How to do Shanmukhi Mudra: Meaning, Benefits and Cautions

Shanmukhi Mudra is a powerful hand gesture that is practised during yoga and pranayama. Shanmukhi meaning is “six-faced”, which keeps the six senses in the inward direction. This is also known as pratyahara or withdrawal of the senses in the inner world. It is often practised during pranayama for stillness in the body and mind.

The number six shows the number of perceptive senses of our body. The resting phase of the mind allows deep perseverance and withdrawal from the mental and physical issues. This mudra is highly effective in creating silence in our body and mind.

What is Shanmukhi Mudra?

Like other hand gestures, Shanmukhi mudra is a powerful way of keeping the mind calm and remaining conscious in deep meditation. It is practised in the sukhasana or padmasana pose. Definition and meaning with benefits are mentioned in Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Gheranda Samhita.

The name is adopted from ancient Sanskrit, “Shan” means six and “mudra” means gesture. It refers to the senses of the six gates, we perceive our surroundings with the help of the eye, ear, nose and mouth. These six senses are closed by hands. In Nada Yoga, connection to the inner world is increased, and it is practised best in the shanmukhi mudra.

How to do Shanmukhi Mudra?- Shanmukhi Mudra Steps

It is a myth that with continuous practice of Shanmukhi mudra, a person can hear the divine sound, which is mentioned as Anhata Nada in the yogic texts. Other than pratyahara, there are spiritual practices of the kundalini awakening in which Hatha yogis mentioned the nada sound or the voice of the universe. We don’t drift benefits on the practice section anymore, and by keeping it brief, here are ways to perform Shanmukhi Mudra:

• Sit in a comfortable position with a straight spine and close your eyes.
• Now use both hands to cover all your senses of the face.
• Keep your thumb to close your ears.
• Index finger on the eyes.
• Middle finger on the nose and ring finger on the upper lip.
• Lastly, keep your small finger on the lower lip.
• In the same comfortable position, sit silently and breathe deeply.
• Focus on your inner silence or sound and keep observing your breath.
• Be in the same position for some minutes and then release it calmly.

You can also practice pranayama in the same mudra. Most of the time, Shanmukhi is practised with the “AUM” sound by the yogis.

Benefits of Shanmukhi Mudra

According to the fifth limb of Patanjali’s Ashtanga yoga, pratyahara prepares you for Dharana and Samadhi (the highest level). Regular practice of the shanmukhi mudra makes any person more reflective and more intuitive during that period. Here are some main benefits of the Shanmukhi mudra:

• It brings awareness to the self and makes self-realisations more likely to happen.
• Pratyahara, or of withdrawal of senses from the external world, is practised by Shanmukhi mudra.
• It calms both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems of the body, which means it calms the mind and body.
• Increase immunity and improve metabolic rate.
• This mudra helps in gazing inward, which increases inner awareness or Antar Drishti.
• There is also a deep self-reflection practice during this stage. 
• It supports ajna chakra activation and makes a person more intuitive.
• It makes the face calmer and also relaxes the eyes; conditions like prolonged screen vision can be relaxed with Shanmukhi mudra.
• Better for mental discipline and concentration.
• Relieves fatigue of office work or sensory fatigue. 

Cautions or Contraindications in Practising Shanmukhi Mudra

Most of the hand gestures are practised with a calm mindset and on an empty stomach. If you are thinking of practising it with stuffy food, it is not relevant for your mind and body. Here are some precautions that you can take while practising Shanmukhi Mudra:

• Don’t practice this mudra during the day or on a full stomach.
• Don’t press too hard on facial muscles and eye muscles.
• Women or girls during their periods should not practise it because it pulls energy upwards.
• In sinus congestion or high blood pressure conditions, it is not good.
• In case of heavy emotional distress, better not to practice this gesture.

Conclusion 

Shanmukhi mudra is an easy hand gesture, and it is practised with pranayama. It is known for the pratyahara practice, which is fifth limb of Ashtanga yoga. There are various benefits of this gesture, which are verified by the ancient texts like Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Gheranda Samhita. There are no potential contraindications, but most of the hand gestures are not safe for pregnant women and menstruating one. You can get more information about yoga, pranayama and poses from the Pratham Yoga Centre.