JANUARY NEWSLETTER
BANDHA'S 🍀

Dear Yogi,

For updates scroll right to the bottom... Otherwise you can read and dive back into the five pillars of Ashtanga Yoga as we’ve now arrived at the last one:

Bandha

The trickiest of them all ✨

Bandha is often explained as a kind of “lock.” Something to engage, to hold, to grip. For a long time, that’s exactly how I approached it as well; with effort, control, and quite a lot of determination. As if holding on more tightly means the better the practice will be.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on the Bandha's in a wider context....

Because honestly, the world feels intense right now. There's a lot of uncertainty, fear, division, injustice, and indecency. Many of us feel it in our bodies; shallow breath, sore bellies, shoulders creeping up, jaws clenched, anxiety, unwanted tensions, and lots of stress. Collectively we are just all trying to hold on.

In my personal life I've stumbled upon a situation of accumulated injustice as well, being triggered in feeling a profound sense of unfairness, of being deeply wronged. And this indeed triggers strongly.

In the past I would've dealt with it by gripping, wanting control, more tightening, more holding on, more steering. And although this time I still did, this way of being, although it gives a sense of feeling safe, can harden things more. You're then trying to manage life instead of meeting it.

When you soften the grip and allow things to unfold instead of forcing them, I've discovered (time and time again) that then the unexpected happens. Space opens. Support shows up. New connections and opportunities appear, and things start to flow. In place of the gripping, a sense of trust, faith, and clarity arises.

And this is where Bandha comes in as well.

When Bandha is taught purely as a muscular action; a squeeze here, a pull and a push there, it can feel heavy and restrictive. Almost like a bracing against life. That's painful and confusing. Instead, when we allow the Bandha to be energetic rather than technical or muscular, it becomes something entirely different...

The three Bandha’s are:

1. Moola bandha

2. Uddiyana bandha

3. Jalandhara bandha

And they're not meant to be clenched like fists.

They're invitations.

Moola bandha is not about gripping the pelvic floor, but about a subtle sense of grounding and inner safety, a quiet reminder that we are supported.

Uddiyana bandha is not about pulling the belly in, but about lightness, an upward movement of energy that creates space when things feel heavy, both physically and emotionally.

Jalandhara bandha is not about locking the throat, but about soft containment, a calm, clear meeting of head and heart.

When the Bandha’s are approached this way, strength and flexibility arise from subtlety rather than force. From listening rather than pushing. From trust.

Maybe this is also what the world is asking of us right now. Not to harden. Not to close off. But to stay rooted, clear, spacious and connected with eachother. In light and in kindness.

My wish is that we all focus on this light more, and then share it. In whatever way we can.

- Yoga surely doesn’t fix the world. But it does help us to meet it differently -

Bandha is not about holding on tighter in times of turmoil. It’s about learning how to hold, with softness, intelligence and care. So we can take care of ourselves… and eachother 🙏

Hope this inspires. Warmly,

Heleen

YOGA NEWS

✨ New Course in the Netherlands
If you feel curious to explore the symbolism of Yoga. Not just intellectually, but through feeling and experience, you’re very welcome at "Yoga en de kracht van symboliek" at Novastrada, NL.

✨ Dutch Membership
New online restorative class added to the membership starting Feb 5. Every thursday evening 7:00-7:30pm