How to do Unmani Mudra (The Attitude Of Mindlessness) | Precautions | Benefits | Notes for pracitioners
Unmani Mudra (the attitude of mindlessness) is a mana mudra (head mudras).
How to do Unmani Mudra (The Attitude Of Mindlessness)
- Sit in any comfortable meditation asana.
- Open the eyes fully, but without straining.
- Inhale slowly and deeply. Hold the breath inside. Focus the awareness at hindu in the back of the head for a few seconds.
- Exhale slowly, allowing the awareness to descend with the breath from hindu through the chakras in the spine: ajna, vishuddhi, anahata, manipura, swadhisthana, mooladhara. The eyes should slowly close as the awareness descends. By the time the awareness reaches mooladhara, the eyes should be fully closed.
- Even when the eyes are open, the awareness is looking within.
- Do not try too hard, but allow the process to occur spontaneously.
- Inhale deeply and begin the next round.
- Continue for 5 to 10 minutes.
Precautions while doing Unmani Mudra – The Attitude Of Mindlessness
- Those who have just had eye operations, or who have glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy should not perform unmani without the guidance of a competent teacher.
Benefits of doing Unmani Mudra – The Attitude Of Mindlessness
- Unmani mudra calms stress and agitation, and induces a meditative state.
Note
- The word unmani literally means ‘no mind’ or ‘not thinking’. It may also be translated as ‘the attitude of thoughtlessness’ or ‘meditation’.
- Unmani implies that state which is beyond thought, a state where all attachment to the world of objects is dispelled. In this state, the awareness functions without the hindrance of conflicting thoughts and analysis. This is known as unmani avastha, the state of no thought.