Pranyama: Prana means life (vital force) and yama means control. Prana is the great force that attracts and controls all universal forces. There are 5 main sub categories of Prana:
Prana: This force is present between the throat and heart and is responsible for your breathing
Apana: Thisforce is located in the buttocks area. It enhances the functionality of the colon and lower abdomen.
Samana: This force is between the heart and navel and is responsible for enhancement and control of Prana.It controls the digestive system.
Udana: This force is located in the throat, lungs and brain. It controls breathing, hearing, speech, memory, thought and movement.
Vyana: This force is located throughout the body and mainly Swathisthan chakra. It is responsible for coordinatingall of the body forces via the nervous system, circulatory system and skin.

Bandhs and Mudhras

According to Ayurveda and Yog scriptures, there are several body postures(Mudras) and locks(Bandhs) which help in Kundalini(serpent power) awaken and keep the body fit and healthy while helping to maintain Brahmcharya.

Severalimportant bandhs are described below:

Mool(Root) Bandh : This is the process of closing the main external excretory outlet

Method: In a seated position, keep the left ankle under the perineum (i.e. the sit bone). Now contract the perineum muscles strongly thus closing the butt. Slowly , make the Apan vayu ascent up. This whole process is called Mool Bandh. This bandh can be easily applied in Sidh Asan and few other asanas routinely and as well as at the time of prayer

Advantages:

* It helps in the union of Apan Vayu with Prana which ascends up towards the upper part of abdomen
* It relieves constipation
* It helps in awakening Kundalini Shakti
* Improves the digestion power
* Improves the quality of semen

Udhiyan(Flying) Bandh

Method: While sitting in Sidha asana, move your feet inward to join their lower surfaces in such a way that heels touch the body near the perineum. Now pull back strongly the abdominal wall around the naval forming a depression of about 8” radius around naval. Theore you can pull abdominal wall, the more advantageous it is. During this bandh, prana fly towards the Sushmana (channel connecting base chakra to crown chakra) like a bird, thus giving it a name Udhiyan Bandh.

Advantages:

* Prana and seminal fluids flows upwards
* It increases the appetite
* It improves digestion and make the body strong
* Lungs become strong and function more efficiently

Jalandhar (Water) Bandh

Sit in Sidha asana and inhale deeply expanding your lungs and and chest. Now bend your neck downward so that chin touches the upper ribs and is about four inches away from heart. This bandh keeps all the nerves, blood vessels and the glands in the neck close to each other and thus giving the named Jalandhar Bandh.

Advantages:

* Neck becomes long and beautiful
* Voice becomes sweet
* Prana enter Sushmana because Ida(lunal channel) and Pingla(Solar channel) are close during the bandh.

Generally Mool Bandh and Udhyan Bandh can be performed as part of most of the asanas, mudras and pranayams but Jalandhar Bandh is perefferd during meditation.

Maha Bandh

It is done in two ways:

First method: While sitting, fix the left ankle under the perineum. Now bring the right foot over the left thigh and inhale (purak) from both the nostrils or one nostril, and perform mool bandh. Let the Apan yahu ascent up. Now concentrate your mind towards the sushmana and hold the breath (kumbak). Then exhale (rechak) through both nostrils, or the opposite nostril (not used during inhale).

Second method: Sit in Padam Asana or Sidha Asana. Apply mool bandh and holding breath(as per your capacity) let the Apan vayu flow upward at naval level. Exhale/Inhale as needed. This bandh helps in the union of pran vayu and apan vayu.

Advantages:

* It purifies semen
* Helps in the union of Ida, Pingala and Sushmana.
* Increases body vigor

Mahavedh Bandh

It can be done in two ways:

First method: Sit in Sidh asan or padam Asan. Apply mool bandh and inhale. Holding breath fix right palm on the right side of the body and left palm on the left side of the body on the ground and lift your body by balancing on both hands. Now contract both the hips slowly while thinking that prana is leaving Ida and Pingla and entering the sushma after awakening the Kundalini shakti. Now exhale slowly.

Second method: Sit in Padam asan and apply mool bandh. Inhale and hold the breadth joining pran vayu and apan vayu in the navel. Now push each hand under the respective hips and raise the hips slowly while contracting the hips.

Advantages:

* It helps in awakening of kundalani Shakti
* It helps Prana to enter Sushmana

If Maha Bandh, Mahavedh bandh and Maha Mudhra are done together, they are more useful.

Mudhras

Few important Mudras are described below:

Khechri Mudra: In this mudhra, we bend the tongue to touch upper palette (above uvula), and retain this position and concentrate thinking that nector is dipping from the crown chakra. For this mudhra the tongue should be mobile, long and thin. Chhedhan, chalan and dhohan can be practiced under the guidance of an expert to make the tongue mobile, long and thin.

