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 January 2003 questions are posted below. ( View Archive )

Test yourself, January, 2003, 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 nine and ten 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," I suggest that you go to the archives and read that segment now, as the following comments will assume that you have considered and absorbed those basic principles. Then turn to the pertinent poses in chapters nine and ten as discussed below.

Figures 9.1, 9.4-7, and 9.13. All applications of the shoulderstand that require holding the body fairly or extremely straight are strongly supported by purposely holding a vigorous ashwini mudra. This is especially true of versions that are supported internally (figures 9.1, 9.5, and 9.6), but is also seen in more moderate versions of the shoulderstand that are supported by the upper extremities. In all cases, mula bhanda is not particularly relevant, since gravity pulls the urogenital diaphragm in automatically; pulling that region in purposely adds little or nothing to the poses.

Figures 9.2, 9.3, 9.8-12, 9.14, 9.17-18, and 9.23. Ashwini mudra is impossible in all inverted poses that include flexion of the hips, and mula bhanda is unnecessary. Gravity pulls the entire pelvic diaphragm inward, even while the base of the body is exposed.

Figures 9.19-22. Poses such as the fish and bridge are all aided by strongly contracting the entire pelvic diaphragm along with the gluteal muscles. Therefore it is helpful in all cases to hold both ashwini mudra and mula bandha enthusiastically.

Figures 10.2 and 10.5. Neither ashwini mudra or mula bhanda need be held while relaxing in the corpse pose. One caveat: If you have trouble staying awake during a relaxation, the concentration needed to mildly pull in the pelvic diaphragm (ashwini mudra without contracting the gluteals plus mildly holding mula bhanda ) can prevent you from falling asleep without necessarily preventing relaxation in the rest of the body.

Figure 10.3. The crocodile postures are ideal for learning to differentiate between ashwini mudra and mula bhanda. Holding the heels together and strongly tightening the hamstrings and gluteal muscles brings ashwini mudra into play while at the same time overwhelming awareness of mula bhanda. On the other hand, letting the feet come apart, relaxing the gluteals, and bringing a tiny thread of attention to the genitals (at least in men) highlights mula bhanda.

Figures 10.6-16. The meditative postures show variations of the theme of generally minimizing ashwini mudra and of mildly encouraging mula bhanda. Ashwini mudra is minimized because the hips are flexed and it is therefore awkward and inconvenient to contract the gluteal muscles. Keep in mind, however, that the pull of gravity on the abdominal and pelvic organs will put pressure on the pelvic region and will reflexly stimulate the pelvic diaphragm to remain in a state of tension. In this manner there is an automatic application of ashwini mudra without tightening the gluteals. Mula bhanda is another story, and is generally recognized as being very important for meditative poses. In that regard the presence of the heel near the perineum (between the anus and the genitals) is a significant aspect of the accomplished pose, and the rest of the meditative poses (that do not automatically bring attention to the base of the body) are generally improved by the use of a folded washcloth (or mula bhanda cushion), which brings the requisite awareness to the front portion of the pelvic diaphragm. This automatically helps to authenticate the meditative poses if you are unable to hold your awareness on mula bhanda without a prop.