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TRIBANDHA
AND PRANAYAMA
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As Kumbhaka is important in Pranayama, so also the Tribandha.
We have studied the Bandhas earlier. It is necessary to practice
Jalandhar Bandh, Uddiyan Bandh and Mul Bandh while studying
Pranayam. When the Pranayama is to be practiced for increased
duration, the use of these three bandhas is unavoidable. If
Kumbhaka is observed without the bandhas, it may be detrimental
to health. This has happened before, hence before studying
the Pranayama technique, the bandhas should be studied in
detail and it should also be learnt how the bandhas should
be used while performing Pranayama.
While
fixing Jalandhar Bandh, we fold the neck a little bit forward.
The pressure of the neck is felt on the breath pipe, hence
the bandh is not observed while inhaling or exhaling, but
after inhaling i e after Pooraka and it should be released
before exhaling i e after Rechaka. That means the bandh is
fixed while being in Kumbhaka. After Pooraka, while being
in Kumbhaka, when this bandh is performed, it is used for
stopping the inhaled air from going out. The bandh also exerts
pressure on Carotial Sinus and also tries to reduce the blood
pressure. If internal Kumbhaka is observed without this Jalandhar
Bandh, there is a fear of increasing the blood pressure. This
risk is eliminated by performing this bandh. However, the
bandh should be released before performing Rechaka.
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When
Jalandhar Bandh is fixed while in Kumbhaka after performing Pooraka,
the pressure of the air in the lungs is increased to considerable
extent. This pressure is further increased by performing Uddiyan
Bandh. The Uddiyan Bandh also regulates the pressure in an appropriate
direction. Both the bandhas must be released while performing Rechaka
after Kumbhaka. However, Mul Bandh is to be continuously performed
during the practice of Pranayam. In the initial stages, Mul Bandh
must be performed during Kumbhaka at least, so that the generated
air pressure is kept under proper control.
In
short, it means that after Pooraka, the bandhas should be fixed
in the order as Jalandhar Bandh, Mul Bandh and then Uddiyan Bandh
and they should be released in the reverse order i e Uddiyan Bandh,
Mul Bandh and Jalandhar Bandh before performing Rechaka.
We
have seen that Pranayam means Kumbhaka. The Kumbhaka can be performed
or observed after Pooraka or after Rechaka too. Kumbhaka performed
after Pooraka is known as " Abhyantar Kumbhaka " ( Internal
Kumbhaka ) and Kumbhaka performed after Rechaka is known as "
Bahya Kumbhaka " ( External Kumbhaka ). The main text of Hatha
Yoga i e Hathapradeepika has described eight types of Kumbhakas,
however they are all Abhyantar Kumbhakas. No one has given much
importance to Bahya Kumbhaka, We will also limit our study of Pranayam
to the studies of Abhyantar Kumbhaka.
In
the eight types of Kumbhaka described in Hathapradeepika, the three
procedures of Pooraka, Kumbhaka and Rechaka (inclusive of three
bandhas) are enumerated. The Kumbhaka is of a single type only,
however Pooraka and Rechaka are to be performed in different manners.
The text states that by changing the method of Pooraka and Rechaka,
the effects of Pranayam differ. The pranayama done, by performing
Pooraka with the right nostril and Rechaka with the left or Kumbhaka
after swift iterations of inhalation or exhalation is of a warm
kind and the Kumbhaka performed after inhaling air with mouth while
in Pooraka is cold, as is stated by Hathapradeepika. We will not
get into the details of all these, but we will study some of the
Kumbhaka Pranayamas.
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