Apana Mudra
Middle and ring fingertips meet the thumb. This is the mudra of elimination and release: for constipation, for retained urine, for sluggish detoxification, and for anything the body is holding that it should be letting go of.
Meaning of the name
The seal of the downward current. Apāna is the vāyu that governs everything that must leave — waste, breath out, birth.
How to practise
- 1
Sit with the spine upright, ideally in Vajrasana after a meal or Sukhasana otherwise.
- 2
Bring the tips of the middle and ring fingers to the tip of the thumb.
- 3
Keep the index and little fingers extended.
- 4
Rest the hands palms up on the thighs.
- 5
Emphasise the exhalation: let each out-breath be a little longer than the in-breath.
Benefits
- Relieves constipation and regulates bowel movement
- Assists the passage of urine and eases difficulty in urination
- Supports the liver and kidneys in clearing metabolic waste
- Reduces excessive sweating and body odour
- Eases dental pain and strengthens gums
- Reduces menstrual cramping when practised in the days before the period
What happens in the nervous system
Defecation, urination and digestion are all parasympathetic functions, driven by the vagus above and the pelvic splanchnic nerves below. A lengthened exhalation is the single most direct voluntary lever on vagal tone available to us — which is why emphasising the out-breath, rather than the mudra alone, does most of the work here.
Related practices
KSN Yoga & Healing