. Duh! I know & practice these in English (cheesy grin appears). I am *so* making yogic Sanskrit flashcards......... ;) They sound so much more beautiful in their mother tongue, &, knowing how everything has a sacred sound in Indian/Yogic tradition, I'd like to be able to teach my students these authentic terms as well for maximum benefit. I'll post some of the definitions & snippets for you wonderful people too. Enjoy! xx
Bandha' (bond, arrest) is a term for the "body locks" in Hatha Yoga, treated under the heading of mudra. Specific bandhas are:
- Mula Bandha, contraction of the perineum
- Uddiyana bandha, contraction of the abdomen into the rib cage
- Jalandhara Bandha, tucking the chin close to the chest
- Maha Bandha, combining all three of the above bandha
There are three bandhas which are considered our internal body locks, prescribed in the different asanas. The bandha is a sustained contraction of a group of muscles that assists the practitioner not only in retaining an asana but also in moving in and out of it. The Mūla Bandha, or root lock, is performed by tightening the muscles around the pelvic and perineum area. The Uḍḍīyāna Bandha, often described as bringing the navel to the base of the spine, is a contraction of the muscles of the lower abdominal area – this bandha is considered the most important bandha as it supports our breathing and encourages the development of strong core muscles. Jālaṅdhara Bandha, throat lock, is achieved by lowering the chin slightly while raising the sternum and the palate bringing the gaze to the tip of the nose.
Drishtis
Drishti (dṛṣṭi), or focused gaze, is a means for developing concentrated intention. The most common is Ūrdhva, or upward gazing, where the eyes are lifted, with the spine aligned from crown to tailbone. This technique is employed in a variety of asanas.There are, in total, nine drishtis that instruct the yoga student in directing his or her gaze. Each asana is associated with a particular drishti. They include:
- Aṅguṣṭha madhyai: to the thumb
- Bhrūmadhya: to the third eye, or between the eyebrows
- Nāsāgrai: at the tip of the nose (or a point six inches from the tip)
- Hastagrai: to the palm, usually the extended hand
- Pārśva: to the left/right side
- Ūrdhva: to the sky, or upwards
- Nābhicakra: to the navel
- Pādayoragrai: to the toes
(Source: Wikipedia)
A great wiki link that includes all this & much more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtanga_Vinyasa_Yoga#Bandhas
Below is a simple illustration I found on Google images of the three bandha's & where/how to pull in. It enhances your practice so much!!!
Namaste, friends. Om Shanti (Peace of God)!
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