Ashwini Mudra
Rhythmic contraction and release of the anal sphincter. Unglamorous, invisible, and among the most useful practices in the whole system — it is the pelvic floor training that modern physiotherapy arrived at independently, several centuries later.
अश्विनी मुद्रा
Aśvinī Mudrā
Meaning of the name
The horse seal — named for the rhythmic contraction a horse makes after passing dung. The tradition takes its images from what it observed.
How to practise
- 1
Sit in any comfortable meditation posture, or lie down.
- 2
Contract the muscles of the anal sphincter, drawing them inward and upward.
- 3
Hold for a moment, then release completely.
- 4
Repeat rhythmically — begin with 10 to 20 repetitions and build to 50 over several weeks.
- 5
For the static version, hold the contraction for as long as is comfortable while breathing normally.
Benefits
- Prevents and relieves piles, fissure and prolapse
- Strengthens the entire pelvic floor; helps urinary incontinence in both sexes
- Supports recovery after childbirth
- Improves circulation to the pelvic organs and supports prostate health
- Prepares the body for Mula Bandha, which cannot be learned without it
- Can be practised anywhere, unseen, at any time — including sitting at a desk
What happens in the nervous system
The pelvic floor is supplied by the pudendal nerve from sacral segments S2–S4, the same roots that carry parasympathetic outflow to the bladder and bowel. Repeated voluntary contraction improves both muscle tone and the cortical map of a region most people cannot locate at all — which is precisely why continence improves.
Related practices
KSN Yoga & Healing