HOW TO SUPERCHARGE YOUR WHOLE BODY?

 

MAHA BHEDA MUDRA

(THE GREAT SEPARATING ATTITUDE)

• ASSUME UTTHANPADASANA AS DESCRIBED FOR MAHA MUDRA.
• KEEP THE BACK STRAIGHT.
• RELAX THE WHOLE BODY.
• TAKE A DEEP BREATH IN.
• WHILE EXHALING, LEAN FORWARD AND CLASP THE RIGHT BIG TOE WITH BOTH HANDS.
• RETAIN THE BREATH OUTSIDE AND PERFORM JALANDHARA, UDDIYANA AND MOOLA BANDHAS.
• ROTATE THE AWARENESS SUCCESSIVELY FROM THE THROAT, TO THE ABDOMEN, TO THE PERINEUM, MENTALLY REPEATING, "VISHUDDHI, MANIPURA, MOOLADHANA. THE AWARENESS SHOULD REST ON EACH CHAKRA FOR ONLY ONE OR TWO SECONDS AND THEN MOVE TO THE NEXT IN SMOOTH FLOW.
• RELEASE MOOLA BANDHA, UDDIYAN AND JALANDHARA.
• WHEN THE HEAD IS RAISED, INHALE AND RETURN TO THE UPRIGHT POSITION.
• EXHALE AND RELAX.
• THIS IS ONE ROUND.

BREATHING

ONE ROUND IS EQUIVALENT TO TWO COMPLETE BREATHS. THE LENGTH OF THE BREATH SHOULD BE EXTENDED GRADUALLY.

DURATION

PRACTICE 3 TIMES WITH THE LEFT LEG FOLDED, THEN WITH THE RIGHT LEG FOLDED AND THEN WITH BOTH LEGS OUTSTRETCHED.

TIME OF PRACTICE

IN THE EARLY MORNIG WHILE THE STOMACH IS COMPLETELY EMPTY.

 

BENEFITS

MAHA BHEDA MUDRA HAS A PROFOUND INFLUENCE AT A PRANIC LEVEL. IT INFLUENCES MOOLADHARA, MANIPURA AND VISHUDDHI CHAKRAS, HARNESSING THEIR ENERGIES TO INDUCE CONCENTRATION OF MIND AND MEDITATION. MAHA BHEDA SUPPLEMENTS AND FOLLOWS MAHA MUDRA, TOGETHER THEY SUPERCHARGE THE WHOLE BODY - MIND COMPLEX.

PRACTICE NOTES

BEFORE COMMENCING THIS PRACTICE, THE PRACTITIONER SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THE TECHNIQUES OF JALANDHARA, UDDIYANA AND MOOLA BANDHAS AND BAHIR KUMBHAKA.

THIS PRACTICE SHOULD BE ATTEMPTED ONLY UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A COMPETENT TEACHER.

MAHA VEDHA MUDRA 

(THE GREAT PIERCING ATTITUDE)

 

• SIT IN PADMASANA, RELAX THE BODY AND CLOSE THE EYES.
• PLACE THE PALMS OF THE HANDS ON THE FLOOR BESIDE THE THIGHS WITH THE FINGERS POINTING FORWARD OR MAKE FISTS WITH THE KNUCKLES FACING DOWN.
• THE ARMS SHOULD BE STRAIGHT BUT RELAXED.
• INHALE SLOWLY AND DEEPLY.
• RETAIN THE BREATH INSIDE.
• RAISE THE BODY BY PLACING ALL THE WEIGHT ON THE HANDS AND STRAIGHTENING THE ARMS.
• GENTLY BEAT THE BUTTOCKS ON THE GROUND 3 TIMES, KEEPING THE AWARENESS AT THE PERINEUM.
• THE BUTTOCKS AND THE BACK OF THE THIGHS SHOULD TOUCH THE GROUND SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE SPINE MUST BE KEPT STRAIGHT.
• GENTLY REST THE BUTTOCKS BACKON THE FLOOR. EXHALE.
• THIS IS ONE ROUND.
• WHEN THE BREATHING RETURNS TO NORMAL, REPEAT THE PROCESS. 
• PRACTICE 3 ROUNDS.

