Bandhs

   

Bandhs
Bandhs=Locks

Jalandhar

 Another name for  Jalandhara Bandha is Chin Lock  or  Throat Lock.
This is the upper lock. In this bandha, you have to fold your chin onto your chest. The best way to do it is to lower your head onto your chest, but with your spine straight and only bend your neck, so your chin is more inclined towards your throat and thus your chin is closer to your chest. So you don't have to lower your head and your head doesn't come closer to your neck, but only your chin. At the same time, you close your throat. That is, as if you were suddenly holding back your swallowing.

So you can just lower your head to your chest or just bring your chin closer to your throat, your chest. Or you can simply do one of these or close your throat, your swallowing. Usually we use this lock during breath holding, or even before and during the chanting of mantras.  

For chakras:  crown chakra, sixth chakra, throat chakra, heart chakra and many others. It is used in meditation.

 Uddijana

 Another name  for Uddijana bandha is Abdominal Lift . This is the middle lock. It can be a simple abdominal pull-in or an abdominal push-in that squeezes air out. This bandha mostly consists of concentrating on the point above our navel and slowly or suddenly pulling our abdomen in, then, so to speak, pulling our abdomen up to the focused point above our navel. At this time, the spine straightens and seems to be pulled up. The chest rises and rises. This is only used when holding the breath. It can be held continuously during meditation, but it is quite stressful.  

For chakras:   navel chakra. Also used in other meditations, e.g.: Sat Kriya.

Mule

 Another name for  Mula bandha is Root Lock. This is the lower lock. It consists of contracting your anal sphincter muscles, which is like contracting your buttocks (simplified in Hungarian). It is used when holding your breath and even while chanting mantras.  

For Cancer:  sacral chakra and root chakra. Can also be used in other meditations.