Ind. Jalandhara Bandha The digestive fire can be sparked by temporarily closing the throat to block the flow of prana. In yoga, these locking techniques are known as bandhas (interior locks).
Jalandhar bandha, one of the three basic bandhas in Hatha yoga, stimulates the organs in the upper body when it is practiced. While Uddiyana and Mula bandhas, which are employed for the lower body, are the other two bandhas.
Jalandhara Bandha: Chin or Throat Lock
A yoga technique called Jalandhara Bandha regulates and catches the flow of energy to the throat. In this exercise, the focus should be on bringing the chin to the chest. The spinal cord is severely stretched, and the brain is also affected. Both our subtle body and our physical body are greatly impacted by this bandha.
Usually, throat locks are performed alone; however, when they are combined with the other two locks, the technique is known as the Maha bandha. If you haven’t practiced Jalandhara bandha previously, you may have done so in shoulder stand and bridge pose, among other yoga positions.
What Does Jalandhara Actually Means?
Jalandhara is a Sanskrit word with two root words: Jala, which means “web” or “net,” Dhara, which means “holding,” and Bandha, which means “lock” or “binding.”
When the root words are combined, Jalandhara means something that, when held, forms a web or net. Jalandhara Bandha is so named because when we hold our throats close to our chins, a web-like structure forms that prevent our breath from falling.
Its name, Jalandhara Bandha, comes from some yogis’ belief that it was created by the sage Jalandharipada.
Purpose of Jalandhara Bandha
The main purpose of this bandha is to lock the energy flowing out through the throat for a moment. The energy within us flows out into the atmosphere naturally.
This Bandha locks the energy flowing out from the way of the throat for a while and stimulates it for better functioning of the whole throat region. This fixes all the sickness in the throat and also targets the Throat Chakra (Vishuddha Chakra).
How to Do Jalandhara Bandha
Simply sit in Sukhasana or Padmasana and practice the Jalandhara bandha. The only need for it is that you hold your breath and bend your head so that your chin touches the top of your chest.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Stretch your knees outward and place your hands over them as you sit in any cross-legged position.
- Now inhale slowly and deeply while lifting your chest and holding your breath. Antara Kumbhaka, please (holding your breath inside).
- Meanwhile, tilt your head forward and touch your chin with the jugular notch [efn_note] Jugular notch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suprasternal_notch [/efn_note] (notch between our collar bones) gently.
- Focus your attention on your throat and maintain it there.
- You form a lock when your chin touches your jugular notch. Try to bring your chin as close to the jugular notch as you can if you are unable to do so perfectly.
- As long as you can, maintain this posture.
- When you are unable to hold it any longer, gently lift your chin and take a deep breath out.
- Then, unwind for a while before repeating the entire procedure.
- The energy center at the level of the throat will be activated with each repetition.
Once you have mastered holding your breath while inhaling (Antara Kumbhaka), you can try holding your breath while exhaling (Bahya Kumbhika). The rest of the process will proceed similarly. Simply hold your breath after exhaling rather than inhaling.
Point to Note Down
- Keep in mind to maintain a vertical and straight spine. Leaning either forward or backward will disrupt the passage of energy through the spine’s primary channel.
- Start by performing this procedure 3–5 times in a single session. You can progressively increase it to 10–12 rounds after some practice.
- The best time to practice Jalandhara Bandha is in the morning time, away from all the distractions. You can also add this to your daily yoga practice and perform it after Pranayama.
Contradictions and Precaution
You must take the following measures in order to properly execute Jalandhara Bandha and achieve the best outcomes.
- Maintain a straight back throughout the entire Jalandhara Bandha exercise.
- Don’t move past your comfort zone. Execute it in accordance with your stamina.
- Patients with high blood pressure or cardiac issues shouldn’t engage in any Chin Lock exercises.
- It is not advisable to execute this Bandha if you have a fracture or any other neck- or throat-related issue.
- Stop this technique as soon as you experience nausea or vertigo and take a few deep breaths. You can resume when you’ve calmed down.
Some Common Mistakes
Still, having trouble doing Jalandhara Bandha correctly? Here are some common errors that prevent us from performing this bandha correctly.
1. Position of the Chin
The chin position can be incorrect in some way. There should be a left or right chin. Keep in mind to center it so that your chin, nose, and breastbone are all in line.
2. Breathing Position
The breathing position is where we most frequently make mistakes. Keep in mind that you must maintain a straight spine and an elevated head while breathing. You must continue to do this as you exhale. Never let out a breath before raising your chin. First, lift your chin and maintain a straight posture while slowly exhaling.
3. Not Lifting the Chest
Many people find it unpleasant to do this Bandha because they do not lift their chest. Remember to elevate your chest before touching the chin to the jugular notch.
Painless Tooth Extraction by Jalandhara Bandha Yoga
Because there was no anesthesia available in older times, people performed surgeries by using yogic techniques and touching certain key places on the body. There are numerous instances of surgeries performed by Sushruta [efn note] in Ayurveda.Sushruta https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sushruta [/efn_note], without Anesthesia (an ancient Indian physician). One such example is Painless Tooth Extraction by Jalandhara Bandha Yoga.
- The patient is first placed on a wooden plank.
- The patient is then made to perform Jalandhara Bandha while the Ayurvedic Dental Surgeon is standing behind him.
- The dental surgeon next places pressure on the trigeminal nerve with his left hand and the SushumnaNadi (Spinal Cord) with his left knee.
- Finally, the dental surgeon carefully raises and lowers the patient’s head 2-3 times before extracting teeth with his tool (Lion Forceps).
According to legend, the Jalandhara Bandha blocks the passage of pain during this procedure, allowing the surgery to be conducted without any discomfort.
Let’s find out the benefits of this procedure and the reasons individuals choose it.
- Many patients are allergic to medications and local anesthesia. Without the use of anesthesia or any other drugs, this operation can treat them.
- Patients with high blood sugar frequently have negative effects from even minor surgery. Since it is an Ayurvedic procedure, teeth can be extracted without any negative side effects.
- The gums heal more quickly after this procedure, and no healthy tissues are harmed.
- There are no postoperative consequences from this procedure, such as swelling or wounds.
- It is a strong dental procedure that can remove both milk teeth and molars, as well as stamps.
Benefits of Jalandhara Bandha
- The Throat area is massaged during this procedure. Our vocal cords receive better blood flow as a result of this. In order to speak clearly and sweetly, this bandha is helpful, especially for singers.
- This bandha enhances the thyroid gland’s metabolism, which guards against all thyroid illnesses (Hypo and Hyper Thyroid).
- Many people think that Jalandhar bandha might help you get rid of a double chin, which improves your appearance. However, there is no scientific evidence for it.
- The spinal cord is gently stretched during this exercise. The spinal cord’s blood flow is aided by this. As a result, the spinal cord’s condition gradually gets better.
The spinal cord is gently stretched during this exercise. The spinal cord’s blood flow is aided by this. As a result, the spinal cord’s condition gradually gets better.
- The Throat Chakra (Visuddi Chakra) is located in the throat region. This chakra is known for the purification and communication of the body. Jalandhara Bandha locks the Pranic energy to this region and helps to stimulate the Visuddi Chakra. Thus, this practice helps in the purification and communication of the body.
- This Bandha deals with the parasympathetic nervous system [efn_note] parasympathetic nervous system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parasympathetic_nervous_system [/efn_note]. This nervous system is responsible for the stimulation of unconscious body activities like digestion, tears, urination, etc. Jalandhar bandha helps to stimulate these unconscious body actions properly.
