An Indian Art

How Long is a Yoga Mudra Held?

The great masters do not agree on the length of time to practice a mudra position. The Indian mudra researcher Keshav Dev recommends holding one mudra per day for 45 minutes; chronic complaints can be eliminated in this way.6 If it isn't possible to do this, these 45 minutes can be divided into three time periods of 15 minutes each. The kinesiologist Kim da Silva, who has tested the effect of mudras over longer periods of time, recommends an individually, precisely determined time for holding each mudra. If you use a mudra as support for some type of therapy or to heal a chronic complaint, then I think it is beneficial to use it routinely, like a medication: every day at the same time and for the same length of time. Mudras that are used for acute complaints—such as respiratory and circulation problems, flatulence, exhaustion, or inner restlessness—should be discontinued when the appropriate effect is achieved. Other mudras can be practiced for 3 to 30 minutes, two to four times a day. Using a stopwatch is the ideal way to time them. The time specifications that I have assigned to the individual mudras are meant to be an orientation aid, but not a dogma. You will also notice that your hands, especially the fingers, will become increasingly sensitive and respond to the mudras much more quickly after they have been given some training. If you need 5 minutes at the start to feel the effect of a mudra, in time you will only need 10 breaths. This is a wonderful experience! However, if you are confined to your bed, then you have enough time and should permit yourself to make good use of it. Also let the visualizations and affirmations continue to have their lasting effect afterward. You can use this time for your own benefit, for the healing of the body, mind, and soul.

The effect of a mudra may be perceived immediately or only after a certain amount of time. You start to feel warm, the sense of unwellness and pain fade away, your mood improves, and your mind is refreshed. But exactly the opposite may occur at the start. You become tired, or start to feel cold and shiver. This is also a positive sign of the effect.