To Infinity and Beyond!

Jivamukti founder David Life discovers that practicing mula bandha makes the body less earth-bound.

By David Life

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.

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. As one of my teachers once said, "Your practice (and your life) should always be undertaken as if it were a photo session...with God as the photographer."

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.

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