MAHA VEDHA MUDRA (Great Piercing Attitude) in Hath Yoga

 MAHA VEDHA MUDRA  (Great Piercing Attitude)
in Hath Yoga

The yogi, in the position of maha bandha, should inhale, make the mindsteady and stop the movement of prana by performing the throat lock. Ida, pingala and sushumna become united and verily, immortality isattained. A death-like state occurs; then the breath should be exhaled. (27-28)

Through maha vedha practice, the kundalini shakti is forced into sushumna and up to ajna chakra by gently beating the buttocks on the floor. This technique is described as tadan kriya or ‘the beating action’ in kriya yoga.

Technique

Sit in padmasana. If you have not perfected padmasana you will not beable to practice properly. Relax the body and keep the eyes closed.

Place the palms of the hands on the floor beside the thighs. Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose.

Retain the breath inside and perform jalandhara bandha. Raise thebody by placing all the weight on the hands, straighten the arms, and gently beat the buttocks on the ground from three to seven times, keeping your awareness in mooladhara. Then rest the buttocks on the floor, release jalandhara bandha, sit quietly and exhale slowly and deeply.

This is one round.

Let the breathing return to normal, then again inhale and repeat the process. Practice three rounds in the beginning. After a few months you can gradually increase up to five rounds but no more.

When beating the buttocks you must be gentle. The buttocks and the backs of the thighs should touch the ground simultaneously. The spine must be kept straight and jalandhara bandha maintained. When youcomplete the practice, sit quietly and concentrate on mooladhara chakra for a few minutes.

In the kriya yoga practice of tadan kriya, which is almost the same as maha vedha mudra, the breath is taken in slowly through the mouthand shambhavi mudra is performed.

Benefit

Maha vedha mudra is powerful technique that introvert the mind and awaken psychic faculties. It affect the pineal and pituitary glands and thus the whole endocrinal system. By activating the pineal gland, the pituitary is kept under control, hormonal secretions are regulated and catabolismis curtailed. Then the symptoms of old age are either annihilated or reduced. It activates kundalini energy located at the base of the spine at the root chakra; awakens psychic faculties; stimulates endocrine system, controls and balances the production of hormones.