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energy up through the spinal cord. The bandhas create such a pressure. They control the flow of prana and direct it to the required areas. When one performs moola bandha and jalandhara bandha, one is forcing apana to flow upwards and unite with prana. When prana and apana unite it generates vitality and helps to awaken the kundalini.
The bandhas also assist in releasing the three granthis, the main blockages or attachments that confront the sadhaka:
Brahma granthi, which controls mooladhara and swadhisthana chakras and creates fear and insecurity, attachments to material objects, sensual pleasures and selfishness.
Vishnu granthi, which controls manipura and anahata chakras and creates bondage to other people, emotional relationships and attachment to emotional situations.
Rudra granthi, which controls vishuddhi and ajna chakras and represents the obstacles created by the power of the intellect, along with attachment to siddhis and other higher psychic experiences.
As long as the knots exist, the negative power of the, chakras manifest, but when they are released, the positives power of the chakras manifest. The build-up of prana during the practice of bandhas releases these knots of bondage, so that the sadhaka is free to attain what lies beyond all attachment.
A bandha is also a means to expand the pranic or ionoplasmic field which is concentrated around the chakras. This can be understood if we consider ida and pingala as rotating coils in three dimensions. When we perform jalandhara bandha, by lowering the head so that the chin presses the hollow at the base of the neck, raising the shoulders and holding the breath, the field around vishuddhi chakra is expanded. This has the effect of increasing the strength of the pranic field in this area. The amplitude of the wave form and its range of activity are increased. The ionoplasmic field now extends in a greater density from anahata to ajna.
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