Gheranda Samhita treats mudras and bandhas as precision tools for steering life-force (prāṇa) through the subtle channels (nāḍīs), much like a conductor directing an orchestra. Mudras are described as energetic “seals” or gestures—both physical and subtle—that close off prāṇa’s escape routes, channeling it inward and upward. For instance, Mahāmudrā combines posture, breath retention, and a specific lock on the perineum to awaken dormant energy at the base of the spine.

Bandhas, literally “locks,” form the backbone of this system. Three primary locks—Mūla (root), Uḍḍiyāna (abdominal lift), and Jālandhara (throat)—act as valves controlling the flow of prāṇa and apāna. Engaging Mūlabandha seals energy at the pelvic floor; Uḍḍiyānabandha lifts the diaphragm to draw prāṇa upward; Jālandharabandha traps it above the heart. Together they create a vacuum effect, pulling subtle energy into finer channels.

Gheranda Samhita goes further, describing advanced mudras such as Vajroli (retention and sublimation of sexual fluids) and Śakti Chalana (awakening kundalinī). Each mudra is paired with specific conscious locks, mantras, bandha activations and breath ratios, weaving a sevenfold path where purification (śatkarmas) and postures prepare the body, and mudra-bandha practice ignites inner transformation.

In studios across London and New York, yogis now rediscover these age-old techniques to calm nervous systems, echoing modern health trends where breath-work tools—like those championed by the Gheranda—gain traction for stress relief. By treating body and breath as one seamless circuit, mudras and bandhas turn ordinary movement into an electric current of awareness, ushering practitioners closer to the text’s promised union of body, mind, and spirit.