Listening to Your Body: Bandhas & Five Vayus in Hatha Yoga

Discover the three Bandhas and five Vayus of Hatha Yoga through mindful breathing, body awareness, and a gentle, compassionate approach to yoga. 

What If Our Bodies Know More Than We Think?

We live in a society that constantly encourages us to do more, achieve more, and push ourselves harder. Even in yoga, a practice meant to bring us closer to ourselves, we sometimes fall into the habit of trying to control too much. We want to achieve the perfect pose, breathe in a particular way, or reach a state of calm almost by force.

But what happens when we stop demanding and start listening?

Throughout my personal journey and my experience as a Hatha Yoga instructor, I have developed a belief that guides my teaching: our bodies possess an innate biological intelligence that deserves to express itself without pain, pressure, or unnecessary demands.

The body breathes, adapts, moves, rests, and continuously works toward balance. It communicates with us through sensations, tension, movement, and changes in our breathing.

Yet we are often so busy thinking about what we should be doing that we stop paying attention to what we are actually feeling.

For me, yoga begins precisely there: in that space where we stop imposing and start observing.

From this perspective, I would like to explore two fascinating concepts from the philosophy of Hatha Yoga: the Five Vayus and the Three Bandhas.

The Five Vayus: Understanding the Movements of Life

In Sanskrit, prana refers to the breath of life or vital energy, while vayu means wind or air.

Yogic tradition describes five fundamental movements of prana, known as the Pancha Prana Vayus.

These are not five organs or five scientifically identified streams of energy. Rather, they are traditional concepts that invite us to reflect on different functions and experiences of the body and mind.

What I find especially meaningful is how we can connect these teachings to simple moments in everyday life.

Prana Vayu: The Art of Receiving

Prana Vayu is associated with receiving, breathing, and the chest region.

Think about stepping outside, taking a gentle breath of fresh air, and feeling your chest naturally expand.

Or consider what happens when you truly listen to another person without interrupting or anticipating what they are going to say.

Both experiences can help us symbolically understand the act of receiving.

During yoga practice, we can simply observe a natural inhalation and ask ourselves:

Can I receive this breath without trying to control it?

Apana Vayu: Learning to Let Go

Apana Vayu traditionally represents downward movement and the body's processes of elimination.

It is associated with the pelvis, pelvic floor, and the functions through which our bodies eliminate what they no longer need.

We can also use exhalation as a metaphor for releasing.

How often do we hold unnecessary tension in our abdomen, shoulders, or jaw?

Sometimes, a calm exhalation allows us to recognize that tension and begin to release it.

What happens when I stop holding on to what I no longer need?

Samana Vayu: Transforming and Assimilating

Samana Vayu is associated with the abdominal region, digestion, and assimilation.

Our bodies transform food and absorb the nutrients they need.

Symbolically, we can also reflect on how we process our experiences.

We read a book, listen to a teaching, or go through an important life event. But truly understanding what we have experienced requires time, attention, and reflection.

During yoga, we can gently place our hands on our abdomen and observe how it moves with each breath.

Without pulling the belly in. Without tightening. Without forcing.

Simply feeling our center.

Udana Vayu: Expressing Our Voice

Udana Vayu is traditionally associated with upward movement, the throat, and expression.

When we speak, sing, or chant a mantra, we coordinate our breathing with the mechanisms of our voice.

But we can also reflect on how we communicate.

Do we speak from a place of tension? Do we struggle to express what we feel? Can we communicate with greater calm and clarity?

During a gentle practice, we can bring awareness to the throat, relax the shoulders, and make a soft humming sound as we exhale.

We are not searching for a perfect voice, but for comfortable, conscious expression.

Vyana Vayu: Experiencing Ourselves as a Whole

Vyana Vayu represents the distribution and integration of energy within the traditional yogic model.

We can symbolically connect it with the coordination we experience when walking, stretching, or moving our arms.

Our bodies do not function as a collection of isolated parts. Their systems are constantly interacting.

In Tadasana, Mountain Pose, we can feel our feet connecting with the ground, observe our breathing, and gently raise our arms.

A simple movement can become an experience of integration.

Receive. Release. Transform. Express. Integrate.

Five words that help us remember the Five Vayus and observe our experiences from a different perspective.

The Three Bandhas: Much More Than Muscular Locks

In Sanskrit, bandha means lock, seal, or binding.

In traditional Hatha Yoga, bandhas are specific techniques involving muscular actions, posture, and, in certain practices, breath retention.

Yogic philosophy attributes to them the function of regulating prana.

However, I want to emphasize something important: understanding the bandhas does not mean we must immediately perform them in their traditional form.

In my classes, especially when working with beginners, I prefer to begin by developing body awareness.