BREATHING

INHALE DEEPLY IN THE STARTING POSITION. RETAIN THE BREATH INSIDE WHILE RAISING AND LOWERING THE BUTTOCKS. EXHALE ONLY AFTER THE BODY HAS BEEN FINALLY LOWERED TO THE FLOOR.

AWARENESS 

PHYSICAL - ON RETAINING THE BREATH WHILE LIGHTLY BEATING THE BUTTOCKS.

SPIRITUAL - ON MOOLADHARA CHAKRA.

PRECAUTIONS

BEAT THE BUTTOCKS VERY GENTLY. IT IS IMPORTANT TO USE A THICK MAT TO AVOID INJURY. DO NOT LET THE COCCYX (TAILBONE) LAND DIRECTLY ON THE FLOOR. THE BACKS OF THE LEGS AND BUTTOCKS SHOULD HIT THE FLOOR SIMULTANEOUSLY. THIS CUSHIONS AND DISTRIBUTES THE IMPACT OVER A WIDE AREA.

 

BENEFITS

THIS IS A POWERFUL PRACTICE FOR INTROVERTING THE MIND. IT AWAKENS PSYCHIC FACULTIES AND THE KUNDALINI WHICH RESIDES IN MOOLADHARA CHAKRA.

PRACTICE NOTES

IF PADMASANA HAS NOT BEEN MASTERED THIS PRACTICE CAN BE PERFORMED WITH THE LEGS OUTSTRETCHED, ALTHOUGH THIS METHOD IS LESS EFFECTIVE.

ASHWINI MUDRA

(HORSE GESTURE)

TECHNIQUE 1

• SIT IN ANY COMFORTABLE MEDITATION ASANA.
• CLOSE THE EYES AND RELAX THE WHOLE BODY.
• BECOME AWARE OF THE NATURAL BREATHIG PROCESS.
• TAKE THE AWARENESS TO THE ANUS.
• RAPIDLY CONTRACT THE ANAL SPHINCTER MUSCLES FOR A FEW SECONDS WITHOUT STRAINING, THEN RELAX THEM.
• CONFINE THE ACTION TO THE ANAL AREA.
• CONTRACTION AND RELAXATION SHOULD BE PERFORMED 10 TO 20 TIMES, SMOOTHLY AND RHYTHMICALLY.
• GRADUALLY MAKE THE CONTRACTIONS MORE RAPID.

TECHINIQUE 2

• SIT IN ANY COMFORTABLE MEDITATION ASANA.
• CLOSE THE EYES AND RELAX THE WHOLE BODY.
• INHALE SLOWLY AND DEEPLY WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY CONTRACTING THE ANAL SPHINCTER MUSCLES.
• PRACTICE ANTAR KUMBHAKA (INTERNAL BREATH RETENTION) WHILE HOLDING THE CONTRACTION OF THE ANAL SPHINCTER MUSCLES AS TIGHTLY AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT STRAIN.
• EXHALE WHILE RELEASING THE CONTRACTION OF THE ANUS.
• PERFORM 5 TO 10 ROUNDS.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON ANAL CONTRACTION AND RELAXATION.

SPIRITUAL - ON MOOLADHARA CHAKRA.

BENEFITS

THIS PRACTICE STRENGTHENS THE ANAL MUSCLES. IT PREVENTS THE ESCAPE OF PRANIC ENERGY AND REDIRECTS IT UPWARD FOR SPIRITUAL PURPOSES.

NOTES 

ASHWINI MEANS "HORSE". THE PRACTICE RESEMBLES THE MOVEMENT A HORSE MAKES WITH ITS SPHINCTER IMMEDIATELY AFTER EVACUATION OF THE BOWELS.

YOGA MUDRA

(ATTITUDE OF PSYCHI UNION)

