Healing Practice
Uddiyana Bandha
Sanskrit: Uḍḍiyāna Bandha
The "Upward-Flying Lock" — a deep abdominal lock the Hatha Yoga Pradipika treats as central to directing prana upward through the body.
- Tradition
- Yogic Tradition
Introduction
Uddiyana means "flying up." After a full exhalation, the abdomen is drawn up and back toward the spine, lifting the diaphragm. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika describes it as one of the most important bandhas for drawing prana upward through sushumna, and recommends it be practiced regularly as part of a daily kumbhaka (breath-retention) routine.
Uddiyana Bandha is practiced on an empty stomach and held only on the outbreath, never attempted during inhalation. It is not appropriate during pregnancy or menstruation, or for anyone with hernia or significant abdominal conditions, and — unlike several of the practices in this batch — it is widely and openly taught in contemporary pranayama instruction; a qualified teacher is still recommended for correct technique and timing.
Sources & References
- The Hatha Yoga Pradipika — Svatmarama; trans. Pancham Sinh, The Panini Office (Sacred Books of the Hindus, vol. XV) (1914) · Link
Public domain. Classical c. 15th-century Sanskrit hatha yoga text; this early-20th-century English translation is the standard public-domain edition consulted for these entries.