According to the poker song made famous by recording artist Kenny Rogers, "You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em...." This is especially true of knowing when to engage the powerful energy locks in the lower body and when to release them. This week's lock or seal is called the "Root Lock." By now you may be asking yourself, "What and where are these energy locks?" If you don't know what or where they are, you may already be experiencing urinary incontinence, lower back pain, prostrate problems, or even painful intercourse. Obstetrics and Gynecology reports several studies that reveal over 50 percent of all women will experience incontinence, regardless of whether or not they have given birth. However, pelvic floor dysfunction is not restricted to women only, and Kegel squeezes only address part of the problem of control, often omitting the ability to relax and release. Some people are just uptight all the time.
This week's blog will target the indispensable area of the body that is known in yoga classes as the mula bandha or "Root Lock", which is located at the very base or foundation of the torso as a support for the abdominal organs. Although there are a series of sixteen different muscles that make up the pelvic floor, it's most effective to picture them as a hammock connected to four bones in the lower torso---the pubic bone in the front, the tail bone in the back, and then each of the "sit bones" at the base of the hips. This hammock of muscles can be controlled most effectively as one unit to either simultaneously relax, or to lift and engage together.
Many people prefer not to think about the pelvic floor muscles, considering them as taboo to talk about except in the most intimate environment, but if you've ever attended a yoga class you probably realize that body talk often becomes quite intimate by necessity. Awareness of all parts of the body is essential in order to move safely into and to hold many poses (asanas), especially those challenging postures that require strength and balance. In real-life scenarios off the mat it's also crucial to know how to engage the pelvic floor muscles during a sneeze, extended laughter, a rigorous tennis match, or even rising up from a chair or lifting something heavy like a small child.
May you experience greater rejoicing in all of the activities of your life! Namaste, plf
This week's blog will target the indispensable area of the body that is known in yoga classes as the mula bandha or "Root Lock", which is located at the very base or foundation of the torso as a support for the abdominal organs. Although there are a series of sixteen different muscles that make up the pelvic floor, it's most effective to picture them as a hammock connected to four bones in the lower torso---the pubic bone in the front, the tail bone in the back, and then each of the "sit bones" at the base of the hips. This hammock of muscles can be controlled most effectively as one unit to either simultaneously relax, or to lift and engage together.
Many people prefer not to think about the pelvic floor muscles, considering them as taboo to talk about except in the most intimate environment, but if you've ever attended a yoga class you probably realize that body talk often becomes quite intimate by necessity. Awareness of all parts of the body is essential in order to move safely into and to hold many poses (asanas), especially those challenging postures that require strength and balance. In real-life scenarios off the mat it's also crucial to know how to engage the pelvic floor muscles during a sneeze, extended laughter, a rigorous tennis match, or even rising up from a chair or lifting something heavy like a small child.
- Physically---Since the pelvic floor muscles are directly involved with efficient "belly breathing" the best way for beginning students to become more aware of this area of the body is to sit in a comfortable position, such as the "Easy Pose" (Sukhasana) described in last week's blog, OR the seated "Adept's Pose" from the October 26, 2009 blog. This awareness exercise may also be practiced while sitting in a car, at a desk, or even standing and cueing in a line.
- Begin your pranayama (breath control) by placing the palm of one hand on the lower abdomen and the other resting lightly on the lower ribs just above the navel. Sit quietly to observe the breath for several minutes. Notice how your lower hand is gently pressed outward as the diaphragm drops into the lower abdomen to draw the breath inward. The diaphragm is a dome-shaped band of muscle separating the lower abdomen from the upper region, and is directly involved with each cycle of breath. Feel the slight lowering and relaxing of the pelvic floor muscles as they move in concert with the diaphragm, both lowering together. Then the upper hand begins to move out and up as the inhalation continues and the lungs expand three-dimensionally. At the top of the inhalation, begin to sense the natural lifting of the diaphragm to compress the lungs. Hopefully you'll also notice the slight lifting of the pelvic floor muscles all the way through the exhalation. At the end or bottom of each breath, there is again a lowering and releasing of the diaphragm and pelvic floor in order to prepare for the next incoming breath. The "folding" or releasing of the pelvic floor then blends seamlessly into the "holding" action, which is crucial for pelvic floor control.
- Once you've become aware of the lowering and releasing action at the beginning of each inhalation, and the lifting and engaging during the exhalations, begin to accentuate these actions, consciously exaggerating them for increased awareness. When you emphasize the lifting action in the pelvic floor you are engaging your mula bandha or "Root Lock" and providing more foundational support for your torso. This pelvic floor foundation is especially valuable during forward bends, standing poses and strenuous arm balances such as the "Pendulum Pose" called Lolasana, which will be described in next week's blog.
- Continue to practice increasing your awareness of the engaging and releasing of these muscles until you can perform this internal action in conjunction with the breath and the movement of both arms. Coordination of internal and external action is challenging because the arms are lifting upward as the diaphragm and pelvic floor are releasing downward to draw the breath inward. Then as the arms are lowering during exhalation, the diaphragm and pelvic floor are lifting upward. Practice engaging these "belly breaths" with slow and sweeping arm movements for at least ten repetitions before lying down to relax at least five minutes in "Corpse Pose" (January 24, 2009 blog).
- Mentally---At first you will find that keeping the body connected to the breath is a definite mental challenge. It takes great concentration during your practice until the actions become so linked together that they eventually occur without forced focused attention. In other words, the awareness of the breath and the bandhas (energy locks) functioning in sync becomes natural. Although your yoga mat is a great place to begin to practice this coordination, you can gain control over your pelvic floor by bringing your focus and acute awareness of this area during other activities, such as sexual or sporting activities. When the mind wanders outside of the body, as it usually does when attempting to keep all the parts yoked together, simply come back to the breath without irritation. Then attempt to re-sync the rise and the fall of the breath with the release and engagement of the pelvic floor muscles.
- Spiritually---God often uses awareness of the physical body to teach us the functions in the spiritual realms, such as when the apostle Paul compares the functions of the church body to the parts of the human body. He explains how all parts are necessary and interdependent---just as the pelvic floor and the breath function together to bring in and "lock" the energy of life (prana) within the body. Bring a spiritual dimension to your practice of mula bandha by remembering how all parts of you are necessary and inter-connected as you regularly practice holding and releasing your "Root Lock." Urinary incontinence will become a thing of the past as you become more in awe of your Creator's "intelligent design." Also remember the adage, "Use it or lose it!"
May you experience greater rejoicing in all of the activities of your life! Namaste, plf
