The Gestures, or Mudras

To help and accelerate the effect of the postures, and breathing exercises, the science of Re-integration provides a certain number of technical psycho-physical processes, called "the Gestures".

"With the help of the Guru, after the sleeping coiled energy has awakened and pierced all the lotus-shaped subtle centers and their knots, then, to awaken Divinity sleeping at the Principial aperture (Brahmarandhra), the Gestures should be practiced intensively;" (Shiva Samhita 4, 22 23.)

There are many Gestures used in yoga and the three main muscular contractions described above, are usually included amongst them. Including them, the main Gestures are twenty-five in number:

(1) The Arch gesture (maha mudra)
(2) The Sphere-of-Space gesture (nabho mudra)
(3) The Arch-contraction (maha bandha)
(4) The gesture of Great-Perforation (maha vedha mudra)
(5) The gesture of Moving-in-the-Void (khechari mudra)
(6) The gesture of Inverted-Action (viparita karani mudra)
(7) The Yoni gesture (yoni mudra)
(8) The gesture of the Thunderbolt (vajrali, or vajroli mudra)
(9) The Instigator-of-Energy gesture (shakti chalani or chalana mudra)
(10) The Deep-Pool, or Beating gesture (tadagi or tadava mudra)
(11) The Frog gesture (manduki or mandavi mudra)
(12) The gesture of the Giver-of-Happiness (shambhavi mudra)
(13) The Horse gesture (ashvini mudra)
(14) The gesture of the Noose-holder (pashini mudra)
(15) The She-Crow gesture (kaki mudra)
(16) The She-Elephant gesture (matangi mudra)
(17) The She-Snake gesture (bhujangini mudra)
(18) to (22) The gestures of the Five-Holds (pancha dharana), i.e.
(18) earthly (parthiva)
(19) watery (ambhavi)
(20) luminous, fiery (vaishvanari)
(21) aerial (vayavi)
(22) ethereal (akashi)
(23) Root contraction (mula bandha)
(24) Net-Holding contraction (jalandhara bandha)
(25) Flying contraction (uddiyana bandha)

First | Previous | Next