Maha Mudra: It is performed in two ways:

Method 1: In a seated pose, keep the left heel of your foot under the perineum and apply Mool bandh. Straighten your right leg and hold its toes with the both hands. Now filling the lungs take five deep breaths. Now inhale from the left nostril, apply Jalandhar bandh, hold breath and open the Jalandhar bandh and exhale. Now repeat the same procedure while keeping the right heel under the perineum and straightening the left leg.

Second Method: Put the left heel under the buttocksand the 4” area behind the buttocks. Straighten the right leg. Now slowly inhale and apply Mool bandh and Jalandhar bandh and bend your body forward so that you can hold the toes of right foot and touchyour forehead to the right knee. While holding yourbreath, try to expand your neck with the air inhaled. Concentrate on prana awakening the Kundalini shakti and entering the Sushmana. Now leaving the feet in position, straighten up slowly and exhale gradually coming to the original sitting posture. Now repeat the same posture after straightening the left leg and bringing the right heel under the butt and four inches behind it.

Advantages:

* It improves appetite and digestion
* Makes the body strong
* Helps in awakening the kundalini shakti

Ashvani Mudhra:

This posture contracts the yoni mandla (i.e. perineum and genital organs) while sitting in Sidha asana or Padam asaan.

Advantages:

* Helps in awakening of Prana
* Helps in awakening of Kundalani shakti
* It purifies the Apan Vayu
* It improves the functioning and strength of the sex organs

Shakti Chalini Mudhra

Sit in the sidh asan or padam asan. Keep your hand along the side of your body and palms touching the ground. Balance your body with palms touching the ground. Rise the hips slowly above the ground while contracting the hips and applying mool bandh. Inhale, from both the nostrils or whichever nostril is open and join the pran vayu with the apan vayu and apply jalandhar band. Hold the breadth and apply ashvani mudra. Open Jalandhar bandh and exhale from both sides or from the other nostril. Sit calmly and concentrate on mind.

Advantages:

* It makes you strong and cures most diseases
* It is very useful in Kundalini shakti awakening

Shankhmukhi mudra:

Sit in Sidh asan or Padam asan. Keep right thumb on the right ear canal, closing it, right index finger over the right eye, right middle finger over the right nostril, fourth finger of the right hand the right upper lip and small finger of right hand below the lower lip. Similarly keep the fingers of the left hand at the respective places of left side of the face. This posture is called Shankhmukhi Mudra.

Advantages:

You can use it during meditation to focus your concentration as in this mudra the ears, eyes, mouth and even nostrils (slightly) are closed.

Kaki Mudra:

Method: Sit in Padam Asan or Sidh Asan and fold the tongue like the bill of cow.

Yoni Mudra:

Method : Sit in sidh adan or padam asan. Apply shanmukhi mudra and kaki mudra. Now inhale while tongue is folded and join air with apan vahu in the stomach. Then chant ‘OM’ and focus themind on the idea that the mixed pran vayu is entering the sushmana, awakening Kundalini, and is reaching Sahastra after piercing the six chakra.

Advantages: It is effective for self realization -the atam jyoti swaroop.

Yog Mudra

Method: Sit in padam asan. Apply mool bandh. Inhale with both nostrils and apply Jalandhar Bandh. Now move your arms back and hold the left wrist with right hand and right wrist with your left hand. Bend your head forward so that your forehead touches the ground, while pressing both the heals towards your abdomen. Hold the breath to your capacity and open Jalandhar band and exhale.

Advantages:

* It cures abdominal organs problems.
* It helps in Kundalini awakening

Shambvi Mudhra:

Method:

In this mudhra, we sit in sidh asan or padam asan. Apply mool bandh and udhyana bandh together. Now fix your sight between the eyebrows and look continuously at the anterior part of the nose.

Advantage: It help is concentration of mind

Tadhagi Mudra:

Method: It is done in Shav asan. Inhale from any nostril or whichever nose is open. Inhale as much air as you can. Hold the breadth and move the air in the abdomen just like water in the pond. Now exhale from other nostril slowly.

Advantages:

* It helps in various abdominal visceral diseases
* It improves appetite and digestion

VipreetKarni Mudra or Sheersh Asan – Kapal Asan

Method:

The beginner can use a wall for support. Take a small soft pillow. Place it near a wall bend down such that yourhead rests on the pillow. Now with a jerky movement raise your body and legs upward along the wall, straighten the legs so that your feet face upward. Now apply Mool band and Udhiyan bandh. You can also try padamasan in this mudra. After mastering this technique, one can easily try this mudra in the center of the room.

Advantages:

* It helps in maintaining bramcharya
* It increases circulation of brain, eyes, heart and helps other sense organs perform their functions in a better way
* Increases appetite and improves digestion
* Very useful mudra to relieve constipation
* Very useful in cases of headaches and colds
* Purifies blood and cleans the lungs as phlegm and mucus are thrown out very easily.

Unmni Mudra: Method:

Sit in any comfortable pose. Fix your sight on the anterior part of the nose, with eyes half closed.

Advantages: It helps to focus the mind.