• SIT IN PADMASANA.
• TAKE HOLD OF ONE WRIST BEHIND THE BACK.
• CLOSE THE EYES AND RELAX THE WHOLE BODY.
• BRING THE AWARENESS TO MOOLADHARA CHAKRA (SLIGHT MOOLA BANDHA MAY ALSO BE PERFORMED)
• INHALE SLOWLY AND FEEL THE BREATH GRADUALLY RISING FROM MOOLADHARA TO AJNA CHAKRA.
• RETAIN THE BREATH FOR A FEW SECONDS AND CONCENTRATE ON AJNA CHAKRA.
• EXHALE SLOWLY WHILE BENDING FORWARD FROM THE HIPS.
• SYNCHRONIZE THE MOVEMENT WITH THE BREATH, SO THAT THE FOREHEAD JUST TOUCHES THE FLOOR IN YOGAMUDRASANA AS THE AIR IS FULLY EXPELLED FROM THE LUNGS.
• SIMULTANEOUSLY, FEEL THE BREATH GRADUALLY DESCENDING FROM AJNA TO MOOLADHARA CHAKRA.
• RETAIN THE BREATH OUTSIDE FOR A FEW SECONDS WHILE CONCENTRATING AT MOOLADHARA CHAKRA.
• INHALING, RAISE THE TRUNK TO THE VERTICAL POSITION.
• BE AWARE OF BREATH MOVING UPWARD FROM MOOLADHARA TO AJNA CHAKRA.
• ALL THE MOVEMENTS SHOULD BE PERFORMED IN A HARMONIOUS, SMOOTH AND SYNCHRONIZED MANNER.
• REMAIN IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, HOLDING THE BREATH FOR A FEW SECONDS AND CONCENTRATE ON AJNA CHAKRA.
• EXHALE SLOWLY, MOVING THE AWARENESS BACK DOWN THE SPINE TO MOOLADHARA CHAKRA.
• THIS IS ONE ROUND.

IMMEDIATELY START ANOTHER ROUND, PERFORMING A LIGHT MOOLA BANDHA WITH THE BREATH HELD OUTSIDE AND THE AWARENESS AT MOOLADHARA CHAKRA. BEGINNGERS MAY TAKE A FEW NORMAL BREATHS BEFORE STARTING THE NEXT ROUND.

PERFORM 3 TO 10 ROUNDS.

BREATHING

THE RESPIRATION SHOULD BE AS SLOW POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST STRAIN.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON SYNCHRONIZING THE MOVEMENT OF THE BODY WITH THE BREATH.

SPIRITUAL - ON MOOLADHARA AND ANJA CHAKRAS.

BENEFITS

THE PRACTICE MASSAGES THE ABDOMINAL ORGANS AND STRETCHES THE BACK, CONTRIBUTING TO GOOD GENERAL HEALTH. IN ADDITION, IT IS AN EXCELLENT PREPARATORY PRACTICE FOR MEDITATION, ENGENDERING A SENSE OF RELAXATION. IT RELIEVES ANGER AND TENSION, INDUCING TRANQUILLITY. IT DEVELOPS AWARENESS AND CONTROL OF PSYCHI ENERGY AND IS USED TO AWAKEN MANIPURA CHAKRA.

VARIATIONS

• THE HANDS MAY ALSO BE PLACED:
• ON THE HEELS OF THE FEET, WITH THE ELBOWS POINTING OUT TO THE SIDES.
• PALMS DOWN ON THE SOLES OF THE FEET.
• PALM TO PALM WITH THE FINGERS POINTING UPWARD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BACK (THIS IS HAMSA OR SWAN MUDRA).

PRACTICE NOTES

PEOPLE WITH STIFF BACKS AND THOSE UNABLE TO SIT IN PADMASANA COMFORTABLY MAY PERFORM THE PRACTICE FROM SUKHASANA OR VAJRASANA. IF ADOPTING THE LATTER, BEND FORWARD INTO SHANSHANKASANA WITH THE HANDS CLASPED BEHIND THE BACK. IF VAJRASANA IS STILL UNCOMFORTABLE, THE KNEES MAY BE SEPARATED SLIGHTLY, ALLOWING THE CHEST TO COME CLOSER TO THE FLOOR.

NOTES

YOGA MUDRA IS SO CALLED BECAUSE IT UNITES THE INDIVIDUAL CONSCIOUSNESS WITH THE SUPREME CONSCIOUSNESS, OR THE OUTER NATURE WITH THE INNER NATURE.

