Yoni Mudra – Mudra of the Source

Yoni Mudra is so called because the practice leads the yogi to a state of mind similar to the one experienced in the womb. Yoni Mudra involves closing the two ears, the two eyes, the nose and the mouth with the fingers. This helps to cut off all the external inputs to the sense organs and the gaze of the practitioner is fixed on the inner activity. It induces a state of Pratyahara or withdrawal of the senses from external events, which is the starting point for higher practices of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.

The practice of mudra should be taken up only with proper guidance. Those suffering from depression or too much introversion should avoid this mudra. Also, it is good to do the purification of the body through Shatkarmas before taking with the practice of Mudras.

How to do Yoni Mudra?

1. Sit in Siddhasana or the accomplished pose. Siddhasana is performed by folding the leg and placing the heel of the left leg under the perineum. The right leg can be placed on top of the left leg or in front. Women can use the Sidhhayoni
2. Close the ears with the thumbs. Close the eyes with the index fingers and close the nose with the two middle fingers.
3. Close the mouth by keeping the little finger under the lower lips and the ring finger above the upper lips.
4. This is also called Shanmukhi mudra. In Sanskrit, shad means six and mukha means mouth or opening. In this practice the six openings (two ears, two eyes, nose and mouth) are closed.
5. Make your lips into the form of a crow’s beak. This is called Kaki Mudra and suck in air into the lungs from the mouth. Remember to keep the nose closed with the middle fingers.
6. Perform Moola Bandha or the Root lock to merge the Prana and Apana.
7. Close the mouth and exhale the air through the nose. One can also hold the breath inside for some time and then exhale the air through the nose. This is one round. Practice as many rounds as required.
8. If holding of breath is comfortable, then rotation of consciousness along the chakras can be practiced with each breath.

Benefits of Yoni Mudra

1. It is said that the pranic energy exits from the extremities, especially the hands and legs. The fingers when used to close the eyes, will transfer this energy to the eyes. Similarly, the other fingers will transfer the energy to other parts of the face. This stimulates the nerves and relaxes the muscles of the face.
2. Yoni Mudra brings about introversion. It leads the practitioner to the state of Pratyahara or the withdrawal of senses from the external world. This state is a prelude to the practice of meditation and Samadhi.
3. Yoni mudra is also used in Nada Yoga, the yoga practice where one concentrates on the inner sounds that you hear with the ears closed. This practice leads to higher states of consciousness through the awareness of subtler and subtler sounds.
4. In the practice of Kundalini yoga, yoni mudra is used to awaken the kundalini. For this, rotation of consciousness is practiced in Yoni Mudra with internal holding of breath.
5. According to Gheranda Samhita, the practice of Yoni Mudra destroys all sins.