scientifickeysvol1sample.pdf

7/27/2019 ScientificKeysVol1Sample.pdf

1/19

Scienti

cKeysVolumeI

TheKeyMuscles

ofHathaYoga

RayLongMDFRCSC

WithIllustrator

ChrisMacivor


2/19

Patanjali,

thepatron

saintofyoga

,saidthatmastery

combinesabalanceofscienceand

art.

Knowledgeof

scienceislikethecolorson

anartistspalettethe

greatertheknowledge,

themorecolorsavailable.

The

bodyisthecanvasandtheasanasa

retheartwecreate.

2

Alwaysconsultyourhealthcareproviderbeforepracticingyogaoranyotherexerciseprogram.

Yoga

mustalwaysbepracticedunderthesupervisionofaqualiedinstru

ctor.

Theauthorassu

mesnoresponsibilityforinjuriesthatmayoccurasaresultofthepracticeofyoga.

Scientific

VolumeI

Keys

www.BandhaYoga.com

FirstEdition:Copyright2005,

RaymondALong

SecondEdition:Copyright2006,

RaymondALong

ThirdEdition:Copyright2006,

RaymondALong

BandhaYogaPublications

Allrightsreserved

Nopartofthisbookmaybereproduced,copiedortransmittedinanyformw

ithoutth

eexpresswritten

permissionofthepublisher.

Visuala

ndtextualcontentconceivedandproducedbyRaymondALong,

MD

FRCSC

Design:IngridPatriciaSanchez


3/19

Abou

ttheAutho

rRayLong

Ra

yLongMDFRCSCisaboard

certi

edorthopedicsurgeonand

thefo

underofBandhaYoga.

Ray

graduatedfromT

heUniversity

ofMichiganMedicalSchoolwith

post-g

raduatetrainingatCornell

University,

McGillUniversity,

The

UniversityofMontrealand

FloridaOrthopedicInstitute.

He

hasstudiedhathayogafor

overtwentyyears,

training

exte

nsivelywithB.K.S.

Iyengar

andotheroftheworlds

leadingyogamasters.

ChrisMacivorisadigitalillustrator

andthevisualdirectorofBandha

Yoga.

ChrisisagraduateofEtobicoke

SchoolofTheArts,

SheridanCollege

andSenecaCollege.

Hisworkhas

spannedmanygenresfromT

Vand

lmt

ovideogamesandunderwater

videography.

ChrisMacivor

Content

s

PartOne-ThePelvicGird

leandThighs49

Chapter1:

Iliopsoas57

Chapter2:

GluteusMaximus

64

Chapter3:

GluteusMedius6

9

Chapter4:

TensorFasciaLat

a74

Chapter5a:Pectineus79

Chapter5b:AdductorMagnus84

Chapter6:

ExternalRotators91

Chapter7:

Quadriceps96

Chapter8:

Hamstrings103

Chapter9:

Abdominals118

Chapter10:BackMuscles128

Chapter11:Latissimus

Dorsi135

Chapter12:Trapezius139

Chapter13:PectoralisMajor&Minor144

PartTwo-TheTrunk

113

Introduction7

Chapter23:MyofascialandOrganPlanes210

Chapter24:TheBreath

Connection212

Chapter25:

Bandhas

220

Chapter26:

Chakras2

22

PuttingItAllTogether

224

LocationsontheBody8

Skeleton10

Joints22

Ligaments26

MusclesandTendons35

Movement44

Fundamentals8

AppendixofAsanas23

0

IndexofAsanas236

IndexofMuscles238

Chapter14:Rhomboids

157

Chapter15:SerratusAnterior162

Chapter16:Deltoids167

Chapter17:RotatorCuff174

Chapter18:BicepsBrachii185

Chapter19:TricepsBra

chii190

Chapter20:Sternocleidomastoid197

Chapter21:LowerLegandFoot202

Chapter22:Forearman

dHand206

PartThree-TheShoulderGirdleandUpperArms151


4/196

Scient

ifickeys

HowtoUseThisBook

Theimagesinthisbookaretheke

ys.

We

presenteachmuscleinthecont

extof

itsfunctionasanagonist,antago

nistor

synergist.Notetheinterrelated

views

ofthe

muscle

in

each

ofitsv

arious

representations.

