Yogic science includes a wide range of exercises in addition to the Pranayama and Kundalini techniques you may have heard of. This article begins a series offering a chakra-by-chakra routine for holistic development. These techniques have been developed from the philosophies and methodologies of various approaches, including Vipassana, Pranayama, Kundalini, and Taiji meditation.
Exercising the Root Chakra
Your root chakra is located at the base of your spine. This chakra can be exercised using a bandha, which refers to the blockage of a chakra. Blocking chakras helps stem the flow of energy and increases your potential to channel Reiki. Take care to practice these techniques gradually, never pushing yourself beyond your limits. Seek the advice of a qualified yoga teacher for further guidance and a more specific explanation of the muscles involved.
Use mula bandha, sit in the lotus position and place one of your heels on the perineum, the space between the anus and the genitals. Mula bandha is a contraction of the muscles of the perineum. Pull up on your perineum as if you are stopping the flow of urine. This movement blocks your root chakra and prevents the energy from flowing back to the earth. As you pull the muscles, imagine drawing energy from the root chakra and sending it up toward the crown of your head.
Mula bandha focuses on the contraction of the muscles of the perineum that control urination. It’s easy to confuse mula bandha with a closely related technique called aswini mudra. Aswini mudra focuses on the contraction of the anal muscles, an exercise that is useful in treating hemorrhoids. To distinguish the two muscles, sit with your heel on your perineum and alternate contractions between the anus and perineum. Once you have correctly distinguished the perineum muscle, practice contracting it for a minute at a time. Then relax for a moment and contract it again. Continue practicing mula bandha for 5 to 10 minutes.
Throughout your practice, keep your eyes closed and be aware of your breath. Observe the flow of energy as you practice. If you proceed to become a Reiki master, you will find this bandha very useful when performing Reiki attunements. Mula bandha is also used in the Taiji microcosmic orbit, and will be explained in a future article.
You can practice mula bandha on its own, during Reiki self-healing sessions, as part of your yoga practice, or as part of your meditation practice.
