Maha Bandha

What is Maha Bandha?

Maha Bandha in yoga comes from the Sanskrit language. Maha means great, and Bandha stands for a Lock. Hatha Yoga Pradipika describes Bandha as a mandatory daily practice to attain the highest level of Yogic life.

It is a sequence of three Bandhas: Mool Bandha (root locking), Uddiyana Bandha (abdominal locking), and Jalandhar Bandha (throat locking).

maha-bandha

Maharishi Gherand mentioned that a person should be a master in this Bandha after practising all three Bandhas. It is an advanced practice that comes later when a Yogi has experience in all three Bandhas.

The great lock is incredible for reenergizing the pranic body and expands the route where Apana Samana pranas meet with each other.

How to do Maha Bandha?

The great lock should be practised early in the morning with an empty stomach when Prana Vayu is available or a vital force in the universe.

Maha Bandha is a daily routine practice in ashram living, and it is used vigorously during yoga teacher training and wellness retreat programs. Yoga beginners should: –

  1. Sit in any comfortable sitting posture, i.e. Sukhasana, Siddhasana, and Padmasana.
  2. Keep your back straight so the prana moves freely to the entire body system.
  3. Place the palms over the knees and relax in posture. Some pranayama is beneficial before attempting it.
  4. Take a deep breath, breathe fresh air and exhale wholly outside.
  5. Make Kumbhaka or hold your breath outside. Then, first, make Mool Bandha, then attempt Uddiyana Bandha, and finally, practice Jalandhar Bandha.
  6. Hold your breath for 20 to 30 seconds until it is possible. Then, when you need to open the locks, please do so one by one, starting with Jalandhar Bandha.
  7. Please ensure that your breathing is proper and not disturbed. If necessary, take the usual three breathing steps.
  8. Bring all the attention to Pelvis, and please remain in your position.
  9. It is crucial to be still and govern the focused areas by which prana works deep inside.
  10. Practice Maha Bandha 5 to 10 times without breaks and concentrate on the root channel.

maha-bandha

When to perform Bandhas?

Bandhas are practised after a complete exhalation and the next inhalation.

It is highly advisable to practice before performing the Nauli Kriya of the Shatkarmas.

This technique perfectly shapes the Rectus Abdominis muscle, mainly used in Nauli practice.

Benefits of Maha Bandha

It brings the efficiency of all three Bandhas together. In the meantime, a practitioner can attain all the benefits of practising Mool Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha, and Jalandhar Bandha. There are many benefits of MahaBandha, and these are: –

  • Maha Bandha is excellent in awakening Kundalini Shakti.
  • This bandha combines all three bandhas, so a person gets all the benefits together.
  • The Great Lock has magnificent work on the abdominal region.
  • It nourishes our intestines, and they work progressively.
  • The endocrine system is very active after practising this bandha. 
  • This lock has an ideal task for activating Samana prana.
  • Regular and consistent practice of the great lock helps align three lower chakras in the body.
  • A person can do this lock after chanting the mantra for balancing emotions.
  • Maha bandha boosts the energy of the internal body organs, which gives the body more power.
  • It activates the solar-plexus channel and is a beautiful practice for gaining a good appetite.
  • It brings complete equilibrium to the body and mind. It has a great working on OCD problems.

What is the purpose of MahaBandha?

It is mainly used to harmonize the energy level between 5 chakras. As Moolbandha activates the root chakra, this energy flows to the crown channel.

Uddiyana bandha helps accumulate all this pranic flow, reflecting on the heart chakra.

Jalandhar bandha activates the compulsion of the Vishudi chakra or the throat channel, allowing energy to pass towards the third eye.

Making all these three bandhas together brings all the work together to attain the highest state of equilibrium.

How many times can you do MahaBandha?

It should be practised according to the body’s condition and preparation. Both have the same value in this practice. 

For advanced yogis, it is practised frequently because of its physical appropriateness. They may practice it for 3-5 rounds to deepen contractions between body organs.

For a beginner, only 1 or 2 rounds should be practised under an experienced yoga teacher or guru.

What is the difference between Mudra and Bandha?

Mudra is a gesture practised with asanas, pranayama, and meditation. The primary function of a mudra is to regulate the energy flow regularly.
Conversely, a bandha is for holding or restricting the energy for a specific practice. There is a force which works with all the bandhas.
 

What are the Precautions of Bandha?

  • Do not practice this bandha if the stomach is heavy. It may cause stomach aching.
  • If there is any stomach surgery, avoid practising it.
  • Do not practice it in heart disorders, hernia, ulcers, and appendix problems.
  • During pregnancy, it is advisable not to attempt Maha Bandha.
  • In case of diarrhoea, it is suggested that the great lock is not attempted.
  • Please do not hold your breath longer in case of asthma or breathing difficulty.
  • If you have severe headaches or migraines, please avoid them.

Who should not do Jalandhar Bandha?

Jalandhar bandha involves deep work on the neck region. People suffering from high blood pressure and heart ailments should avoid it.

It should not be attempted in the case of a cervical problem or neck issues.

People should also check their breathing patterns before attempting the Jalandha bandha. If they have severe lung ailments, they should not do it.