Apana Mudra (Gesture of Elimination): steps, benefits and when to do it

How to do Apana Mudra

1. Sit upright in a comfortable position, or kneel in Vajrasana after a meal. Rest your hands on your knees, palms facing up.
2. On each hand, bend your middle finger and ring finger and touch both of their tips to the tip of your thumb.
3. Keep your index finger and little finger straight and relaxed, like two antennae.
4. Breathe slowly into your lower belly; let the belly rise on the in-breath and soften on the out-breath.
5. Hold for 10–15 minutes, then release your fingers and sit quietly for a few breaths.

Apana mudra is the hand gesture of elimination: the middle and ring fingertips touch the thumb tip while the index and little fingers point straight out. Yoga and Ayurveda use it for digestion, constipation and a feeling of being "cleared out". The diagram above, clearer than most apana mudra images, shows exactly which fingers meet.

Apana mudra meaning: what is apana?

In yoga, prana (life energy) is described as five vayus or winds. Apana is the downward and outward-moving wind, centred in the pelvis. It is said to govern everything that leaves the body: stool, urine, menstrual flow and the birth of a baby. Mudra means seal or gesture, so the apana mudra meaning is "gesture of the downward energy", usually translated as the gesture of elimination.

Element theory

Traditional mudra teaching links the thumb to fire, the middle finger to space and the ring finger to earth. Apana mudra joins space and earth to fire. The tradition says this helps the body "let go" of what it no longer needs, while earth keeps the process steady. Some teachers pair it with prana mudra as a prana apana mudra practice. The spiritual benefits are described as feeling grounded and able to let go.

Apana mudra benefits and uses

It is the classic mudra for stomach problems linked with elimination. Remember that these are traditional uses: there is no strong apana mudra research paper, and mudra studies in general are few, small and usually lack a control group.

• Apana mudra for digestion and constipation: ten to fifteen minutes with slow belly breathing may help you relax the abdomen, which some people find helps regularity. Add water, fibre and movement, and see our yoga for constipation and yoga for digestion plans. Wind-relieving pose is a good partner.
• Apana mudra for relaxation and stress relief: slow breathing into the lower belly calms the nervous system. Many people use it as a mudra for pain relief and tension in the lower back and pelvis.
• Apana mudra for periods: traditionally used for period discomfort and a regular cycle. See our yoga for period pain page for gentle poses.
• Apana mudra for detoxification: the tradition calls it cleansing. The liver and kidneys do the real detox work; the mudra only supports relaxed breathing.

Apana mudra for high blood pressure and diabetes

Mudra books list apana mudra for high blood pressure, diabetes and prostate health, and even for the brain and skin. There is no clinical evidence for these, and no mudra to lower blood pressure or support heart health has been proven. Slow breathing can help lower blood pressure a little, which is why yoga is used alongside treatment; read yoga for high blood pressure and yoga for diabetes, and keep taking your medicine.

Apana mudra benefits for female and male practitioners are mostly the same. Women often use it around the menstrual cycle; men sometimes use it for urinary comfort, though any urinary or prostate symptom needs a doctor. As for apana mudra for weight loss: it will not burn fat.

Apana mudra: when to do it and how long

How long to do apana mudra? Start with 10 minutes and build to 15, once or twice a day. Up to 45 minutes in total per day is the traditional limit. The best time is morning on waking, or sitting in Vajrasana for 5–10 minutes after a meal, a traditional pose for digestion. The "Start a timer" button above opens our meditation timer.

Pair it with slow belly breathing or Anulom Vilom. Avoid strong practices such as Kapalbhati straight after eating.

Apana mudra vs apana vayu mudra

The names are close, but the hands differ:

So apana vayu mudra, also called the "life saving mudra" (Mritsanjeevani), is apana mudra plus vayu mudra. How does apana vayu mudra work? In theory, folding the index finger calms the air element while the other fingers keep the downward flow. Apana vayu mudra benefits, whether you read about them in Hindi, Tamil or English, centre on the heart area. Despite the nickname, it cannot treat a heart attack: chest pain needs emergency help.

Can I do apan vayu mudra or apana mudra while walking? Yes, for a few minutes on a slow walk, but seated practice lets you breathe more deeply.

Apana mudra side effects

Side effects are few: some people need the toilet soon after, and long holds can stiffen the fingers. The key precautions are in the box above. Apana mudra benefits and side effects are both mild compared with medicine.

Apana mudra benefits in English are no different from apana mudra benefits in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi or Bengali. There is no one mudra for all problems; see all hand mudras and their benefits on our mudras page.

Where this practice is used

Yoga for: Diabetes · Uric Acid and Gout · Kidney Health · Period Pain and Menstrual Cramps · Irregular Periods · Prostate Health · Digestion · Constipation · Acidity and Acid Reflux · IBS · Piles (Hemorrhoids)

More mudras

Mudras are a traditional practice for focus and relaxation. Research on specific health effects is limited; use them alongside, not instead of, medical care.