*** This was the second lecture about Kundalini, Tantra etc that was delivered at the OWO&KUN meditation center in Second Life ***
Kundalini Rising Part 2,
Lecture by Tara Lock in the OWO & KUN center SL, July 7, 2007
Hi Everybody. Its about 12:00 now so lets start.
I would like to thank you all for coming. Lets have some fun with this kundalini subject
I am glad to be here and speak with you about kundalini again. Nice to see you :)
Tonight is my second talk about kundalini rising. Two weeks ago I spoke about my own practice and experience. You can find the transcription elsewhere in this blog. It is however not necessary to have read it to follow part 2.
We will speak about Tools for Kundalini.. The three locks and breathing technique. After some theory we will try the tools in some exercises. Please be careful not to overdo it if your new to it.
I will introduce three Locks, the basic tools for Kundalini yoga. The Mula Bandha, the Uddiyana bandha, the Jalandhara Bandha and a breathing technique called Ujjayi Pranayama.
I will use some text and references taken from wikipedia and other internet resources if they were available and relevant. So i thank the anonymous wikipedia editors for their help.
In Sanskrit, "mula" means root; "bandha" means a lock or binding. Not only physically but also in more subtle ways, mula bandha is a technique for containing and channeling the energy associated with the mula-dhara ("root place") chakra. Located at the tip of the spine, muladhara chakra represents the stage of consciousness where basic survival needs dominate.
Mula bandha also lifts and compresses the bowel and lower abdominal region. This creates a solid foundation, a platform under the breath that makes it possible to increase or decrease the pressure inside the torso and facilitate movement. The bandha creates lightness and fluidity; when it is properly applied, the body is less earth-bound and more mobile.
Through gradual refinement, mula bandha becomes less muscular and more subtle, energetic, and etheric. This movement from outside to inside, from mundane to rarefied, from unconsciousness to enlightenment, is the basic pattern of transcendental yogic awakening, the goal of Tantra.
On an energetic level, mula bandha allows us to feel, restrain, and then direct our energies, the kundalini, toward enlightenment.
On a physical level, mula bandha consists of a contraction, a muscular lifting-up in the floor of the pelvis. Although the pelvis itself is primarily a bony structure supported with ligaments, the pelvic floor consists of muscle fibers and fascia (connective tissue). These tissues intersect and overlap in complex ways; for our purposes, we can divide the pelvic floor into three muscular levels, each of which can be sensed and moved separately.
The most superficial physical level of mula bandha corresponds to the "contract your anus" instruction. If you are unsure about whether you understand this contraction, place a finger in or on the anal opening and alternately squeeze it shut and protrude it outward. The outward movement is the wrong direction.
Technically, isolation of the anal sphincter contraction is not mula bandha but a cousin, called ashvini ("dawn horse") mudra, named after the rather peculiar habit that horses have of pursing the anal sphincter. But contracting the anal sphincter does provide a doorway to the deeper layers of mula bandha. This muscle is connected by ligaments to the tip of the spine; when you contract it, you draw mula-dhara chakra upward, as in mula bandha.
Eventually, with mula bandha applied correctly, the anus will soften and lift into the body. At first, you'll probably unconsciously contract other muscles of the pelvic floor along with the anal sphincter. The next step in the refinement of your mula bandha is to sort out some of these other unconscious contractions and make them conscious.
The intermediate physical level of mula bandha involves isolating the contraction of the perineum (the region between the anus and the genitals) and perineal body (which extends inward from the perineum and is the insertion point for eight muscles of the pelvic floor)—without contracting the anal sphincter.
In order to feel the perineum, press a finger into the space between the anus and scrotum or labia. Or, better yet, sit for a few minutes with a tennis ball or the heel of your foot placed in the space between the anus and genitals. Alternate between anal and perineal contractions until you can feel the difference.
With some experience, you will find that you can refine your experience of mula bandha by moving deeper into the pelvis through the isolation of the perineum. This refinement carries the contraction of the bandha inward and upward, giving you a physical experience of the yogic process of moving from external to internal awareness.
The contraction of mula bandha on the deepest physical level is similar to the Kegel exercises used to correct urinary incontinence and strengthen the vaginal walls after childbirth. To find this level of mula bandha, practice beginning to urinate and then interrupting the flow. Alternately, women can insert a finger into the vagina and contract the muscles used to cut off urination: If you feel tightness on the inserted finger, you are squeezing the right muscles.
But the isolated contraction of the muscles that control the flow of urine is actually vajroli or sahajoli mudra. For full mula bandha, you must also lift the pelvic diaphragm, mostly by contracting the muscles called the levator ani. This diaphragm is the innermost layer of the pelvic floor, a sling of muscles which extends from the pubis to the coccyx and supports the upper half of the vagina, the uterus, the bladder, the prostate, and the rectum. Besides supporting all these organs, the pelvic diaphragm also helps regulate the bowel.
As you learn to apply mula bandha and engage this deep internal contraction, you will feel the lift under the bladder, vagina and uterus (or prostate), and rectum. Relax the surface muscles and feel this contraction deep inside, at the base of the abdomen. Don't use any extra muscles to isolate this contraction of the pelvic diaphragm. With practice, you will discover that it is possible to lift the floor of the pelvis deep inside without contracting either the anus or the exterior layers of the perineum.
Make It So!
Eventually, the refinement of mula bandha begins to integrate not just the body but also the mind. The bandha bears still deeper into your psyche, permeating your life.
