Do you often find yourself easily distracted, unable to concentrate on a task for a long? If so, you may benefit from the practice of Bhoochari Mudra, also known as “gazing into nothingness.”
Bhoochari mudra involves fixing your gaze on a particular point in empty space, helping to still the mind and increase focus. With its association with the earth element and the sense of smell, Bhoochari Mudra can also have a grounding effect, allowing you to feel more rooted and connected.
In this article, we will explore the benefits of Bhoochari Mudra, how to perform it, and precautions to keep in mind. Bhoochari Mudra can be a powerful technique to deepen your spiritual practice and enhance your overall well-being.
What is Bhoochari Mudra?
Bhoochari Mudra comes under the category of Mana Mudra, a type of mudra which involves the sense organs (eyes, tongue, ears, skin, nose) to control the mind. Unlike hasta mudras, which are hand gestures, Bhoochari Mudra utilizes the eyes and breath to stimulate the body’s energy centers and calm the mind.
The term Bhoochari Mudra is derived from two Sanskrit words – “bhoo” meaning “earth” and “chari” meaning “movement” or “wandering”. This Mudra involves fixing the gaze at the tip of the little fingertip while one hand is raised at the nose level.
After a while, the hand is removed but gaze is still focused on the point where the little fingertip was. So basically, one’s gaze is fixed onto empty space. This makes the bhoochari mudra a form of trataka, as in you stare at an object or focal point in open eyes meditation.
Bhoochari mudra is also known as the “gazing into nothingness” gesture since you ultimately gaze at nothing after removing your raised hand. Technically, you are staring at the space where the tip of the little finger was once placed. But to a person watching you practice this mudra, it may come off as if you staring at nothing or space.
Importance of Bhoochari Mudra
The successful mastery of bhoochari mudra is believed to give practitioners incredible speed and ability to move through the ground due to the intense energy attained during the practice.
You can do this mudra before sitting for meditation to clear out mental clutter. By focusing on a single point in space, the mind becomes steady, and the constant chatter in the head slowly fades away. So it’s more of a Dharana (concentration) practice which eventually helps you develop a state of Dhyana (the ultimate meditative stage).
Bhoochari Mudra stimulates the Ajna chakra, also known as the “third eye”. By stimulating the chakra, this mudra can help improve one’s intuition, enhance spiritual perception and activate psychic abilities. With regular practice, this mudra can help in developing a deeper connection with the inner self and the universe.
Bhoochari mudra is associated with the earth element and therefore has a grounding effect on the body and mind. It helps in strengthening the nervous system and can also improve the health of the eyes.
How to do Bhoochari mudra
Bhoochari mudra is performed sitting in a cross-legged position. Then you raise right hand to the nose level, with your palm facing downwards and your fingers extended. Fix your gaze at the tip of your little finger, and hold the position for as long as you feel comfortable. Then, lower your hand but keep your gaze fixed on the point of the right little fingertip.
Follow the steps below to perform it correctly:
- Sit up tall in a cross-legged position, preferably Padmasana, Siddhasana, or Sukhasana.
- Place your hands on your knees, forming the Gyan Mudra, with palms facing upward.
- Relax your face, neck, shoulders, and eye muscles by closing your eyes.
- Open your eyes and bring your right hand to level with your nose. Your palms should be facing down and your fingers should be kept straight. The entire forearm, from fingers to elbows will be parallel to the ground.
- Lightly press the side of the thumb on the center top of the upper lip.
- Place your point of gaze at the tip of the little finger and hold the gaze, without blinking, for at least a minute. You could slightly raise your right little finger to make a clear gaze at your fingertip.
- After a minute, remove your hand and place it on your knees in Gyan mudra but keep your gaze intact on the now blank space.
- Maintain this thoughtless gazing at nothingness for a minimum of 5 minutes and gradually extend the time to 10 minutes or more.
Points to remember
- The palm used for pressing the upper lip should be kept facing down at all times.
- This mudra is used to get your eyes accustomed to gazing at a fixed point. Thus, if you lose focus, you can bring your hand back and repeat the process till you get back your focus.
- You can practice bhoochari mudra once a day for 5-10 minutes daily to soon increase the time of looking at nothing thoughtlessly.
Benefits of Bhoochari Mudra
Practising bhoochari mudra can give you the benefit of deepening your meditation. It induces inner peace and mental calmness, which helps tackle stress, anger, and tension. One of the major benefits of bhoochari mudra is that it improves memory power.
- Calms the mind and improves focus: By gazing at nothingness, this mudra helps to still the mind and improve concentration and focus.
- Promotes relaxation and reduces stress: This mudra can help to reduce stress and promote relaxation by calming the mind and reducing anxiety.
- Enhances intuition: Bhoochari Mudra is believed to enhance intuition and promote spiritual growth by helping to cultivate inner awareness.
- Strengthens the sense of smell: As this mudra involves focusing on the tip of the nose, it can help to strengthen the sense of smell.
- Balances the earth element: Bhoochari Mudra is associated with the earth element and can help to bring balance and stability to the body and mind.
- Promotes eye health and improves vision: Bhoochari mudra strengthen the eye muscles, improves eyesight and releases tension in and around the eyes.
Precautions and Contraindications
Bhoochari mudra should not be practised in case of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy or a person who has undergone recent cataract surgery or lens implant.
Beginners should start with a short duration of Bhoochari mudra (maybe 1 to 2 minutes) and repeat it 5 to 6 times in one sitting. As your eyes start watering, close your eyes and repeat the process several times. It will help you build up your gaze for a longer duration.
Conclusion
We are often faced with a situation where we forget an important idea or thought, don’t know why we opened the fridge, or don’t remember where we placed our jewelry or an important document. Practicing bhoochari mudra can help you get rid of this forgetfulness and also help with your meditation practice. You can get to practice thoughtlessness to get a sense of mental peace and calm.