Relaxandstudyonemuscleata

time.

Activelyapplywhatyouhavelearnedby

visualizingthemusclesasyouperform

the

asanas.

Consciouslycontractand

relaxthem,asdetailedintheim

ages.

Thiswillconsolidateyourknow

ledge.

Review

each

studied

muscle,

rstat

twentyfourhoursandthenagain

atone

week.

Inthiswayyouwillmast

erthe

musclesandintegratethem

intoyour

yogapractice.

7

Introduction

Humananatomyandphysiologyisavastsubject,as

istheartofhathayoga

.Nevertheless,combining

knowledgefromb

othfi

eldsisextremely

beneficialtotheyogap

ractitioner.Athletescan

improvetheirperformanceande

xperiencefewerinjuries

throughabasicunderstandingo

ftheirmusculoskeletal

system.

Similarly,yogapractitio

nerscanbenefitfromt

he

applicationofWesternsciencetotheirpractice

development.

Itisnotnecessarytomemorizehundredsofmusclesand

bonestoexperiencethebenefitsofapplyingscienceto

yoga.

Whatisnecessaryisthefu

nctionalunderstandingof

amanageablenumberofkeyana

tomicstructuresintheir

settingsastheyrelatetohathayoga.

Knowledgeofthese

structurescanbeappliedimmed

iatelytooptimizeyour

practice,

breakthroughblockagesandavoidinjuries.

Thisfirstvolumepresentskeym

usclesinthecontextof

hathayoga.

Forpractitionersun

familiarwiththeWestern

scientificterminologyofthebody,

thefollowingsection,

Fundamentals,

isrecommended.


5/1922

hip

knee

lumbarspine

ballandsocket

hinge

compressi

ve

Aswiththebones,the

shapeofthejointsre-

ectstheirfunction(andtheirfunctionreects

theirshape).Jointscomeinaspectrumo

f

shapes,dependingon

themobilityorstability

theyrequire.Forexam

ple,thehipjointisaball

andsocketwhilethek

neejointisahinge.Aball

andsockettypehipjo

intconfersthegreatest

mobilityinallplanesandisusefulforactivities

suchchangingdirectionwhilewalkingandrun-

ning(orreachinginvariousdirectionstograsp

objects,aswiththesh

oulder).Ahingetype

kneejointprovidesgr

eaterstabilityandisuse-

fulforpropellingthebodyforward(ordrawing

anobjecttowardsthe

body,aswiththeelbow).

Otherjointssuchasth

eintervertebralbetween

thevertebraeallowfo

rlimitedmobilitybe-

tweenindividualverte

braebutgreatstability

toprotectthespinalc

ord.Mobilityofthespinal

columncomesfromco

mbiningthelimited

movementofindividu

alintervertebraljointsas

awhole.

Joint

s

Thejointcapsuleisconnectivetissuesheath-

ingthatsurroundsandsealssynovialjoints.It

issusceptibletostretchinjurywhenexecuting

extrememovementsinyogapostures.

Synovialtissuelinestheinsideofthejoint

capsule.Thistissueproducessynovialuid,

aviscouslubricantforthejointsurfacethat

decreasesfrictionduringjointmovement.

Synovialuidcirculatesthroughoutthejoint,

transportingnutrientstothearticularcarti-

lageandremovingdebrisfromt

hejointspace.

Thevariouscontortionsresultingfromyoga

posturesaidexandexpandthejointcapsule,

stimulatingcirculationofsynovialuid.

Articularcartilagecoversthejointsurfaces,

allowingsmoothglidingofoneboneoverthe

other.Infact,articularcartilageisoneofthe

smoothestsurfacesknowntoman.Applying

excessivepressuretothisfragilecartilagecan

injureit,ultimatelyresultinginarthritis.

Themeniscusdeepensthearticularsurface

andbroadensthecontactareaofthejoint.This

aidstostabilizethejointanddistributesthe

forceofgravityandmuscularcontractionovera

greatersurfacearea.Themeniscusiscomposed

ofbrocartilage,givingitaexiblerubbery

consistency.

