Saturday, April 26, 2008

Surrender the head to your heart,...


...or in other words: Jalandhara Bandha, chin lock. In Light on Pranayama, B.K.S. Iyengar says this relaxes the brain and also humbles the intellect.

Jalandhara Bandha is performed by lengthening the back of the neck, then extending the chin forward, and then lowering the chin towards the chest, as if one would holds an orange between the chin and the chest. Or imagine, you are baby kitten and mama cat picks you up by the back of the neck: It is a relaxed, lengthening sensation in the neck area. The chin is not forced towards the chest, but rather the chest moves closer to the chin on every inhalation. This creates space in the throat area and allows the throat to relax, the 5th chakra to open.

Lastly the frontal brain relaxes down towards the heart, while the chest keeps lifting upwards, allowing the thinking mind to listen to the heart for a change.

Especially since I learned the cue about the frontal brain, I enjoy Jalandhara Bandha in poses such as Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana or Salamba Sarvangasana.

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