Kaki Mudra (The Crow’s Beak)

Kaki Mudra (the crow’s beak) is a mana mudra (head mudras)

How To Do Kaki Mudra (The Crow’s Beak)

Sit in any comfortable meditation asana with the head and spine straight and the hands resting on the knees in either chin or jnana mudra.
Close the eyes and relax the whole body for a few minutes. Open the eyes and perform nasikagra drishti by focusing both eyes on the nose tip.
Try not to blink the eyes throughout this practice. Purse the lips, forming a break through which air may be inhaled.
The tongue should be relaxed.
Inhale slowly and deeply through the pursed lips.
At the end of inhalation close the lips and exhale slowly through the nose.
Repeat the process for 3 to 5 minutes.

Awareness

On the flow and sound of the breath, and on the nose tip.

Sequence while doing Kaki Mudra – The Crow’s Beak

This mudra is a cooling practice. It balances the temperature of the body when performed after heating pranayamas.

Time of practice

It may be performed at any time of day, although it is best performed early in the morning or late at night. It should not be performed in cold weather.

Precautions while doing Kaki Mudra – The Crow’s Beak

Kaki mudra should not be practised in a polluted atmosphere or in excessively cold weather because the normal filtering and air-conditioning function of the nose is bypassed.
Care should be taken not to strain the eyes. Contra-indications: People suffering from depression, glaucoma, low blood pressure or chronic constipation should avoid this practice.
People suffering from diabetic retinopathy or those who have just had cataract surgery, lens implant or other eye operations, should not perform this practice without the guidance of a competent teacher.

Benefits of Kaki Mudra – The Crow’s Beak

Kaki mudra cools the body and mind and soothes mental tensions. In addition to the benefits of nasikagra drishti, the act of pursing the lips in this practice, together with the contact of the indrawn air with the membranes of the mouth, stimulates digestive secretions, aiding the digestive process generally.

Practice note

Practitioners should be thoroughly familiar with nasikagra drishti prior to commencing this technique. The eyes must be kept open throughout the practice and nasikagra drishti should be continuous. If the eyes become tired, relax them for as long as necessary before commencing the practice.
The word kaki means ‘crow’. Knki mudra is so called because during inhalation the mouth is shaped like a crow’s beak. It is claimed that regular practice of this mudra leads to the disease free, long life that is associated with the crow.
This mudra is also considered to be a pranayama practice because of its close similarity to sheetali and sheetkari pranayamas.