Prana, Nadis, Bandas and

Mudras
Prana
August 30, 2016

The translation of the word "Prana" from sanskrit is "life force" or "vital
principal."

Prana is the collection of all of the energy in the universe, living and
inanimate. Cosmic energy. Things we'll never be able to reach or
comprehend, and all that other stuff we do know about.

Pranayama

The breathing techniques used for expanding Prana. In Sanskrit "ayama"

means expansion. So using breath to expand our life force. Pranayama is a
tool we have to cleanse the nadis; allowing increased flow of prana. Knowing
that our breath has an effect on the energy we give and receive is the first step
to controlling that breath. And Swami always says,

“Controlling the breath, is a prerequisite to controlling the mind and

the body.”

— swami rama

Bandas

Bandas, or muscular locks, are used along with breath control. This lock and
breath are meant to isolate or flow energy through the body.

We have 3 Bandas in our bodies:

Mula Bandha- Associated with the root chakra and the lower body.
Contracting the perineum muscles locks your Mula Bandha.

Uddiyana Bandha- Associated with the middle chakras. Pulling abdominal

muscles towards the spine locks the Uddiyana Bandha.

Jalandhara Bandha- Associated with the throat chakra and the head, neck
and chest. Contracting the neck and throat, while pulling the chin in towards
the chest, and syncing with the suprasternal notch locks the Jalandhara
Bandha.

BONUS BANDA:

Maha Bandha- A combination of all 3 bandas simultaneously. This practice

with pranayama can help to restore energy and refresh the entire psyche.
mudras

Symbolic hand gestures associated with a mantra. It is the physical

representation of a mantra. Each finger represents a body of energy, a planet,
a chakra, a characteristic and an emotion.

Sanskrit meaning: Linking self with Universal Consciousness.

Mud= delight or pleasure

Dru= draw forth

Used together with Bandas and Pranayama, Mudras

 “Breathing in, I calm my body. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the
present moment, I know this is a wonderful moment.”

— thich nhat hahn

Nadis

Nadis are meridians or vessels for vital force (prana) to flow through the
body. We all have 3 primary and 14 principal nadis in our bodies. Seven of
primary nadis correspond with each chakra. The other seven are located in
the hand and wrist. All the primary nadis that are associated with a chakra
begin at the Muladhara Chakra.

PRIMARY NADIS:

SUSHUMNA- Runs along the center of the spine. It's the central channel;
the river Saraswati. The connection to collective consciousness and the
autonomous nervous system. Our Dharma and reflection of the universe.

IDA- Runs along the left side of the spine. Associated with the feminine
being and the moon; the river Ganga. The Ida ends up in our left nostril,
caters to the left sympathetic system. It is a channel for our emotional being
and our past. The Ida is connected to the right side and the back of the brain.
This is where our subconscious mind gets information.

PINGKALA- Runs along the right side of the spine. Associated with the
masculine being and the sun; the river Yamuna. Pingkala ends up in our
right nostril and caters to the right sympathetic nervous system. It is
connected with the left side and the front of the brain. Pingkala is a channel
for our supraconcious mind. It is where our mind stores thoughts we create
about our future.

The nadis help to flow energy through to awaken the serpent that sleeps at
the base of our spines (Kundalini). This helps to push out static energy built
up from lack of movement throughout the day. The end goal is to tune into
your conscious and subconscious mind; creating a deeper connection to the
universe.

This is a very general introduction to the topics given. Each one could be
studied in depth for months. If any of them spark your interest they each
deserve the special attention. We just wanted to do a brief overview to
introduce the terminology to help clarify the connection with our content.
Thanks for reading!

~Namaste~