Unlocking the Subtle Body: How Bandhas and Pranayama Can Elevate Your Yoga Practice
- mamazurek1
- Jun 22
- 5 min read
Redefining Pranayama: It’s Not Just Breathwork
Most yoga practitioners are introduced to pranayama as a form of breath control — typically alternate nostril breathing or structured inhale-exhale patterns. While beneficial, this common interpretation only scratches the surface of what pranayama truly is.
In classical yoga texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, pranayama is not described as breathing in and out, but as the regulation of prana — the life force — within the energy body. The common misinterpretation stems from translating the Sanskrit word vayu (meaning inner wind or movement of energy) as “air.” This linguistic error has led to the practice being understood as respiratory rather than energetic.
This vital distinction is explored in depth in Pranayama: Lost in Translation by Angela Ashwin — an important read for any serious yoga student or teacher seeking to recover the original intent of pranayama in the yogic tradition.
Why We Practice Pranayama
The purpose of pranayama is to purify the energy body, to bring lightness, and to restore the free flow of prana throughout the physical and subtle systems.
According to yogic anatomy, the body contains thousands of nadis — energy channels. Most of these become blocked by impurities over time, preventing prana from flowing freely. These blockages often manifest as:
Chronic muscular tension or gripping
Emotional stagnation or suppression
Physical fatigue or numbness
Mental distraction or fog
A general sense of disconnection or unease
When practiced with intention, pranayama helps dissolve these energetic knots. Combined with yoga postures and meditative awareness, the breath becomes a powerful tool for inner transformation. With each exhalation, we are invited to let go, not just physically but emotionally and mentally as well.
The Mind, the Ego, and Energetic Holding
The mind plays a crucial role in this energetic process. Whatever occurs mentally — thoughts, worries, identifications — manifests directly in the body.
Consider:
The compulsion to succeed or achieve
The pressure to be seen a certain way
The endless stream of tasks and responsibilities
The belief that happiness lies in the future
These ego-driven patterns result in subtle holding, bracing, and mental fragmentation. We unconsciously grip in the belly, tighten the jaw, restrict the breath — all physical expressions of mental identification.
Pranayama is a gateway to releasing these attachments. When we loosen the mind’s grip on identity and outcome, we allow ourselves to soften, expand, and return to presence. This is not abstract philosophy — it is a felt shift in the body and breath.
Letting go of egoic striving opens the door to a deeper experience of freedom, spaciousness, and contentment.
The Threefold Process of Pranayama
True pranayama is not simply inhaling and exhaling through the nose — it is a three-stage energetic process:
1. Expansion (Inhalation)
On the inhale, prana expands. The belly naturally rises as energy fills the system. This expansion is not about taking in more oxygen but about awakening and broadening the energetic field.
2. Contraction (Exhalation)
On the exhale, prana contracts and draws inward, back toward the navel center — considered the energetic hub of the body. This phase helps consolidate and direct the flow of prana.
3. Kumbhaka (Breath Retention)
Kumbhaka, or breath retention, is the pause after the exhale or inhale — a moment of effortless stillness. In this phase, the breath stops naturally, and the energy stabilizes. With the application of bandhas (energetic locks), this phase becomes a powerful space for meditative absorption and inner transformation.
Bandhas: Elevating Energy Through the Central Channel
To guide prana with precision, yogis use bandhas — energetic locks that seal and direct energy flow. These are especially effective during kumbhaka when the pranic field is most malleable.
The Three Primary Bandhas
Mula Bandha (Root Lock):Activation of the pelvic floor muscles. This bandha prevents the downward dissipation of prana and encourages the upward rise of energy from the base of the spine.
Uddiyana Bandha (Abdominal Lock):Drawing the lower belly in and up after exhalation. It creates a vacuum that lifts prana toward the heart and upper chakras.
Jalandhara Bandha (Throat Lock):A gentle tucking of the chin toward the chest, typically during breath retention. This lock prevents energy from leaking upward and anchors awareness inward.
When applied correctly, during kumbakha, bandhas guide energy through the sushumna nadi — the central energy channel along the spine. This refined upward movement is what initiates the awakening of kundalini, the dormant potential energy said to reside at the base of the spine.
Awakening the Inner Fire
As pranayama and bandhas refine the flow of prana, the inner fire (agni) begins to build. This is not metaphorical — it is a real shift in internal sensation and energetic intensity.
Over time, the vayus (inner currents of prana) unify and rise, kindling the energy at the root. This begins the process of kundalini awakening, which brings:
Heightened awareness
Deep clarity
Emotional release
Transformation of old patterns
Access to subtler states of consciousness
Kundalini is not a goal to chase but a natural outcome of sustained purification and inner stillness.
A Journey Into the Subtle Body
When practiced regularly, pranayama — especially in combination with asana and mental focus — becomes a path of inner exploration and healing. It leads to:
Lightness in the body
Spaciousness in the breath
Clarity in the mind
A deeper connection to inner presence
More importantly, it reconnects you to the subtle body, where real transformation takes place — not through force or striving, but through awareness, surrender, and refinement.
Conclusion: Pranayama Is Energy Work
Pranayama is not about controlling the breath — it’s about liberating life energy.
Combined with bandhas, mindful movement, and meditative attention, pranayama becomes a potent tool for:
Purifying the nadis
Unraveling egoic conditioning
Awakening inner fire
Returning to presence
Accessing a deeper state of freedom
This is the heart of yogic practice — to move beyond the superficial layers and into the subtle currents of who and what you truly are.
If you read this article and wondering, how do I do this now? Why not find out in person! I will be teaching those methods throughout my yoga classes in July at Kiva and Zen Studio in Topsham. Introducing an early bird discount if you book before 30th of July. After that the classess will be back to their original price of £15 per session. Don't miss this opportunity, spaces are limited, working in small groups only.
If you are interested in 1:1 session, you can enquire via email or arrange a 15minute discovery call.
If you are not able to physically attend, I can deliver a course on zoom or downloadable resource, on demand.
Can't wait to guide you and enable you to take your yoga practice to another level!
PS. You don't have to be super fit to take part in those classes, just come as you are and bring your curiosity and open heart.
Magdalena
Comments