Akashi Mudra (Awareness Of Inner Space)

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Akashi Mudra (awareness of inner space) is a mana mudra (head mudras)

How To Do Akashi Mudra (Awareness Of Inner Space)

Sit in any comfortable meditation asana.
Close the eyes and relax the whole body for a few minutes.
Fold the tongue back against the palate in khechari mudra.
Practice ujjayi pranayama and shambhavi mudra.
Bend the head backward about 45 degrees.
Straighten the arms and lock the elbows, pressing the knees with the hands.
Breathe slowly and deeply in ujj ayi.
Continue for as long as you feel comfortable.
End the practice by bending the elbows and releasing khechari and shambhavi mudras.
Raise the head to the upright position.
Resume normal breathing and be aware of the inner space.

Begin with one round and gradually increase to 5.
Maintain the final position for as long as is comfortable, increasing the length of time in the mudra very slowly.

As soon as faintness is felt, stop the practice. This technique must be practised slowly under the guidance of a competent teacher.
People suffering from high blood pres sure, vertigo, brain disorders or epilepsy should not practise this mudra.

This practice combines the benefits of kumbhaka, ujjayi, shambhavi and khechari.
It induces calmness and tranquillity, and develops control over the senses. When perfected, it arrests the thought processes and induces higher states of consciousness.

Akashi mudra may also be practised with breath retention. Perform the practice as described above. Inhale while bending the head backwards. Hold the breath inside in the final position. Exhale while slowly raising the head to the starting position.

It is recommended that the practitioner be completely familiar with the practices of ujjayi, khechari and shambhavi before commencing akashi mudra. At first ujjayi pranayama may irritate the throat when performed with the head back. However, with practice, it will become more comfortable.
Akashi mudra belongs to the group of techniques ftaturing gazing at an external focal point as a means to achieving dharana or the meditative state of relaxed concentration.