It is a fundamental technique, used for increasing the sexual energy and for conducing it to the superior levels of our being: will, affection, intuition, mental and spiritual level. It stimulates the will, the courage, self-confidence; it gives you lucidity and calmness.
Here are the preliminary conditions of this proceeding:
A. It is compulsory to practice this technique when you are empty-stomached. So don’t eat before doing Uddiyana Bandha at least 2-3 hours.
B. In order to let the diaphragm to go up, the lungs have to be as empty as possible and to keep them like this during the entire abdominal retraction.
C. The abdominal belt has to be completely relaxed and passive. So the abdominal muscles do not work at all during the entire exercise.
HOW TO PERFORM UDDIYANA BANDHA:
The starting position:
Standing up, bend your knees easily and put your hands on your calves just above your knees, trying to lean the entire weight of your trunk on your arms. In order to relax your abdominal belt your arms should sustain your shoulders, maintaining firmly your body during the entire exercise. Your legs will be spread at 30-40 cm one to the other and your soles will be parallel to each other.
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The first moment:
Breathe out very deeply, contracting your abdomen in order to empty your lungs completely. At the same time bend to the floor in order to make it easier for you to breathe out. The less air remains in your lungs the easier the abdominal retraction will be.
The second moment:
Get in the starting position again WITHOUT LETTING ANYMORE AIR TO GET INSIDE, in a state of void apnoea. Then relax fast, but completely, the abdominal belt that you’ve contracted before. Then simulate a profound thoracic breath in. You will notice that the diaphragm goes up by itself and you will realize that the abdomen retracts itself without any kind of effort.
At first you will keep the abdominal retraction, only for a few moments; the duration of abdominal retraction should be increased progressively without harming you in any way.
The end of the technique:
At the end of the abdominal retraction let the thoracic cavity to go back to its normal amplitude and the abdominal zone to come back to its usual position. THEN AND ONLY THEN YOU CAN BREATHE! This way the air will get easily right to your lungs.
If you breathe in at the same time with the end of the abdominal retraction, the low pressure of the air that exists in the lungs will lead to a violent air stream. It will get into your lungs and it is dangerous because the alveolar membranous is extremely delicate.
After this breathe-in, stay in retention and try to observe the complex effects of this technique, the state of inner dynamism and freshness at the level of the solar plexus.
FOCUSING:
During the entire abdominal retraction (void apnoea) you try to perceive the transmutation of your inferior energies from the pelvic zone (specific to the vital and sexual levels) and the ascension (rise) of your energies to the superior levels situated above the solar plexus (affective, intuitive, mental level).
At the beginning you will feel the sublimation of energies as thrills that go up the spine. You will realize at the same moment a state of inner dynamism; the will is going up as well as the self-confidence.
THE CAUSES OF A POSSIBLE FAILURE:
The abdominal retraction cannot be performed successfully if:
- The lungs do not remain completely empty (as much as possible) and if you let the air to get inside at the moment of abdominal retraction.
ADVICE: At first you can cover your nostrils by pressing them with your thumb and forefinger in order to be sure that you keep the apnoea during the whole retraction. - The abdominal belt remains contracted after you breathe out.
ADVICE: Before the abdominal retraction check the relaxation of your abdominal muscles using your hand.
EFFECTS AND BENEFICES:
- Its special effects appear because of the transmutation and sublimation of the vital and sexual energies; it is an excellent exercise for sexual continence;
- In case you choose complete sexual abstinence, the abdominal retraction eliminates the sensation of tension and stress on the sexual level; reflected on the psychical level in frustration, anxiety and irascibility.
- In case we choose to make love with sexual continence Uddiyana Bandha is very useful when you accumulate a huge amount of sexual energy that goes beyond your capability of controlling it.
- By doing it before and after the sexual intercourse (and maybe during intercourse when you feel that you are getting to lose your control) you will feel more lucid and calm; This is possible because of the transmutation and sublimation of your sexual energy; it also generates a state of effervescence, an euphoric dynamism of the whole being;
- Applying it regularly (at least 30 times a day) it is an excellent remedy to early ejaculation
- Because of the complex effects (of harmonious stimulation, of profound massaging) on the abdomen, on the solar plexus and on the thoracic cavity it eliminates the bad effects of a sedentary life and maintains the vigour of the entire body.
COUNTER-INDICATIONS:
This technique is counter-indicated in case of severe affections of abdominal organs: colitis, appendicitis, ulcer etc. If you will perform this technique having one of the above-mentioned diseases you will see that the abdominal retraction will make you feel a strong pain.
In such cases take it easy and continue later on, when you notice that these pains disappear. Uddiyana Bandha is not counter-indicated in the case of abdominal ptosis. More over this technique eliminates it completely. Uddiyana Bandha is counter-indicated to the ones under the age of 12.
CONCLUSION:
Abdominal Retraction gives the one who practices it consequently:
- The capacity of controlling (through transmutation and sublimation) the sexual potential;
- Will, firmness, self-confidence;
- An increased capacity of acting efficiently in any direction we want to;
- A constant state of optimism and joy;
It is one of the most indicated techniques, which has to be done after lovemaking with sexual continence in order to sublimate the sexual energy in more refined energies and thus experiencing elevated states of consciousness.