MANDUKI MUDRA

GESTURE OF THE FROG

• SIT IN BHADRASANA. IF POSSIBLE WITHOUT STRAINING, ADJUST SO THAT THE TOES ARE POINTING OUTWARD.
• THE BUTTOCKS SHOULD REST ON THE FLOOR.
• A FOLDED BLANKET MAY ALSO BE PLACED UNDERNEATH THE BUTTOCKS TO APPLY FIRM PRESSURE TO THE PERINEUM, STIMULATING THE REGION OF MOOLADHARA CHAKRA.
• PLACE THE HANDS ON THE KNEES, HOLDING THE SPINE AND HEAD STRAIGHT.
• CLOSE THE EYES AND RELAX THE WHOLE BODY.
• THIS IS MANDUKI ASANA.
• OPEN THE EYES AND PERFORM NASIKAGRA DRISHTI.
• WHEN THE EYES BECOME TIRED, CLOSE THEM FOR FEW SECONDS.
• CONTINUE THE PRACTICE FOR 5 MINUTES, UNTIL THE MIND AND SENSES BECOME INTROVERTED.

BREATHING

BREATHING SHOULD BE SLOW AND RHYTHMIC.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON THE NOSETIP.

SPIRITUAL - ON MOOLADHARA CHAKRA.

BENEFITS

MANDUKI ASANA IS A COUNTERPIECE FOR CROSS-LEGGED MEDITATIVE ASANAS. MANDUKI MUDRA ACTIVATES MOOLADHARA CHAKRA. IT CALMS THE DISTURBANCE AND FLUCTUATIONS OF THE MIND AND BALANCE IDA AND PINGALA NADIS, LEADING DIRECTLY TO MEDITATION.

PRACTICE NOTES

MANDUKI MUDRA IS AN ADVANCED VARIATION OF NASIKAGRA DRISHTI. IT SHOULD BE PERFORMED IN MILD LIGHT SO THAT THE TIP OF THE NOSE CAN BE SEEN CLEARLY.

NOTES

THE WORD MANDUKI MEANS "FROG". THIS MUDRA IS SO NAMED BECAUSE THE SITTING POSTURE RESEMBLES A FROG AT REST. THIS PRACTICE ALSO GIVES THE BESIS FOR THE KRIYA OF THE SAME NAME.

PASHINEE MUDRA

(FOLDED PSYCHI ATTITUDE)

• ASSUME HALASANA. SEPERATE THE FEET BY ABOUT HALF METRE.
• BEND THE KNEES AND BRING THE THIGHS TOWARDS THE CHEST.
• UNTIL THE KNEES TOUCH THE EARS, SHOULDERS AND FLOOR.
• WRAP THE ARMS TIGHTLY AROUND THE BACK OF THE LEGS.
• RELAX THE WHOLE BODY IN THIS POSITION AND CLOSE THE EYES.
• BREATHE SLOWLY AND DEEPLY.
• MAINTAIN THE POSITION FOR AS LONG AS IS COMFORTABLE.
• SLOWLY RELEASE THE ARMS AND COME BACK INTO HALASANA.
• LOWER THE LEGS AND RELAX IN SHAVASANA.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON THE STRETCH OF THE NECK.

SPIRITUAL - ON MOOLADHARA OR VISHUDDHI CHAKRA.

SEQUENCE

THIS MUDRA SHOULD BE FOLLOWED BY A BACKWARD BENDING ASANA.

BENEFITS

PASHINEE MUDRA BRINGS BALANCE AND TRANQUILLITY TO THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND INDUCES PRATYAHARA, SENSORY WITHDRAWEL. IT STRETCHES THE SPINE AND BACK MUSCLES, AND STIMULATES ALL THE SPINAL NERVES. IT MESSAGES THE ABDOMINAL ORGANS AND STIMULATES BLOOD CIRCULATION TO THESE AREAS. THE NERVE PLEXUSES IN THE VISCERAL AREA ARE STIMULATED AND TONED.

BENDING FORWARD AND EXTENDING THE STOMACH STRETCHES THE DIAPHRAGM AND PELVIC FLOOR, AND CREATES PRESSURE THROUGHOUT THE TRUNK OF THE BODY. THIS STIMULATES MANIPURA CHAKRA, THE CENTRE OF ENERGY DISTRUBUTION, AND RAISES THE LEVEL OF PRANA GENRALLY.

PRACTICE NOTES

RELEASE THE HOLD ON THE TOES BETWEEN BREATHS IF THE POSITION BECOMES UNCOMFORTABLE.

