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Upavistha Yoga Mudra

Last updated: December 21, 2023

What Does Upavistha Yoga Mudra Mean?

Upavistha yoga mudra is a beginner-friendly seated yoga asana. The name comes from the Sanskrit, upavistha, meaning “seated,” and mudra, meaning “seal.”

To enter the pose, begin sitting on the heels in thunderbolt pose. Bring both arms behind the back and interlace the fingers. Inhale to bring a small backbend into the upper body then exhale to bend forward and place the forehead on the ground. Lift both arms up, fingers still interlaced, palms together. Lifting the seat off the floor, roll the head forward so that the crown of the head is on the ground. Be mindful of the neck here. Breathe gently for a cycle of 10 to 20 breaths then slowly sit back upright to come out of the pose.

Upavistha yoga mudra is commonly called seated yoga mudra pose in the West.

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Yogapedia Explains Upavistha Yoga Mudra

Regular practice of upavistha yoga mudra stimulates the ajna (third eye) and sahasrara (crown) chakras. The ajna chakra is associated with wisdom, intuition and clairvoyance. The sahasrara chakra promotes a calm state of mind and leads to eternal bliss.

Additional benefits of upavistha yoga mudra include:

  • Relieves stress
  • Calms the mind
  • Promotes mental focus
  • Engages the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)
  • Tones the core and improves digestion
  • Strengthens the cardiovascular system
  • Stretches the neck and shoulders
  • Stimulates brain function

As a modification, this asana may be practiced using a yoga strap in order to assist the hands in reaching.


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