ArticularStructure

hipjointcapsulewith

synovium(

posteriorvie

w)

hiparticularcartilage

kneewith

menisci

23


6/1924

Jointreaction

forces

Everyactionhasanequalandop

posite

reaction.Muscularcontractiona

nd

gravitycreateopposingforcesacross

thejointsurfaces,knownasjoin

treac-

tionforces.Itisimportanttosp

read

theseforcesoverthegreatestpossible

jointsurfacearea.

Jointcongruencyreferstothe

tof

ajointsarticularsurfaces.Ajointis

congruentwhenitssurfacestt

ogether

perfectly.Movementoutofcong

ruency

focusesstressonasmallsurface

area.

Alargeforcefocusedonasmall

areaof

articularcartilagecaninjureit,eventu-

allycausingdegenerativechang

es.

Someyogapostureshavethecapacity

tosubluxortakeajointintoanincon-

gruentposition.Avoidthisbyus

ing

thejointswithagreaterrangeo

fmo-

tionwhileprotectingthosejointswith

limitedrangeofmotion.

Jointreaction

forces-ap

plied

ardhapadmasana

Jointreaction

forces-ap

plie

Forexample,theballandsocketjointofthehiphasgreaterrangeofmotion

thanthehingejointoftheknee.Lotusposture(orpadm

asana)requiresa

largeamountofexternalrotationofthehipjointtobrin

gthefootintoposi-

tionontheoppositeleg.Obtainingthisexternalrotatio

nfromt

hekneejoint

createsincongruencybecausethekneeisahingejointw

ithlimitedcapacityto

rotate.Thisincongruencycanresultintheabnormaldis

tributionofjointreac-

tionforces,injuringtheintra-articularstructuresofthe

knee.Thereforeitis

essentialtorstobtainfullrangeofmotionoftheballa

ndsockethipjointto

protectthehingekneejoint.(seearrows)


7/1942

StretchingMuscles

Staticstretchingisthemostcom

montechniqueusedinhathayoga.

Therearetwocategories

ofstaticstretching.

Therstisactivestaticstretching.

Thisinvolvescontractingantagonist

musclestostretchatargetmuscle

.Contractingthequadriceps,

iliopsoasandbicepsduring

theforwardbendpaschimottanasanaisaform

ofactivestaticstretchingofthehamstrings.

Contractingantagonistmusclesinactivestaticstretchingresultsinaphenomenoncalled

reciprocalinhibition.

Duringre

ciprocalinhibition,

thecentralnervoussystem

signalsthe

targetmuscletorelax.

Passivestaticstretchingoccursw

henwerelaxintoastretch

,usingonlytheforceofbody

weight(oranexternallyappliedweight)tostretchmuscles.

Therestorativeposesetubandhais

anexampleofpassivestaticstretchingoftheiliopsoasmuscle

.

StaticStretching

Active

StaticStretc

hing

Passive

StaticStretching

Yogapractitionersusefacilitatedstretchingtodeepentheirpo

stures.

Thistype

ofstretchinginvolvescontractingthemusclebeingstretchedd

uringanactive

staticstretching.

Thisactiontriggersareexarcinvolvingthe

Golgitendonorgan,

resultinginaprofoundrelaxationofthetargetmusclewhenth

econtractionperiod

ends.

Thisisalsoknownasproprioceptiveneuromuscularfacilitation(PNF).Itis

extremelyimportanttoconsiderthejointreactionforceswhen

usingfacilitated

stretches,

sincetheforcethemusclegeneratesistransmittedt

othejoints

.Asa

generalrule

,gentlycontractthestretchedmuscletoavoidexcessivejointreaction

forces.

Theseimagesdemonstratefacilitatedstretchingofthe

gluteusmedius,

maximusandtensorfascialata

.

FacilitatedStretching

Dynam

icStretching

Yogapractitionersusedynamicstretchingdu

ringthevinyasatype

practice.

Thistypeofstretchinginvolvesrepeti

tivemovementofthe

bodyintoincreasinglydeeperstretches.

Performin

gdynamicstretching

inthemorningresetstherestingmusc

lelengthfortheday.

(ScienticKeys,

VolumeIIcoversthephysiologyof

stretchingindetail).