PRANA MUDRA

(INVOCATION OF ENERGY)

• SIT IN ANY COMFORTABLE MEDITATION POSTURE, PREFERABLY PADMASANA OR SIDDHI/SIDDHA YONI ASANA WITH THE HANDS IN BHAIRAVA MUDRA.
• CLOSE THE EYES AND RELAX TEH WHOLE BODY, ESPECIALLY THE ABDOMEN, ARMS AND HANDS.

 

STAGE 1

KEEPING THE EYES CLOSED, INHALE AND EXHALE AS DEEPLY AS POSSIBLE, CONTRACTING THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES TO EXPEL THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF AIR FROM THE LUNGS.

WITH THE BREATH HELD OUTSIDE, PERFORM MOOLA BANDHA WHILE CONCENTRATING ON MOOLADHARA CHAKRA INTHE PERINEUM.

RETAIN THE BREATH OUTSIDE FOR AS LONG AS IS COMFORTABLE.

STAGE 2

RELASE MOOLA BANDHA. INHALE SLOWLY AND DEEPLY, EXPANDING THE ABDOMEN FULLY, DRAW AS MUCH AIR INTO THE LUNGS AS POSSIBLE.

SIMULTANEUOUSLY, RAISE THE HANDS UNTIL THEY ARE IN FRONT OF THE NAVEL. THE HANDS SHOULD BE OPEN WITH THE PALMS FACING THE BODY, THE FINGERS POINTING TOWARDS EACH OTHER, BUT NOT TOUCHING.

THE UPWARD MOVEMENT OF THE HANDS SHOULD BE COORDINATED WITH THE ABDOMINAL INHALATION.

THE ARMS AND HANS SHOULD BE RELAXED. WHILE INHALING FROM THE ABDOMEN, FEEL THE PRANA OR VITAL ENERGY BEING DRAWN FROM MOOLADHARA CHAKRA TO MANIPURA CHAKRA.

STAGE 3

• CONTINUE THE INHALATION BY EXPANDING THE CHEST AND RAISING THE HANS UNTIL THEY ARE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE STERNUM AT THE CENTRE OF THE CHEST.
• FEEL THE PRANIC ENERGY BEING DRAWN UP FROM MANIPURA TO ANAHATA CHAKRA WHILE INHALING.

STAGE 4

• DRAW EVEN MORE AIR INTO THE LUNGS BY SLIGHTLY RAISING THE SHOULDERS AND RAISE THE HANDS TO THE FRONT OF THE THROAT IN COORDINATION WITH THE BREATH.
• FEEL THE PRANA BEING DRAWN UP TO VISHUDDHI.

STAGE 5

• RETAIN THE BREATH INSIDE WHILE SPREADING THE ARMS OUT TO THE SIDES.
• FEEL THE PRANA SPREADING IN A WAVE THROUGH AJNA, BINDU AND SAHASRARA CHAKRAS.
• IN THE FINAL POSITION, THE HANDS ARE LEVEL WITH THE EARS.
• THE ARMS ARE OUTSTRETCHED BUT NOT STRAIGHT, AND THE PALMS ARE TURNED UPWARD.
• CONCENTRATION ON SAHASRARA CHAKRA AND VISUALIZE AN AURA OF PURE LIGHT EMANATING FROM THE HEAD.
• FEEL THAT THE WHOLE BEING IS RADIATING VIBRATION OF PEACE TO ALL BEINGS.
• RETAIN THIS POSITION, WITH THE BREATH HELD INSIDE, FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE WITHOUT STRAINING, THE LUNGS IN ANYWAY.
• WHILE EXHALING, REPEAT STAGE 4,3,2,1 AND SLOWLY RETURN TO THE STARING POSITION.
• DURING EXHALATION, FEEL THE PRANA PROGRESSIVELY DECESDING THROUGH EACH OF THE CHAKRAS UNTIL IT REACHES MOOLADHARA. AT THE END OF EXHALATION, PERFORM MOOLA BANDHA AND FEEL THE PRANA RETURNING TO MOOLADHARA CHAKRA.
• RELAX THE WHOLE BODY AND BREATHE NORMALLY. 

BREATHING

INCREASE THE DURATION OF INHALATION, RETENTION AND EXHALATION SLOWLY. BE CAREFUL NOT NO STRAIN THE LUNGS. WHEN THE PRACTICE HAS BEEN PERFECTED, VISUALIZE THE BREATH AS A STREAM OF WHITE LIGHT ASCENDING AND DESCENDING WITHIN SUSHUMNA NADI.

