Continuing with the subject of Uddhyana Bandha that I started on my previous post, it is absolutely essential to understand how the natural breath works. When we breath our diaphragm has involuntary movement that allows the breath to happen. The diaphragm is a flat muscle that crosses the body transversally, separating the lungs from the other internal organs. Its position in relaxation is convex on the superior surface and concave on the inferior surface. When we inhale, it expands and becomes flatter, pushing the internal organs down so the lungs can be expanded while they fill with air. And because the lungs need more space during inhalation, when the organs are pushed down they have to fit in a smaller space, reason why the belly slightly expands forward. When we exhale the diaphragm relaxes and comes back to its convex position so the lungs are contracted to help the air comes out of the body. When we practice Asana we don’t use the natural breath (involuntary diaphragmatic movement) because we have to protect our spine during the deep flexions and extensions. That is when the practice of Bandhas becomes important. The combination of Moola Bandha, lifting the pelvic floor up, and Uddhyana Bandha, moving the front wall of the belly towards the back body and lifting all the organs up, creates a strong and flat wall that protects the spine. This action with the help of a voluntary upward movement of the diaphragm during inhalation inhibits the involuntary downward movement of the organs, which creates an exaggerated upwards and side expansion of the ribs as a result of not been able to push the organs down. When the ribs are expanded, there is more space between the vertebrae, and as a consequence our spine is protected. On the video I am practicing Uddhyana Bandha Kriya to demonstrate the actions previously described. Check my previous two posts for a deeper understanding about Moola Bandha and Uddhyana Bandha. #bandhas #uddhyanabandha #uddhyanabandhakriya #yogakriya #energeticlocks #asana #asanapractice #yoga #yogapractice #yogafoundations #yogatips #yogaisequanimity #luanafarayoga (at Balance Yoga Studio)
