Types of Mudras

Mudras in general are used mainly in three fields:

(a) Dance (to express the feelings and emotions through bodily gestures).
(b) Rituals (in performing certain worships) and
(c) Hatha Yoga (to help in stabilizing the mind).

We will limit ourselves to the region of Hatha Yoga which includes Asanas, Pranayama, Satkriyas, Bandhas and Mudras. Many of the Yoga texts take Bandhas and Mudras as a single unit.

According to Gheranda Samhita, there are mainly 25 Mudras, whereas Hatha Pradipika describes only 10 of these. Among them the following twelve are the most important ones:

Maha Mudra Maha Bhandha Maha Vedha Yoga Mudra Viuparitakarani Vajroli

Sakticalani Khecari Mudra Yoni Mudra Uddiyana Bandha Jalandhara Bandha Mula Bandha

Hathapradipika describes 10 main Mudras, excluding Yoga Mudra and Yoni Mudra, from the above mentioned list of 12 Mudras. There are various minor Mudras too, which are prevent and practiced by the Hatha Yogis.

Now we will briefly describe four common Mudras.

MAHA MUDRA (Royal Gesture)

Sir with legs stretched, bend the left leg at the knee and press the perineum with the heel. Inhale completely and hold the breath. Catch hold of the big toe of the stretched right leg with both hands by bending the waist forward. Keep the chest up. Have Mula Bandha. While making a swallowing movement, bend the neck forwards and press the chin on the chest. Inhale and have Jalandhara Bandha. While maintaining, relax the head region and feel the locking of air below the throat. Maintain for something and then very slowly exhale. Release the lock by raising the head back and exhale slowly. Repeat this with the other leg also. Repeat for equal number of times on either side every day.

BENEFITS: Many diseases of the stomach are cured by this. Very useful in curing seminal weakness.

ASVINI MUDRA: (Horse-Anus Gesture)

• Sit erect in Padmasana. Exhale.
• Hold the breath and pull up the anus by contracting the sphincter; hold for about 10 seconds and inhale.
• Release the anus.
• Repeat this rhythmically and about 10 to 30 times.

BENEFITS: This Mudra is useful in evoking the spiritual forces dormant in the lower centers. Useful for pregnant women, and incurring urinary and anal incontinence. Asvini mudra done in Viparitakarani posture is useful in treating piles and prolapsed uterus.

SAMUKHI MUDRA (Six-faced Gesture)

• Sit erect in any meditative posture.
• Spread out the fingers of both hands over the face, and close the eyes, ears and nose tightly using the following fingers: Index fingers over the eyes, thumbs over the Tragus of the ears, middle fingers over the nostrils, ring and little fingers over the lips thus closing all the orifices in the face.
• Open alternate nostrils by releasing only middle fingers, to carry on the breathing as in Nadi Suddhi Pranayama.
• This is Sanmukhi Mudra.

BENEFITS: This mudra is very helpful in taking the mind to meditation. It cuts off all external stimuli coming from the four special senses that is vision, hearing , smell and taste. Hence the mind can easily dwell inmeditation by following the final internal sound of the breath along with the mantra. Useful in persons suffering from tension headaches.

YOGA MUDRA (Yoga Gesture)

Sit in Padmasana, catch hold of the right wrist by left hand behind the back. Bend forward and touch the floor by the forehead. Return. Yoga Mudra can also be performed by putting the palms in between the heel and the abdominal wall, before bending forward. BENEFITS: This cures the diseases of the abdomen and pelvis, tones up the nervous system especially the lumbo-sacral nerves. Helps in cases of seminal weakness.

Some Minor Mudras