Most modern yoga practices pay no attention to traditional mudras or gestures. But these are also an important part of the yoga practice, as they are thought to help focus and channel energy and intention into the practice, and even help manifest and connect with your higher self. If you’re interested in exploring the use of hand mudras in yoga asana and meditation practices, here are some common mudras and some traditional beliefs associated with them.
what is mudra
what is mudra
Mudras are specific methods of aligning the position of the hands and fingers during a yoga practice that can bring a specific intention and energy into your being. Some mudras are symmetrical, meaning the left and right hands are in the same position, while others may be asymmetrical. Some can be practiced in various asanas or yoga positions, while others can be practiced in seated meditation.
According to Deepak Chopra, America’s leading meditation and yoga speaker, there are more than 100 mudras recorded by Vedic sages, and they all help direct specific energies to flow throughout the body. However, each finger is believed to help regulate the flow of specific elements through the body, creating balance and harmony.
Hastur mudra and the five elements
Hastur mudra and the five elements
Many traditional yoga scriptures speak of the five elements that flow through the body. These are earth, fire, water, air and space. By applying specific mudras, these elements and energies are awakened.
Hastur means hand in Sanskrit, so many articles and texts will call Hastur mudra when referring to these intentional gestures. These are the five elements that correspond to each finger in the body and in the universe as a whole.
1. Thumb – Fire Elemental
2. Index finger – wind element
3. Middle finger – element of space (also known as ether)
4. Ring finger – soil line
5. Little Finger or Little Finger – Element of Water
Additionally, it is believed that the left side of the body is where the divine feminine energy flows and the right side of the body is where the divine masculine energy flows.
Why should I start using mudra in my practice?
Why should I start using mudra in my practice?
If you already have a regular yoga asana or meditation practice, you may already be using hasta-mudras in your practice without even realizing it. Not only have hundreds of different mudras been recorded by yogi sages over the centuries, but there is evidence that other ancient cultures and spiritual practices have their own forms of gestures. From Ancient Egypt to Chinese Taoism, Hastur Mudra is believed to balance, heal and create a sacred space for your practice and a more holistic approach to living your mind and body through your body.
Scientific research has shown that free electrons move throughout the body, especially through the fingertips, so squeezing these electrons helps to form a seal (the Sanskrit word for mudra directly means “energy seal”), helping to create Battery recharge or relax.
Common Mudras and When to Use Them
Here are some common mudras you may already incorporate into your yoga asana and meditation practice, and how to guide them to establish intention, expression, and flow.
Namaskara / Anjali mudra
Namaskara / Anjali mudra
Even those who do not practice yoga regularly should be familiar with this mudra. Namaskara or Anjali Mudra is practiced by placing the palm in front of the heart and bending the third eye (the space between the eyebrows) slightly down to the fingertips. You can also align your elbows and form a straight line across the front of your body from elbow to elbow. Relax your shoulders and let the relaxing pressure of your palms squeezing each other hold the mudra in place.
It is not only a gesture of prayer in many religious and spiritual practices, but also an offering of greeting and worship and offering. Many yoga teachers start and end their yoga classes with this mudra and say the word “namaste”, which basically translates as “my inner light sees your inner light”.
Gana Mudra
Gana Mudra
The Jiana mudra is also a commonly used Hastur mudra. To practice, form a ring with your thumb and index finger, and gently press the fingertips against each other to create light pressure. The remaining three fingers remain open and relaxed. The Gyana Mudra is also known as the mudra of knowledge and is said to help absorb wisdom, allowing you to connect and converse with your highest self.
This mudra stimulates the red or root chakra, which helps with grounding, and spiritually strengthens the purple or crown chakra. Therefore, using Gyana Mudra in your practice helps to connect to the cosmic flow of the universe.
Zen mudra
Zen mudra
Dhyana Mudra, also known as Samadhi Mudra, is practiced while sitting in meditation. This mudra is said to represent complete balance and those who practice this mudra in meditation will be able to embody and immerse themselves in the boundless space. To practice this gesture, place your left hand on your lap, palm up, and your right hand on your left palm, also facing up. Touch the tips of your thumbs together to form a slight cup or basket shape.
Both yoga and Buddhist traditions practice this mudra. The union of two thumbs is said to represent the union of feminine and masculine energies present in all living beings.
Kali Mudra
Kali Mudra
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