Kundalini Yoga Glossary
Bandha
A muscle lock that keeps Sushumna, the spine's central energy channel, open and aligned.
Meaning
What Bandha Means
A Bandha, or lock, is a specific muscle contraction. Its main function is to build the internal strength needed to keep Sushumna, the most important channel of spiritual energy, open, creating enough hydraulic pressure to let energy move freely along the spine.
There are three main locks: Mula Bandha, the root lock, Jalandhara Bandha, the neck lock, and Uddiyana Bandha, the diaphragm lock. In most yogic traditions, Bandhas are introduced only after a long path of practice. In Kundalini Yoga, they're taught from the beginning.
In Practice
How It’s Used
Each contraction helps align the spine correctly, allowing energy to flow through it and through the chakras. Since Kundalini energy specifically rises through Sushumna, keeping the spine elongated and aligned through the Bandhas is considered essential to the practice.
Even when not specified in a particular exercise, a practitioner can apply the Bandhas intensely at the end of an Asana, or softly throughout, to maintain alignment. Correctly applied, they let the body use only the muscles needed for posture, releasing unnecessary tension elsewhere. In the 200-hour training, the focus is mainly on the first two locks, Mula Bandha and Jalandhara Bandha.