43


8/19

49

PartOne

PelvicGirdle&

Thighs

50

12

3

4

5

Externalrotatorsofthe

hip

piriformis

gamellus

obturatorinternus

obturatorexternus

quadratusfemoris

1 2 3 4 5


9/19

51

iliopsoas

gluteusmedius

gluteusmaximus

sartorius

tensorfascialata

pectineus

gracilis

adductorlongus

rectusfemoris

quadriceps

bicepsfemoris

semitendonosus

semimembranosus

gastrocnemius

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 91

011

12

13

14

1

2

4

5

6

78

910

2

3

7

11

12

13

14

57

Chapter1

Alsoknownasthepsoasmuscle,

theiliopsoasis

actuallyacombinationoftwolargemuscles:

thepsoasmajorandtheiliacus.

Thepsoas

majormuscle

originatesin

the

lower

back;theiliacusoriginatesontheinside

ofthepelvis.

Bothmusclescombineto

formo

netendonthatattachestothe

insideoftheproximalfemurbone.

Iliopsoas Th

e

iliopsoasisthuscalled

polyarticular.This

mean

sthatitcrossesover(andmoves)morethan

onejoint.Theiliopsoasalsoactslikeapulleyas

itcurvesoverthefrontrimo

fthepelvisonits

waytothefemur.Likeotherpulleysystems,

this

serve

stomultiplytheforcegeneratedwhenthe

iliopsoascontracts.

Theiliopsoasthusmoves

thebonesofthelowerback,pelvisandhip

ina

coupledfashion.

Thismeansthatwhenit

contracts,acombinationofmovementsacross

severaljointsispossible.

Theiliopsoasrstawakensduringinfancywhen

wearelearningtositupandthentowalk.

Once

awak

ened,

the

iliopsoas

becomesconstantly

activ

einactivitiessuchasstandingandwalking.

Insp

iteofthisconstantuse,ourawarenessofthe

iliopsoasquicklybecomesunconscious.

(Imagine

ifwe

hadtothinkeverytimewetookastep!)

Hath

a

yoga

can

be

used

to

reawaken

our

consciousnessofthislargeandimportantmuscle.

Once

youawakentheiliopsoas,contractorrelaxit

totransforma

nddeepenyourasanas.

psoasmajor

iliacus

iliopsoa


10/1958

1)Psoasmajor:Tranverseprocesses,

discsandbodiesoflumbarverteb

raeone

throughve;bodyoftwelfththoracic

vertebra.

Origin

2)Iliacus:Uppertwothirdsoftheinside

surfaceoftheiliacboneuptotheinnerlip

oftheiliaccrestandanteriorsacroiliac

joint.

Lessertrochanter(thesmallerp

rominence

orknob)oftheproximalfemur.

Insertion

Lum

barnerves1,2,3,4

Cha

kra:Second

The

secondchakraisilluminatedbycontractingandlengthening

the

iliopsoasmuscle.

Thisisduetostimulationofthevarious

sen

sorynervesatitsorigin

and

insertion,withinthe

muscleitself,andtheskin

surroundingit.

Innervation&chakrailluminated

59

Iliopsoas(il-e-o-S

O-us)

Gluteusmaximus:extendshipand

trunkresultinginlengtheningand

stretchingoftheIliopsoas,particularly

inbackbends.

Tensorfascialata:assiststheiliopsoasin

ne-tuninghipexion.

Synergists

Antagonists

Hamstrings:extendsthehipwhen

initiatingbackbends,canbeusedto

drawtheoppositelegiliopsoasintoa

deeperstretchinlungingpostures.

Sartorius:assiststheiliopsoasinne-

tuninghipexionandexternalrotation.

Rectusfemoris:assiststheiliopsoasin

ne-tuninghipexion,alsoassiststhe

gluteusmaximusinaccentuatingstretch

oftheiliopsoasduringback-bending(by

extendingtheknee).

Pectineus:assiststheiliopsoasinne-

tuninghipexionandprovidesadduction

componenttostabilizehip(alsobalances

abductionactionofsartorius).


11/1960

Synergy

ThisillustrationusesvirabhadrasanaIItodemonstratethetensorfascia

lata,sartorius,rectusfemoris,

andpectineusassynergistsofthepsoas.

Similarly,

theextendedbackhipdemonstrateshowthegluteusmaximusand

hamstringsactasantagoniststothepsoas.

virabhadrasanaII

61

Synergy

Thisillustrationusesekapadaviparitad

andasanatodemonstratethe

gluteusmaximusandhamstringsstretch

ingthepsoasandthesynergists

ofthepsoasintheplantedleg.