Mula Bandha: Becoming Aware of Our Foundation

Mula Bandha is associated with the pelvic floor and, traditionally, with Apana Vayu.

Rather than asking students to perform a strong muscular contraction, I invite them to observe how this region naturally participates in breathing.

The diaphragm and pelvic floor have a functional relationship that we can explore gently.

We do not need to squeeze or maintain a contraction to begin developing awareness.

First, we learn to feel.

Uddiyana Bandha: Listening to Our Center

Uddiyana Bandha is associated with the abdominal region.

Its traditional practice involves holding the breath after exhalation and expanding the rib cage without inhaling, causing the abdominal wall to move inward and upward.

This is not the same as simply pulling the belly in.

With beginners, I prefer to observe the natural movement of the abdomen during inhalation and exhalation, without creating an abdominal vacuum or holding the breath.

The body already possesses extraordinary respiratory mechanisms. We can begin by understanding them before attempting to modify them.

Jalandhara Bandha: Releasing Unnecessary Tension in the Throat

Jalandhara Bandha is associated with the throat and neck.

In its traditional form, it involves a specific positioning of the head and chin, particularly during certain pranayama techniques.

For an introductory practice, we can explore something much simpler: keeping the neck comfortable, the back of the neck gently elongated, and the shoulders relaxed.

Without compressing the throat.

Without creating pain.

Without forcing the body into a position that does not feel natural.

Biological Intelligence: An Invitation to Stop Fighting Against Our Bodies

When I speak about biological intelligence, I am referring to our body's extraordinary ability to coordinate functions, adapt, and respond to its needs.

Our breathing changes according to our activity. Our muscles participate in movement and balance. Our nervous system continuously contributes to the regulation of bodily functions.

This does not mean that the body always regulates itself perfectly or that we should ignore symptoms requiring medical attention.

It means that we can learn to develop a more conscious relationship with our bodies.

From my perspective, yoga should not teach us to endure pain, but rather to recognize our possibilities and respect our limitations.

A pose is not better simply because it is deeper.

A breath is not better simply because it is longer.

A practice is not more spiritual simply because it requires greater effort.

Awareness is not measured by intensity.

It is cultivated through attention.

How Do We Bring This Philosophy Into Our ShaktiVitta Classes?

At ShaktiVitta Yoga Studio, we practice the principles of Hatha Yoga by integrating mindful movement, breathing, observation, and meditation.

My invitation to students is simple: allow each practice to become an opportunity to know yourself better.

We do not need to compete with anyone, not even ourselves.

Every body has its own history, structure, needs, and possibilities.

That is why poses can be adapted, movements can be modified, and rest is also part of the learning process.

When we explore traditional concepts such as the Vayus and Bandhas, our initial goal is to understand them and develop body awareness, rather than force advanced techniques.

Classical practices involving breath retention or abdominal pressure require appropriate training, precautions, and guidance.

Breathing should remain comfortable during introductory exercises, and any pain, dizziness, or discomfort is a reason to stop.

Final Reflection: Before We Try to Control, Let Us Learn to Listen

There is something profoundly transformative about discovering that we do not need to fill every moment with thoughts, movements, or effort.

Sometimes, the most meaningful practice is simply being present.

Observing an inhalation.

Feeling an exhalation.

Recognizing tension.

Allowing the body to rest.

The Bandhas and Vayus offer us a traditional language for exploring the relationship between energy, breathing, movement, and awareness.

But beyond Sanskrit names and techniques, I want my students to remember one essential teaching:

We do not need to force our bodies into silence to find stillness. We need to learn how to listen to them.

Because yoga is not a struggle against our bodies.

It is an opportunity to reconnect with them.

Listen to your body. Honor its rhythm. Breathe with awareness. Move with kindness.

Namaste.

Judit Vitores-Sypher
Yoga Instructor RYT-200
ShaktiVitta Yoga Studio

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References and Recommended Reading

• Praśna Upaniṣad, Third Question: The Five Pranas.

• Svātmārāma. Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā, Chapter III.

• Gheraṇḍa Saṃhitā, Chapter III.

• Iyengar, B. K. S. (1981). Light on Pranayama.

• Saraswati, Swami Satyananda. Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha. Bihar School of Yoga.

• Coulter, H. David (2001). Anatomy of Hatha Yoga.

• Sovik, Rolf. Article on the internal locks of yoga, Yoga International.

• Hodges, P. W., Sapsford, R., & Pengel, L. H. M. (2007). Postural and respiratory functions of the pelvic floor muscles. Neurourology and Urodynamics, 26(3), 362–371.

Note: The energetic interpretations discussed in this article belong to the traditional philosophy of yoga. Contemporary anatomical references do not constitute scientific validation of all traditional yogic concepts.