In the modern world, many people meet yoga through the doorway of the body. They arrive through stretching, breathing, mobility, posture, perhaps even aesthetics. But in the classical river of yoga, the first stone is not the handstand. It is character.
In Sanskrit, Bandha means to “bind,” “lock,” or “seal.” Imagine your body as a sacred vessel. Without these seals, the energy we cultivate through breath and movement simply leaks out through the sensory gates. By engaging the Bandhas, we create a closed circuit, allowing our inner fire to transform from a flickering candle into a radiant sun.
In the ancient wisdom traditions of India, the mind is often compared to a field—a Kshetra. But I prefer to think of it as a garden. In this garden, the soil is composed of our memories and experiences, and buried deep within this soil lie the Samskaras.