Similarly

,theexedhipoftheleginthe

airdemonstratesthetensorfascialata,s

artorius,rectusfemorisand

pectineusassynergistsofthepsoas.

ekapadaviparita

dandasana


12/1962

Iliopsoas(il-e

-o-SO-us)

Openchain

(Originxed,

insertionmoving):

Flexesandlaterallyrotates

thefemuratthehip.

Ex.

PadangusthasanaD

Action

Openchainiso

metricresistanceto

femurexing.

Awakening

Closedchain

(Insertionxed,originmoving):

Flexesthetrunk,anteverts(tilts

forward)thepelvis,straightens

andsupportsthelumbarspine.

Ex.

VirabhadrasanaB

Closedchainisometricresistanceto

trunkexing.

Consciouscon

tractioninstanding

poses.

Eccentriccontractioninlunging

poses.

Contracted

Utthitatrikonasana

optimallycontractsthe

psoasmajorportionof

theiliopsoasmuscle.

Contractioninthisposture

antevertsthepelvis.

Thisactiondrawsthe

hamstringsorigin(ischial

tuberosity)awayfromt

heir

insertion(lowerleg),and

accentuatestheirstretch.

U

shtrasanastretchestheiliopsoasthroughcontraction

o

fthehipandtrunkextensors,

includingthegluteus

m

aximus.

Stretchisaccentuatedbycontractionof

thequadriceps(includingtherectusfemoris,whichis

e

ccentricallycontracted).

S

tretched

Twistedvariationsof

utthitatrikonasana

preferentiallycontract

theiliacusportionofthe

iliopsoasandcompleteits

awakening.


13/19212

Chapt

er24

TheBreathConnection

Regionsofthebrainsuch

asthebrain-

stema

rehighlyevolve

dforsurvival,

controllingcomplexfunctionssuchas

respirationwithspeedandprecisionthat

isfarbeyondthecompreh

ensionofthe

consciousmind.

Greatinstin

ctivepoweris

storedintheseregionsofthebrain.

Ha-

thaYogicbreathingtechniq

uesyokeor

connecttheconsciousmind

totheprimal

instinctiveregionsofthebrainstem.

Athletesandmartialarts

practitioners

accessthebreathsprimalforcebytiming

momentsofexertionwithf

orcedexhala-

tion.

Yogisrenethisbycoo

rdinatingthe

rhythmo

fthebreathwithmovementsin

theasanas,generallycouplinginhalation

withexpansionandexhalati

onwithdeep-

ening.

Pranayamaperfectsthisprocess.

213

Inhalation

and

Exhala

tion

Thediaphragmi

stheprimemoverf

orinhalationandexhalation.

Itisathinhalf-domeshapedmusclethatseparatesthethoracicabdominalcavities.

Contractingthediaphragme

xpandsthechest,creatinganegativeinspiratorypressureinthethorax,anddrawingairintothelungsthroughthe

trachea.

Contractingthediaphragm

alsogentlymassagestheabdominalorgans.

Unlikemostotherskeletalmuscles,

thediaphragmr

hythmicallycontractsandrelaxesunderthecontro

loftheautonomicnervoussystem,viathe

phrenicnerve.

Weareunawareofth

ediaphragm,unlessweconsciouslythinkaboutitsfunction.

Yogicbreathingtechniquessuchas

pranayamainvolveconsciouslycontractingthediaphragma

ndcont

rollingthebreathing,

therebyconnectingthe

consciousandunconsciousmind.

Theseimagesdemonstratethediap

hragmc

ontractingandrelaxing.

Thelungsareelasticandexpandwhenthediaphragmc

ontractsduringinhalation.

Likeaballoonthelungspassivelyemptyduringexhalationasthediaphragmr

elaxes.


14/19

Uja

yiBreath

Whenw

ebreathe,

theairpassesthroughthenasalsinusesandpharynxint

othetracheaandontothelungs,oxygenatingthebloodand

removi

ngcarbondioxide.

Thepharynxandnasalpassagesarelinedwithbl

ood-richmucosa.

Thenasalsinusescreateturbulence,

increas-

ingthe

amountofaircontactingthemucosa.

