Hold
- Keep your chest expanded and your abdominal wall relaxed.
- Maintain all three locks without straining the breath hold.
Steps
Support
Pelvis and legs supported; palms pressing on both knees.
Activate
- Inhale slowly through your nose and exhale completely.
- Hold after exhaling; lower your chin and straighten your arms.
- Lean slightly forward; raise your shoulders and lengthen your back.
- Expand your chest without inhaling: abdomen inward and upward.
- Gently contract and lift your pelvic floor.
Release
- Release mūla, then uḍḍīyāna, and finally jālandhara.
- Relax shoulders and arms; raise your head and inhale slowly.
- Return to natural breathing before repeating.
- Breathing
- External breath retention (bāhya kumbhaka).
- Gaze
- Eyes closed.
- Duration
- While the breath hold remains comfortable, without straining.
- Rhythm
- One breath hold per round; natural breathing between rounds.
- Rounds
- Gradually increase to nine rounds once you master the technique.
Adapt
Adaptations
- CushionElevate your pelvis on a cushion or folded blanket.
- Padded anklesPlace folded cloth between your stacked ankles.
- Separate preparationPractice jālandhara, uḍḍīyāna, and mūla individually before combining them.
- Brief breath holdShorten the breath hold; return to natural breathing between rounds.
Variations
- In padmāsana, with both feet on the opposite thighs.
- Perineal heel, half lotus; hold after inhaling, alternating sides.
- Mahā mudrā's starting position, with one leg extended.
Signals of effort
- Breath retention after exhaling.
- Cervical flexion with chin toward chest.
- Abdominal hollowing beneath the ribs.
- Both hands pressing on the knees.