Yoni-mudra

Yoni-mudra

योनि-मुद्रा, yoni-mudrā

In yoga, yoni-mudra can be used during pranayama or meditation. 

An alternative name of yoni-mudra  is shanmukhi-mudra (ṣaṇmukhī – "six mouths or gates"). While performing this mudra, all the orifices related to the senses and located in the head are closed: 2 ears, 2 eyes, nose and mouth. Thus senses and perception are directed inward, which leads the practitioner to the state of pratyahara.

Technique of execution:
— sit in padmasana, siddhasana or other comfortable asana with a straight back;
— with the thumbs of both hands, close the ear holes not to hear external sounds;
— close your eyes and put your index fingers on your eyelids, the fingers lightly touch the eyelids without pressing on the eyes;
— put your middle fingers on the wings of your nose, while breathing, you can slightly lift your fingers, and during kumbhaka – close your nose completely;
— place the ring fingers under the above lip;
— little fingers – below the lower lip.

Sometimes in yogic texts yoni-mudra is called mula-bandha.

In tantra yoni-mudra is the position of hands or gesture, which is used in the veneration of the Goddess (this mudra is especially related to Tripurasundari). Yoni, the female reproductive organ, is a symbol of creation of the world, the source from which the whole universe unfolds. Yoni of Goddess, inside which is bindu as the seed of creation, is located in the very center of many yantras. In the human body, the place of yoni is muladhara chakra. In Tantra, yoni-mudra is one of the most important, as it worships the Goddess as the source of Creation and Creation itself.

A list of the main mudras can be found here.