Thisprocesswarmstheairbe

foreitpassesintothelowerpartsoftherespiratorytract.

Theglo

ttisisamuscularaperturebelowthepharynxandnasalpassages.O

peningandclosingtheglottisregulatestheowofairintothe

lowerr

espiratorytract.Normallywecontroltheopeningandclosingofthe

glottisunconsciously.

Yogicb

reathingtechniquesinvolveconsciouslyregulatingairowthrough

theglottis.

Forexample,wesealtheglottiswhenperforming

Naliso

thatthenegativeinspiratorypressuregeneratedbycontractingthe

diaphragmd

rawstheabdominalcontentsupwardinsteadof

drawin

gbreathintothetrachea.

Consciouslynarrowingtheopeningoftheglottisincreasestheturbulenceoftheairpassingthroughthenasalandpharyngealcavities.

Thisac

tionincreasesthetransferofheattotheairfromt

heblood-richmucosallining,raisingthetemperatureoftheairabovenormal.

Increasingairturbulencealsocreatesanaudiblevibrationsimilartothato

faameleapingupfroma

re.

Thisprocessofincreasingheat

andcre

atingvibrationwiththeairisknownasUjayibreathingandisfunda

mentaltothepracticeofPranayamaorBreathofFire.

(SeeScienticKeys,

VolumeIIfordetailsonNaliandPranayama).

detailsonNaliandPranayama).

1

2

3

214

AccessoryMuscles

ofBreath

Accessingtheforceoftheaccessorymusc

lesofbreathexpands

thelungvolumeandincreasestheturbule

nceofairintherespi-

ratorypassageways.

Aswithposturalmus

cles,wearegenerally

notconsciousoftheseaccessorybreathm

usclesuntilawakening

themc

onsciously.

Focusingoncontractingthesemusclesbrings

themu

nderconsciouscontrolwithprofou

ndeffects.

Thefollow-

ingpagesillustratethisprocessinsiddhasana,virabhadrasanaII,

tadasanaandutthanasana.

215


15/19216

ThoracicB

ellows

Beginawakeningtheacce

ssorymusclesof

breathbydrawingthescapulatowardsthe

midline.

Holdthispositiona

ndthenattempt

torolltheshouldersforwar

dbycontracting

thepectoralisminor.T

hisclosedchain

contractionliftsandopensthelowerribcage

likeabellowsandexpandst

helungvolume.

Beginbypracticinginsiddhasanaandthen

applythistechniquetooth

erposturessuch

astwiststhatconstrictthevolumeofthe

thoraciccavity.

217

1

2

3

4

1)

Straightenthelowerbackby

contractingtheerectorspinaeand

quadratuslumborum.

Thisdrawsthe

lowerposteriorribcagedownward.

2)

Balancethisactionbygently

contractingtherectusabdominus.

Thisdrawstheloweranteriorrib-

cagedownwardandcompressesthe

abdominalorgansagainstthedia-

phragm,

dynamizingitscontraction

andstrengtheningit.

3)Drawtheshoulderbladestogeth-

erbycontractingtherhomboids.

This

opensthefrontofthechest.

4)Maintainthecontractionofthe

rhomboidsandsimultaneouslycon-

tractthepectoralisminorandsterno-

cleidomastoid.

Thisliftsandopensthe

ribcagelikeabellows.

Completethisprocessbypressingthe

handsdownonthekneestofullyopen

thechest(bycontractingthelatissi-

musdorsi).

Accessory

Musclesof

Breath


16/19

Exhalation

Accessthebreathsprim

alforcewhenmovingintopos-

tures.

Gentlycontracttherectusabdominus,

transversus

abdominusandinterco

stalmusclesduringexhalation.

Applyingthistypeofcontra

ctionrhythmicallyconnectsthe

consciousandunconsciousmindduringmovement.

Synergy

Traintheaccessorybreathingmusclessothattheywork

synergisticallytoexpandandcontractthethoraxduring

movement.

Increasethelungvolumeduringinhalationbycontracting

theaccessorybreathingmusclesinvariouscombinations.

Forexample,combinetherhomboidswiththepectoralis

minor,ortherectusabdominuswiththequadratuslumbo-

rum(

illustratedhereintadasana).

Expeltheresidualairinthelungsduringexhalationby

contactingtherectusabdominus,

transversusabdominus

andintercostalmuscles.

