Balance and Intentional Flow in Yoga

My Yoga Online - I was recently reviewing some Yoga anatomy material by David Keil and was reintroduced to a wonder concept of creating balanced energy and flow in your yoga practice. David presented the common bandha applications of mula and uddiyana in a more generalized concept throughout the entire body. As a reminder, mula means to root and uddiyana means to flow or rise upwards. In our yoga practice, we strive to generate expansion and balance. By looking at your practice in terms of creating both a state of mula and uddiyana, we can establish a constant intention towards balance.

We can see how this is applicable with various points in the body. Let's take the foot, for example. In any standing yoga pose, we wish to ground or root (mula) through the toe mounds and heel. This earthy support allows us to draw energy from ground while bringing stability into the physical and mental state of the pose. In an opposing intention, we also wish to engage the medial (inner) arch of the foot. This mimics the intention of uddiyana-bringing a lifting energy from the base of the body up through the crown of the head. Hence, grounding flow downwards into the earth is reciprocated with an uprising intention. With lines of opposing energies and intentions, a natural expansion forms in the body. This physical expansion then readily transmits back through the nervous system into our mental practice.

Consider this application in the hands in Downward Facing Dog pose. As we establish our hand and arm positions, we encourage a mindful and rooting expansion downwards through the index finger pads and thumb pads. This rooting mula effect balances force loads across the wrist and hand joints. We can also create a subtle lifting energy (uddiyani) into the center of the palm that generates a direct unloading of the carpal tunnel. With the hands now properly aligned and balanced, imagine how this intention of balanced mula and uddiyana can be carried further into the pose. The uddiyana flow in the center of the palm can be welcomed up the arms, into the spine, and right out through the sacrum and sit bones. In opposite direction, the crown of head flows with release and grounding heaviness (mula) with the application of the rooted index and thumb pads. With the head and pelvis traveling in opposite flow, the vertebrae are holistically opened giving life and vitality to the spinal column.

Whether you are standing, sitting, inverted, lying, or balancing, visualize how the intentions of mula and uddiyana can coexist to bring greater integrity and purpose to your yoga practice.

Related Articles:
Subtle Rooting in Warrior Yoga poses
Asana Anatomy: Downward Facing Dog pose