Mulabandha and the Pit of the Belly

Choose engagement. Commit to life.

Mulabandha is a call to action—a commitment to embodied existence. It invites us into this life, to embody it fully, and to be useful. To be useful participants in our own evolution and to take responsibility for ourselves and our lives in every way. Tall order!

Most often referred to as an ‘energetic seal’, mulabandha is commonly taught as a muscular contraction at the pelvic floor. We are told it will keep life force in our bodies and maintain strength and vigor. Strength and vigor sounds good. For the most part the discussion is left at that.

"Maintain your mulabandha!" The teacher adamantly implores the class.
But what is mulabandha really?
In this article I offer my own experience after more that 40 years of practice.
FIRST THINGS FIRST

Mulabandha is a multilayered energetic, muscular, and fascial action that starts in the perineum and rises upward to what we call the “pit of the belly”. Skillful mulabandha assists the coalescing of life force in the lower abdominal region.

The pit of the belly is another term for the hara, the dantien, the sea of chi, and the kanda in yoga. Traditionally known to be the spiritual and energetic center of strength, balance, and vitality, the pit of the belly is exactly the same energetic core structure found in these multiple traditions.

The upward path of mulabandha from the perineum to the pit of the belly follows a strong connective tissue band composed of muscle, fascia, and fat. This structure connects the pelvic floor to the root of the peritoneal sac above. This weave of tissue and the root of the peritoneal sac join right in the center of the lower abdomen. This is the region of the dantien, the pit of the belly, the hara, the kanda, etc.

Mulabandha holds a major key to full embodiment. It connects our root to the hub of vitality and wisdom that underlies a satisfying life and fruitful yoga journey.

MULABANDHA IS CONSCIOUSNESS AND FORM

Embodying mulabandha's layered processes we are able to nurture our internal willingness and spirit to fully inhabit our lives. In its full practice we are confronted with making a commitment to life. 

Mulabandha provides the form around which we can cultivate a coalescing of aspiration and surrender. Its practice help us gain a wider perspective on life. It can help us place ourselves in relationship to the larger whole.

Finding our personal commitment and resolve, we spontaneously begin to make better choices. Finding our dharma — our best course of action in life — involves a serious willingness to first accept ourselves as we are. Finding our way through our own subtle layers requires us to be active participants in the loving excavation of who we take ourselves to be in this life. We need to be willing to explore some of our most deeply held concepts and beliefs.

Are we willing to ask the question, “Who am I and what am I doing here?” What does a purposeful existence feel like? Can we delve more deeply into the personal without resorting to grandiosity or self-loathing? Would it be enough to simply be yourself, do your work, and be useful? 

Is it okay to be a perfectly ordinary and divine human...just like billions of others? Can you accept the ordinary, and the extraordinary, importance of your personal dharma? 

AWAKENING MULABANDHA AND THE PIT OF THE BELLY

Mulabandha is a simultaneous drawing upward from the perineal body and a coalescing and condensing of the pit of the belly. The whole process creates a dynamic magnetic pull into depths of our personal core as the pit of the belly draws life force into itself, and emanates intelligence through our structure and consciousness.

A full mulabandha uses heart, mind, and intention along with the physical actions. Commitment is key.

Structurally, mulabandha has two levels:
Lower level: Center of the pelvic floor organized around the perineal body
Upper level: Physical and energetic hub in the center of the lower belly

TRY THIS AS YOU PREPARE TO COME INTO UTKATASANA

Utkatasana means wild, frightening, intense, and ferocious.
The most common name for this beautiful and transcendent offering is a wimpy “chair posture”. Hardly representative of the invitation to power and surrender contained within the meaning of the word and action.

Embracing this posture has the power to express a sacred offering of self to life. Enjoy this short audio journey into this process (and see the written cues below too).

Opening heart from the root. A guided practice.

• Allow your knees soften as you take a heartfelt bow, yielding to whatever is unknown.

• Stay there.

• Notice the sensations and resilience in the pelvic floor and the lower abdomen.
  Do they feel connected?

• Feel the inner touch of these inner tissues. Allow them to unfold and reveal themselves to you.

• Cultivate reverence and surrender.

• Root downward with the bright and light energy at the tip of the coccyx. Feel a lively tap root growing right from the coccyx as it excitedly grows toward the earth below— awake and ready to take root and embrace life.

• Begin to pulse upward at the center of the pelvic floor, encouraging the perineal body to rise and release. Use soft pulsing micro movements. Not hard. Not tight. Look for the strand that connects to the pit of the belly.

• Notice the drawing of life-force into the belly pit. This drawing sensation can be felt most clearly with the inhaling breath.

• Explore the intelligence and the deep comfort of your embodied acceptance of this personal human hub of power and support. Cradle it and hold it tenderly so that it can develop and begin to fully express its strength and beauty. 

• Curl around the belly pit. Drop in deeply with body and mind. Condense, contain, and wave out again. 

• Feel what you are doing as you do it. Feel the layers of you accepting and tethering into this life. Take responsibility for your life. Really. 

• Consider saying yes to life. Commit to your own existence and your dharma. No need to be exceptional or extraordinary. Just this. Just this life. It is more than enough. Figure it out. Yield to what actually is. 

• Reach for the heavens and take effective action. Just do your best.