Awakeningtheaccessorybreathingmusclesisanextreme-

lypowerfultechnique.

Beginwithverygentlecontraction

andprogressslowlyandwithgreatcare.

Neverforceany

yogatechnique,especiallybreathing.

Alwaysproceedwith

cautionundertheguidanceofaninstructor.

219


17/19

Chapt

er25

Bandhasarelocksoccuring

throughout

thebody.

Thecombinationof

opposing

musclesformstheselocks,stimulating

nerveconductionandillumin

atingthe

chakras.

Moolabandha

Moolabandhacontractsthem

uscles

ofthepelvicoorliftingand

toning

theorgansofthepelvisincludingthe

bladderandgenitalia.

Thepe

lvicoor

musclesarerecruitedandawakenedby

contractingassociatedmuscl

essuchas

theiliopsoas.

Thisfocusesthemindonthe

rstchakra.

Bandhas

220

Simultaneouslycontractingothermusclegroupsaccentuatesmoola

bandha.

Fore

xample

,gentlysqueezingthekneestogether(bycontracting

theadductors)increasescontractionofthepelvicoormuscles.

Pressing

thehandstogetherhasthesameeffect.Thisphenomenonisknownas

recruitment

.

Udyanabandha

Udyanabandhacontractstheupper

abdominalsintheregionapproximatelytwo

inchesbelowthesolarplexusandfocuses

themindonthethirdchakra.

transversusabdominus

Jalandharabandha

Jalandharabandhacontractstheanterior

neckmuscles,

exingtheneckanddrawing

thechintothesternum.

Thisfocusesthe

mindonthefthchakra.

rectusabdominus


18/19222

sacralplexus

bracialplexus

Chapt

er26

Chakras

Thechakrasarethesubtleenergycentersofthebody.

Likep

inwheels

,the

chakrasspinatthespeedoflight,emanatingthecolorsofth

espectrum,

each

resonatingwithaparticularfrequency.

Thesecolorscombinetoform

theauras

thatsurroundeachofus,

connectinguswitheachotherand

withthecosmos.

Thereareseventoeightmajorandnumerousminorchakras

inthebody.

Their

locationscorrespondtoregionsofthebodywherenervesco

llectandelectrical

activityishigh

,suchasthebrachialandsacralplexi(majorchakras)andthe

elbowsandknees(minorchakras)

.

Theowofenergyinthechakrascanbecomeblockedbylife

eventsthrough

theactivityoftheautonomicnervoussystem.

Forexample

,whenwehabitually

assumeadefensivepostureinresponsetonegativestimuli,weblocktheow

ofenergyinthechakras.

HathaYogacounteractsthisandre

-illuminatesthe

chakras,

stimulatingthem

tospinfreely

.

Kundaliniawakeningreferstotheunblockingoftheowo

fenergythrough

andbetweenthechakras.

Thisprocesscanoccurinstantaneouslyfrom

contact

withamaster(innerorouter)whoawakensthestudentsaw

arenessofhis

orherpotential.Classically,

thisoccursthroughatouchbut

canoccurwitha

glanceoreventhroughthemerepresenceofthemaster.Thi

sisknownasShak-

tipata(thetransmissionofpsycho-spiritualenergy)

.Ashum

anconsciousness

transitionsfrom

thePisceantotheAquarianAge,

moreandmorepeopleare

spontaneouslyexperiencingvaryingdegreesofKundaliniaw

akening.

Kundaliniawakeningisakintotappingintoahighvoltageli

neandrequires

carefulpreparation.

HathaYogapreparesthepractitioneran

dawakensthe

Kundaliniatthesametime.

Asanasconnectthebodyand

mind

.Breathingtechniques

connecttheconsciousand

theunconscious.

Chakra

meditationconnectsthe

individualtothevibrational

energyofthecosmos.

Spend

afewmomentsgazingat

thisimageofthechakras

andthenmeditateasyou

visualizethem.

Thechakras

willappearasasubtlebut

scintillatinglightwithinyou.


19/19

www.BandhaYoga.com

enticK

eysVolumeI

TheKey

Musclesof

HathaYoga

RayLongMDFRCSC

WithIllustratorChrisMacivor

scientifickeysvol1sample.pdf

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