AWARENESS

THE AWARENESS SHOULD MOVE IN A SMOOTH AND CONTINUES FLOW FROM MOOLADHARA TO SAHASRARA AND BACK TO MOOLADHARA, IN COORDINATION WITH THE BREATH AND THE MOVEMENT OF THE HANDS.

SEQUENCE

PRANA MUDRA IS BEST PRACTICED AFTER ASANA AND PRANAYAMA AND BEFORE MEDITATION, BUT IT MAY BE PERFORMED AT ANY TIME.

TIME OF PRACTICE

IDEALLY, PRACTICE AT SUNRISE WHILE FACING THE SUN.

BENEFITS

PRANA MUDRA AWAKENS THE DORMANT PRANA SHAKTI, VITAL ENERGY, AND DISTRIBUTES IT THROUGHOUT THE BODY, INCREASING STRENGTH, HEALTH AND CONFIDENCE. IT DEVELOPS AWARENESS OF THE NADIS AND CHAKRAS, AND THE SUBTLE FLOW OF PRANA IN THE BODY. IT INSTILS AN INNER ATTITUDE OF PEACE AND EQUANIMITY BY ADOPTING AN EXTERNAL ATTITUDE OF OFFERING AND RECEIVING ENERGY TO AND FROM THE COSMIC SOURCE.

NOTES

THIS PRACTICE IS ALSO KNOWN AS SHANTI MUDRA, THE PEACE MUDRA.

MAHA MUDRA

(STRETHED LEG POSE)

• SIT IN UTTHANPADASANA WITH THE RIGHT LEG OUTSTRETCHED.
• KEEP THE BACK STRAIGHT.
• RELAX THE WHOLE BODY.
• PRACTICE KHECHARI MUDRA.
• TAKE A DEEP BREATH IN.
• EXHALE AND BEND FORWARD. CLASP THE RIGHT BIG TOE WITH BOTH HANDS.
• KEEP THE HEAD ERECT, AND THE BACK STRAIGHT.
• SLOWLY INHALE, TILTING THE HEAD SLIGHTLY BACK.
• PERFORM SHAMBHAVI MUDRA AND THEN MOOLA BANDHA.
• HOLD THE BREATH INSIDE AND ROTATE THE AWARENESS FROM THE EYEBROW CENTRE, TO THE THROAT, TO THE PERINEUM.
• MENTALLY REPEAT "AJNA, VISHUDDHI, MOOLADHARA. 
• THE CONCENTRATION SHOULD REMAIN AT EACH CHAKRA FOR ONLY 1 OR 2 SECONDS.
• RELEASE SHAMBHAVI AND MOOLA BANDHA.
• SLOWLY EXHALE, RETURNING TO THE UPRIGHT POSITION.
• THIS IS ONE ROUND.

 

BREATHING

ONE ROUND IS EQUIVALENT TO 2 COMPLETE BREATHS. THE LENGTH OF THE BREATH SHOULD BE EXTENTED GRADUALLY.

DURATION

PRACTICE 3 ROUNDS WITH THE LEFT LEG FOLDED, THEN WITH THE RIGHT LEG FOLDED, AND THEN WITH BOTH LEGS OUTSTRETCHED.

TIME TO PRACTICE

IN THE EARLY MORNING WHILE THE STOMACH IS COMPLETELY EMPTY.

BENEFITS

MAHA MUDRA COMBINES THE BENEFITS OF SHAMBHAVI MUDRA, KHECHARI MUDRA, MOOLA BANDHA AND KUMBHAKA. IT STIMULATES THE ENERGY CIRCUIT, LINKING MOOLADHARA WITH AJNA CHAKRA. THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS CHARGED WITH PRANA WHICH INTENSIFIES AWARENESS AND INDUCES SPONTANEOUS MEDITATION. ENERGY BLOCKAGES ARE REMOVED.

 

PRACTICE NOTES

BEFORE COMMENCING MAHA MUDRA, THE PRACTITINER SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY PROFICIENT IN THE TECHNIQUES OF SHAMBHAVI MUDRA, KHECHARI MUDRA, MOOLA BANDHA AND KUMBHAKA.

