Throat (Jalandhara) Bandha (Day 163)

This week we're looking at the top of the torso. Yesterday we looked sustaining the Wonderbreath posture – the smaller parachute that you open up in the back of your throat. Today we're going to add the payload aspect that's attached to that parachute.

This is the third (and final, for now) bandha (sealing or closing-up parts of your body), with the other two being the pelvic floor and the lower belly (engaging the lower torso).

This bandha involves engaging your glottis (vocal cords) which live in the base of your throat. This happens when you make a sighing sound as you exhale, or when you cough, speak or make exertion noises (like when you struggle to lift a heavy thing).

As you're learning to engage here, it's very important to keep the wonderbreath space open and soft (this is why we looked at the opening first).

PRACTICE

We generally take action on an exhale. As you go about your day today, take a preparatory inhale to open up some space, then add in the engagement of your throat bandha as you exhale and take action.