Kaki Mudra or the Crow’s beak gesture improves health, digestion and immunity of the body and longevity. In Sanskrit, Kaka means the crow and Mudra means a gesture or attitude.
In Kaki mudra, the lips are rounded to imitate a crow’s beak, while breathing is done through the pursed lips. Hence, the name.
In this mudra, breathing in is from the pursed lips, while exhalation is done from the nostrils.
How to do Kaki Mudra (Crow’s Beak Gesture)?
- Sit in any comfortable meditation asana like Padmasana, Sukhasana, Swastikasana, Siddhasana or Vajrasana.
- Close your eyes and breath normally with attention on the inhalation and exhalation.
- Now, purse your lips to make it rounded like a crow’s beak, so that you can breathe in through the mouth, through the lips.
- Take your attention to the tip of the nose.
- Breath in slowly and deeply through the mouth.
- Hold the air inside you for few seconds
- Close the lips and breathe out slowly through the nose.
- Repeat this for at least 2 – 5 minutes. You can practice longer if you wish.
- You can do Kaki Mudra, even sitting on a chair in a relaxed way.
Benefits of Kaki Mudra (Crow’s Beak Gesture)
- In Kaki mudra, the lips are pursed to resemble the beak of a crow. The inhaled air stimulates the wall of the mouth and pharynx. This activates the digestive secretions.
- Kaki Mudra cools the body.
- This mudra gives the benefits of Nasikagra Dhristi as well because the attention is held on the tip of the nose.
- It eliminates many illnesses and keeps the body healthy.
- This mudra is good for the skin and reduces wrinkles on the face.
- The ancient yogis created this mudra after observing the crows. The crow lives for long number of years with good health. This mudra enhances health as well as longevity.
- This mudra gives benefits similar to Sheetali pranayama as both cools the body.