Maha Mudra – Great Psychic Attitude

How to do Maha Mudra (Great Psychic Attitude) | Base Position |Breathing pattern | Duration | Sequence | Time of practice | Precautions | Maha Mudra Benefits | Practice note

Maha Mudra (great psychic attitude) is a bandha mudra (lock mudras). It’s extremely popular for removing energy blockages.

How to do Maha Mudra (Great Psychic Attitude)

Base Position: Utthanpadasana (Stretched Leg Pose)

• Sit with the legs outstretched.
• Bend the left knee and press the left heel firmly into the
• perineum at the location point of mooladhara chakra.
• The right leg remains outstretched.
• Place both hands on the right knee.
• Adjust the position so that it is comfortable.
• Bend forward just enough to be able to clasp the right big toe with both hands.
• Hold the position for a comfortable duration.
• Return to the upright position with both hands resting on the right knee.
• Repeat on the other side, and then with both legs outstretched.
• This is one round.
• Practice 3 rounds.

Maha Mudra (Great Psychic Attitude)

• Sit in utthanpadasana with the right leg outstretched.
• Keep the back straight.
• Relax the whole body.
• Practice khechari mudra.
• Take a deep breath in.
• Exhale and bend forward. Clasp the right big toe with both hands.
• Keep the head erect, and the back straight. Slowly inhale, tilting the head slightly back. Perform shambhavi mudra and then moola bandha. Hold the breath inside and rotate the awareness from the eyebrow centre, to the throat, to the perineum. Mentally repeat, ‘ajna, vishuddhi, mooladhara’. The concentration should remain at each chakra for only I or 2 seconds. Release shambhavi and moola bandha.
• Slowly exhale, returning to the upright position.
• This is one round.

Breathing pattern while doing Maha Mudra – Great Psychic Attitude

• One round is equivalent to 2 complete breaths.
• The length of the breath should be extended gradually.

Duration

• Practise 3 rounds with the left leg folded, then with the right leg folded, and then with both legs outstretched.

Sequence

• This practice should ideally be practised after asana and pranayama and before meditation.

Time of practice

• In the early morning while the stomach is completely empty. 

Precautions while doing Maha Mudra – Great Psychic Attitude

• People suffering from high blood pressure, heart complaints or glaucoma should not perform this practice. Those with diabetic retinopathy or who have just had cataract surgery, lens implant or other eye operations should not perform the practice without the guidance of a competent teacher. ,
• Maha mudra should not be performed without prior purification of the body. Impurity is indicated by any symptoms of accumulated toxins, such as skin eruptions. The practice of maha mudra generates heat and should be avoided in hot summers.
• Do not practise during active menstruation or pregnancy. 

Maha Mudra Benefits

• Maha mudra combines the benefits of shambhavi mudra, khechari mudra, moola bandha and kumbhaka.
• It stimulates the energy circuit, linking mooladhara with ajna chakra.
• The whole system is charged with prana which intensifies awareness and induces spontaneous meditation.
• Energy blockages are removed.

Practice note

• Before commencing maha mudra, the practitioner should be thoroughly proficient in the techniques of shambhavi mudra, khechari mudra, moola bandha and kumbhaka.
• This practice should only be attempted under the guidance of a competent teacher.