sanskrit
Bandha
Definition
Bandha is the Sanskrit term for "lock" or "bond" — referring to specific muscular contractions used in hatha yoga and tantra to seal or redirect the flow of prana within the body. Three main bandhas are described in classical texts: Mula Bandha (root lock, a pelvic-floor contraction), Uddiyana Bandha (abdominal lock, a strong inward and upward draw of the lower belly), and Jalandhara Bandha (chin lock, a chin-to-chest compression). A fourth, Maha Bandha, engages all three simultaneously.
Functionally, bandhas create a pressure differential within the torso and pelvis that has measurable effects on breath mechanics, intra-abdominal pressure, and pelvic-floor tone. In the tantric subtle-body framework, they prevent prana from "escaping" at the extremities and redirect it upward through the central channel.
Where the word comes from
From Sanskrit bandha (बन्ध), meaning "bond", "fetter", "lock", or "binding." The root is bandh, to bind or to restrain. The term appears in hatha yoga texts from approximately the 10th–15th centuries CE, particularly in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and the Gheranda Samhita, where the three main bandhas are described in detail.
In Tantra Clinic practice
At Tantra Clinic, Mula Bandha (root lock) is the most-used bandha — it is foundational to the lasting-longer protocols in The 30-Day Erection Reset and related programs. We teach it first as a functional pelvic-floor exercise and then progressively as a breath-integrated awareness practice. Uddiyana Bandha appears in the more advanced breathwork sequences. We do not teach Jalandhara Bandha without explicit instruction, as incorrect chin-lock practice can be uncomfortable or harmful for people with cervical spine issues.