Body and Breath

Each month a new series of 10 questions will be posted on the Test Yourself page. The following month the questions will then be posted here along with the answers and explanations.

Answers to the December 2002 questions are posted below. ( View Archive )

Test yourself, December, 2002, with answers

You are teaching practical aspects of anatomy to a group of experienced hatha yoga teachers. The assignment: Using the postures discussed in chapters six, seven, and eight of Anatomy of Hatha Yoga as a frame of reference, discuss how various postures encourage or discourage the practices of ashwini mudra and mula bandha.

Answer: First of all, if you have not read "Test yourself, Sept, 2002, with answers," "Test yourself, Oct, 2002, with answers," and "Test yourself, Nov, 2002, with answers," I suggest that you go to the archives and read them now, as the following comments will assume you have considered and absorbed those basic principles. Then turn to the pertinent poses in chapters six, seven, and eight as discussed below.

Figures 6.1, 6.5, 6.6, and 6.10-15. The natural application of all these postures sitting flat on the floor mildly encourages mula bandha (the root lock). If you are sitting on a pillow, however, the pressure and contact of the pillow with the anal triangle mildly encourages ashwini mudra. Figure 6.14 is a special case, in that as you slowly lean to the rear and thus increase intra-abdominal pressure, application of ashwini mudra is natural and required.

Figures 6.3 and 6.4. These asymmetric postures are neutral concerning ashwini mudra and mula bandha.

Figures 6.7 and 6.9. Squatting on the floor makes it difficult and inadvisable to hold ashwini mudra, and makes mula bandha very easy.

Figure 6.16. The strong extensor activity of the gluteal muscles and the vigorous application of ashwini mudra mutually support and encourage the plank pose, while it is natural to hold mula bandha in a mild form.

Figures 6.17-18. Ashwini mudra is inconsistent and actually contraindicated with both the down-facing dog and the child's pose, but mula bandha is an option in both cases.

Figures 6.19a-f. Awareness of holding mula bandha feels very natural in all of the supine hip-opening poses, but ashwini mudra is inadvisable.

Figure 6.20 and 6.21a-c. Ashwini mudra is awkward and unnatural in the supine half-lotus hip-opener, and as in the case of most asymmetric sitting postures (figures 6.21a-c), mula bandha is not particularly helpful or needed.

Figures 6.22 and 6.23a-b. Ashwini mudra does not work well in these postures, but mula bandha can be applied, especially for the advanced forward bend with abducted thighs in figure 6.22.

Figure 6.24. The kneeling adductor stretch with the hips to the rear makes ashwini mudra impossible, but as one comes forward it is less so. Mula bandha is feasible in both cases.

Figures 6.25a-c. Backbending in the pigeon postures is supported by both ashwini mudra and mula bandha, but lying forward takes tension off the perineum and is more consistent with relaxing the entire region.

Figures 6.26a-b. The angle pose makes ashwini mudra impossible. Mula bandha is an option but unnecessary.

Figure 7.4. Standing twists with the feet together are sharpened up by vigorous application of ashwini mudra. Mula bandha is optional.

Figure 7.5. In someone with ordinary flexibility, a standing twist with the thighs abducted and feet parallel creates tension in the gluteus maximus on the opposite side from the direction of the twist, so ashwini mudra feels very asymmetrical. For this model, who is able to swivel convincingly even with his feet parallel, ashwini mudra feels more balanced. Mula bandha is optional, but unnecessary.

Figures 7.7-9. Ordinarily, with the thighs abducted, knees straight, and feet rotated laterally in a natural position, ashwini mudra is not very vigorous, but with the feet rotated laterally 70 degrees (7.7), ashwini mudra is very strong. Mula bandha is naturally relaxed the more firmly ashwini mudra is applied, but it is an option. On the other hand, with the feet rotated medially 45 degrees (7.8), ashwini mudra is quite difficult. With the thighs abducted, knees bent, and feet rotated out (7.9), the entire pelvic diaphragm is exposed and relaxed, and neither ashwini mudra or mula bandha feels appropriate.

Figures 7.10-16. Supine twists with the thighs partially flexed all make ashwini mudra awkward and difficult. This becomes especially obvious with the knees raised high and held close to the chest (7.12). Supine twists with the knees crossed (7.13-14) squeeze the genitals and facilitate mula bandha. The rest of the supine twists are neutral with respect to mula bandha.

Figures 7.17a-f and 7.18a-g. Standing twists and bends all follow the same pattern. Backbends all favor ashwini mudra, and forward bends contraindicate ashwini mudra. Mula bandha is optional but unnecessary in both cases. Twisted backbends are similar to the situation described with figure 7.5. (In someone with ordinary flexibility, a standing twist with the thighs abducted and feet parallel creates tension in the gluteus maximus on the opposite side from the direction of the twist, so ashwini mudra feels very asymmetrical.)

Figures 7.19-23. Standing poses with the feet wide apart are all supported internally with natural applications of ashwini mudra and mula bandha. External efforts are unnecessary.

Figures 7.24-7.33. Sitting spinal twists are all done by definition with flexed hip joints, and therefore al make the conscious application of ashwini mudra difficult to accomplish. Mula bandha is automatically held in a natural manner, especially when the thighs are crossed so as to place pressure on the genitals(7.29-33).

Figures 8.5-7. All stages of the headstand drop the abdominal and pelvic organs toward the head, create a situation in which downward tension (toward the feet) is not felt in the perineal region, and thus make the conscious application of ashwini mudra and mula bandha in large measure irrelevant. On the other hand, it feels very rewarding to squeeze the hips together strongly and support ashwini mudra anytime one is doing inverted backbends, as in the case of the bregma headstand (8.7).

Figures 8.22-31a. All inverted and semi-inverted poses that feature flexed hips (8.22, 8.26-31a) do two things. They take tension off the pelvic diaphragm, as in the headstand, thus making the conscious application of ashwini mudra and mula bandha unnecessary, and the flexed hip position makes ashwini mudra (at least insofar as squeezing the hips together) impossible. By contrast, postures such as the stick pose (8.23), the two-handed cobra (8.24), and especially the celibate's pose (8.25), require good tone in the pelvic diaphragm to counter intra-abdominal pressure. It will not be possible to squeeze the hips together, again because of the flexed hips, but internal applications of ashwini mudra and mula bandha are applicable and advisable.

Figure 8.31b. The scorpion, as an inverted posture, makes the conscious application of ashwini mudra and mula bandha unnecessary, but as in the case of the bregma headstand, squeezing the hips together sharpens the posture.

Figures 8.32-35. These specialized inverted postures all share the above-mentioned characteristics regarding pressure taken off the pelvic diaphragm, but there are subtle differences among them. 8.32a strongly engages the gluteal muscles, 8.32b relaxes them, and 8.32c brings attention to abdominal and back strength. And 8.35a strongly engages the thigh extensors and supports ashwini mudra, and 8.35b relaxes them.