Moolabandha: Root Lock

 Bandha means lock.  Moola means root.  Moola Bandha is the root lock.  It is essentially a way of redirecting prana within the body through subtle muscle contraction.  On a physical level, Moola Bandha is a contraction of the floor of the pelvis.  It is a practice that teaches you to harness your own energy and redirect it toward the higher chakras.  When Moola Bandha is engaged, you are uplifted physically and spiritually.  As your awareness deepens, the engagement of Moola Bandha becomes more and more subtle and less muscular.  

To find Moola Bandha sit cross-legged on the floor.  Sit with the spine tall.  Inhale and exhale several times to come into steady and deep breathing.  Inhale fully and then exhale completely, squeezing all of the air out.  While keeping the air out, engage the pelvic floor, pulling the muscles up and together, as if you are pulling them up the spine.  Maintain until you need to inhale. Release the lock and resume regular breathing.  The more you practice, the more refined and controlled the engagement will become.  You can practice engaging the lock throughout your asana practice.