Mula bandha, like asana practice, is intended to purify the pranamayakosha—one of the subtle, five-layered sheaths of the energetic body. On the pranic level, mula bandha redirects the energy of apana, the aspect of prana within the body that naturally flows downward from the navel. When we redirect apana energy upward to join with the natural upward movement of prana toward enlightenment, we redirect tremendous amounts of energy toward higher levels of consciousness. This is how Kundalini energy in generated.
At this stage, practicing mula bandha means we try not to allow mundane concerns to stand in the way of divine aspirations. We never let bad talk take the place of good speech; we never allow wrong action to replace right action; we seek out good company and avoid bad company…. In short be a kind human being among kind people.
On the deepest level of the subtle body—the ananda (bliss) level—applying mula bandha means binding the normally outgoing senses inward. Normally we look outside ourselves for happiness. But any bliss which we find from outside is temporary, even if it can be very intoxicating.
Pratyahara (the inward withdrawal of the senses) has been described as seeing past outer differences to behold the inner essence of all things. When we restrain our outward gaze to enhance the unitive vision of yoga, we open the third eye, the eye of insight.
In order to do this we need to have faith, and dedicate our efforts to serve the needs, and end the suffering, of all sentient beings. Instead of continuously focusing on differences, we begin to perceive inner sameness.
It might seem surprising that such a cosmic journey can begin with a direction as earthy as "Contract your anus." But as we escape the pull of gravity, we shed the worn-out launch equipment and begin to soar. We learn to use more and more refined means to move effortlessly toward the goal that is yoga—contacting not just Uranus but the whole cosmos.
Welll So much for Mula Bandha… and thanks to David Life of the Jivamukti Yoga Center in New York City. I used and adapted parts of his text on the mula bandha here.
Now some short remarks about the other Kundalini tools: Jalandhara bandha and the Uddiyana bandha, the two other locks, and some about Ujayyi breathing technique.
The Uddiyana bandha. The abdominal lock. 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, sit in a comfortable cross legged position. Exhale the breath, and then take a false inhale. This means draw the abdomen in and up without taking in any breath. Draw the belly up underneath the rib cage.
To release, soften the abdomen and inhale. Uddiyana bandha tones, massages and cleans the abdominal organs. If you are familiar with mula bandha, you will see that the drawing up of the pelvic floor naturally leads into the drawing up of the abdomen. This is how the bandhas work together.
The Jalandhara Bandha or "chin lock" consists in pressing the chin close to the chest and dropping the head to help in maintaining immobility of muscle and air movements.
Pfff so you see contrary to my long story about the mula bandha I can be short :)
Kundalini Yoga and Tantra uses these three locks extensively.. And the Mula bandha the mosts, that’s why I was more elaborate about Mula bandha.
About some breathing technique we use in kundalini yoga
Ujjayi Pranayama is a special breathing technique. It is a method to get unlimited access to Prana (=universal energy).
Performing it, heat may be your first sensation. It's said, that by this breathing, Yogis can create enough heat to melt snow around them. But this technique also gives you inner energy to master impossible seeming physical efforts. Doing demanding Yoga positions can bee just seen as a result of an huge amount of muscular stamina. But the muscular system gets it s energy for this stamina from Prana and Ujjayi Pranayama gives this Prana to them.
Ujjayi breathing means breathing slowly through your nostrils - about 4 to 5 heartbeats in and about 4 to 5 heartbeats out. While doing this you contract the glottis (the vocal cords) a bit and so create a soft and gentle sound in your throat, just like the waves of an inner ocean floating to the coast You hear the same sound inhaling and exhaling. Just listen to this rhythm. You can ride on it gently through your entire practice of yoga, tantric sex or even during normal daytime activities.
The Ujjayi Pranayama will become a guide to tell you about the quality of your practice. A too forceful breathing may point you to a too forceful practice - . a too sleepy and unfocused to an too sleepy and unfocused practice. Keeping the right balance between hard and soft, fast and slow means going in moving meditation.
Exercises for Kundalini rising require a combination of the bandhas and breathing technique described above. You need the Mula Banda in combination with the Uddiyana bandha together with the Ujjayi breathing to induce and guide the Kundalini energy.
Now lets practice a bit…
Sit straight, chin a bit tucked in.. head tilted lightly towards the chest.. So we don’t use full Jalandhara Bandha or "chin lock". We only use the beginning of the movement so to let energy flow freely from bottom to top and back.
Now activate mula bandha as I instructed above.. Contract the PC muscle between anus and genitals.
Contract and release a couple of times.
Now… activate the beginning of the navel lock (Uddiyana bandha or abdominal lock) by breathing out, and pulling back and up. So also this lock is not really knotted tight for our purposes here. You keep this activated while the breathing goes on.
Now… Pull on Mula Bandha together with the Navel Lock.. and keep those two active for some breathings….. … …. …
Relax again
Exercise the Ujjayi Pranayama now. Let your breathing make the ocean like sound…Breath in and out while hearing the sound. You contract the vocal cords to make the sound.
Well… now the combination… Mula and Navel lock together with the Ujjayi breating.
And keep your spine straight so the energy can go up and down freely.
And then the last and most important bit: SMILE… bring kindness to yourself..
Let a smile lighten up your face.. And while practicing the locks and breathing let the smile go to your heart and soften your heart..
Open up your heart and breath….
My dear friend.. that was enough talk for today.. Practice and get enlightened..
Namaste
