Downward Facing Blog

The yoga practice of Shambhavi Mudra 

Or, maybe we should call it amrita, the nectar of immortality. Before you conclude that I’m selling you some new MLM wonderdrink, let me begin by saying that you produce this magickal elixir inside your own head. You can’t buy it. Although, if I could bottle it, I would definitely try to sell it.

At the back of your head, just around the occipital ridge, south of Sahasrara chakra, you will find the Bindu chakra. From what I have read and can sense, this chakra releases a kind of mystical substance that flows down the back of the throat to be stored at the Vishuddha chakra (which was the focus of the last post), where it is stored before taking it’s final journey to it’s demise at the fire of the navel.

What is it exactly? Well, Wikipedia says it quite well, “In yogic philosophy amrita is a fluid that can flow from the pineal gland down the throat in deep states of meditation. It is considered quite a boon: some yogic texts say that one drop is enough to conquer death and achieve immortality. Modern neurochemistry holds that the pineal gland produces Dimethyltryptamine, a psychedelic tryptamine, which is probably responsible for our REM-dreams.^“

Cool huh?

Now I’m gonna tell you how to access it…

I always teach my students when doing yoga to smile, but I rarely have the opportunity to say why. Although this technique is more sophisticated than simply smiling, that is where it begins.

At the roof of the mouth is a point, that when you concentrate upon, gives you a kind of pratyahara, or freedom from input through the five senses. That spot, which acts as a trigger for the bindu chakra (Dr, David Frawley calls it a “watery third eye”) is the meeting point of the five senses. By relaxing it, the mind ceases analysis of the objects in the five senses and the objects are free from mental definition, or grasping. At this point, a kind of compassion come over the spirit and it’s said that amrit drips down, releasing cosmic bliss.

Was that a mouthful?

It’s easy, try it:

Shambhavi Mudra meditation
focus now on the roof of the mouth, while keeping your eyes open looking, but not looking. Observe how the roof of the mouth lifts up slightly and the mind goes blank. When you begin to analyze, the roof drops and the mind starts creating meanings out of things. Withdraw your mind and your prana into yourself, specifically focusing at the roof of the mouth.

The Hatha Yoga Pradipika explains this technique:
(IV. 36-37) “When the Yogi maintains his perception looking down at an external object, as if not seeing anything at all, with eyes unblinking dwells, having merged his Prana and mind in an inner focus; that is the Shambhavi Mudra, which is gained through the grace of the guru. Apart from the void, and the non-void it manifests that true state which belongs to Shiva.”

This is the esoteric reason behind Jalandhara bandha (throat lock) as well: to trap the elixir at Vishuddha (throat chakra) before it escapes. When practicing pranayama, when you notice that there is saliva accumulating in the mouth, swallow it and visualize it spreading through all of your cells.

Try this simple meditation now… just relax the back of the mouth and keep your attention there… go blank, access the primordial Shiva in your consciousness. It’s a very easy meditation isn’t it?

PS: now try this when using drishti in the standing asanas!