THIS PRACTICE SHOULD ONLY BE ATTEMTED UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE COMPETENT TEACHER.

SHANMUKHI MUDRA

(CLOSING THE SEVEN GATES)

• IF POSSIBLE SIT IN SIDDHA/SIDHA YONI ASANA OR PADMASANA.
• OTHERWISE TAKE A COMFORTABLE MEDITATION ASANA AND PLACE A SMALL CUSHION BENEATH THE PERINEUM TO PROVIDE PRESSURE IN THIS AREA.
• HOLD THE HEAD AND SPINE STRAIGHT.
• CLOSE THE EYES AND PLACE THE HANDS ON THE KNEES.
• RELAX THE WHOLE BODY.
• RAISE THE ARMS IN FRONT OF THE FACE WITH THE ELBOWS POINTING SIDEWAYS.
• CLOSE THE EARS WITH THE THUMBS, THE EYES WITH THE INDEX FINGES, THE NOSTRILS WITH THE MIDDLE FINGERS, AND THE MOUTH BY PLACING THE RING FINGERS ABOVE THE LITTLE FINGERS BELOW THE LIPS.
• RELEASE THE PRESSURE OF THE MIDDLE FINGERS AND OPEN THE NOSTRILS. INHALE SLOWLY AND DEEPLY, USING FULL YOGIC BREATHING.
• AT THE END OF INHALATION, CLOSE THE NOSTRILS WITH THE MIDDLE FINGERS.

 

RETAIN THE BREATH INSIDE FOR AS LONG AS IS COMFORTABLE. AFTER SOME TIME, RELEASE THE PRESSURE OF THE MIDDLE FINGERS AND SLOWLY EXHALE. THIS IS ONE ROUND. INHALE AGAIN IMMEDIATELY TO START ANOTHER ROUND. TO END THE PRACTICE, LOWER THE HANDS TO THE KNEES, KEEPING THE EYES CLOSED, AND SLOWLY EXTERNALIZE THE MIND, BECOMING AWARE OF EXTERNAL SOUNDS AND THE PHYSICAL BODY.

BREATHING

THIS TECHNIQUE GIVES GREATER BENEFITS WHEN THE PRACTITIONER CAN RETAIN THE BREATH FOR EXTENTED PERIODS.

 

DURATION

PRACTICE FOR 5 MINUTES TO BEGIN WITH. GRADUALLY BUILD THE DURATION UP OVER A PERIOD OF MONTHS TO 30 MINUTES.

AWARENESS

PHYSICAL - ON SYNCHRONIZING THE HAND MUDRA WITH THE BREATH.

SPIRITUAL - BINDU, AJNA OR ANAHATA CHAKRA MAY BE USED FOR CONCENTRATION. THE IMPORTANT POINTS IS TO INTROVERT THE SENSES.

TIME TO PRACTICE

SHANMUKHI MUDRA IS BEST PRACTICED EARLY IN THE MORNING OR LATE AT NIGHT WHEN THERE IS MAXIMUM QUIET. PRACTISING AT THIS TIME AWAKENS PSYCHIC SENSITIVITY.

BENEFITS

PHYSICALLY, THE ENERGY AND HEART FROM THE HANDS AND FINGERS STIMULATES AND RELAX THE NERVES AND MUSCLES OF THE FACE. MENTALLY, IT INTROVERTS THE AWARENESS. SPIRITUALLY, IT INDUCES THE STATE OFPRATYAHARA OR SENSE WITHDRAWAL.

LISTEN SOUNDS

SHANMUKHI MUDRA IS A PRACTICE USED IN NADA YOGA TO HEAR ANY INTERNAL MANIFESTATION OF SOUND IN THE REGION OF BINDU CHAKRA. THERE MAY BE MANY SOUNDS OR NONE AT ALL, JUST LISTEN. DO NOT EXPECT TO HEAR SUBTLE SOUNDS IMMEDIATELY, PRACTICE IS NECESSARY. AT FIRST THERE MAY BE NO SOUND OT A CONFUSED JUMBLE OF SOUNDS. UPON HEARING ONE DISTINCT SOUND, FOCUS THE AWARENESS TOTALLY UPON IT. THIS MAY TAKE A FEW WEEKS OF PRACTICE. AS SENSITIVITY DEVELOPS SUBTLER SOUNDS WILL HE HEARD.