If you have ever attended a yoga class (or any of my classes), you may remember the teacher asking you hold your hands in a particular way and the teacher talking about the benefits of a particular mudra. In Hatha Yoga, there are 25 mudras: body, eye mudra and hand mudras. Mudras are also used to illustrate the meaning of a ritual, give meaning to a sculptural image, a dance movement, or a meditative pose, intensifying their potency. In its highest form, it is a magical art of symbolical gestures. It is believed that the sequence itself of such ritual hand postures may have contributed to the development of the mudras of Indian classical dance.
Hasta Mudras or hand gestures, hand locks are energetic locks or seals. In Sanskrit, hasta means “hand” and “mudra” means “gesture”, “seal”, “stamp”. So, hasta mudras are hand gestures that seal the energy flow in our body in a particular way and direct it towards the way we want it to go, thus positively act on our mood or make subtle mental and physical changes in our energy body. And the energy is connected to the five elements collectively known as tattvas—earth, air, fire, water, space, ether. Yoga and Buddhism as well as some other traditions teach that all reality is made up of those five elements, and that the relationship among them informs how all cosmic life unfolds.
For example, Apana mudra directs the space and water energy downwards. Or, as a simpler example, palms on your hands positioned down on your thighs in a seated posture have a calming, grounding effect whereas palms up have a more receiving energy.
Mudras in combination with breathing exercise, visualization and affirmation, may have a wonderful, harmonious effect on your life. They are all valuable tools and may help you focus in on whatever aspect of your life feels challenging.
There are many mudras, some of them more recognisable, some less so, but still valuable and worth knowing. You will find detailed descriptions and instructions for some I highlighted here and some will be linked to a more detailed explanation and benefits.
With each hand: place the thumb to your middle and ring finger and extend index finger and little finger. To find out more about the benefits, click on the link.
Anjali Mudra
The palms of both hands are placed in front of the chest in a prayer-like position. It is often employed at the beginning and end of yoga class as a salutation.
Placing your hands together in front of your chest supports inner collection and creates harmony, balance, silence and peace. This mudra harmonises the left and right side of the brain. It shows respect for human beings.
Chin Mudra /Jnana Mudra
The best-known hand mudra of yoga is Chin Mudra. Lightly touch your thumb to your index finger, relaxing the other fingers. The thumb sybolises universe (cosmic divine) and the index finger is individual human consciousness. Using this mudra you can express the desire for unity, yoga. The three fingers symbolise 3 gunas or traits tamas (lethargy), rajas (activity), and sattva (balance and harmony).
In Chinese medicine, both these fingers belong to the metal element and as such conduct energy – connecting us with intuition inspiration and cosmic energy.
When your fingers point up it is called Jnana Mudra and when they point down to Earth, it is called Chin Mudra. The other way of performing this mudra is (a)placing the thumb to the nail of your index finger (actively giving position) or (b) the tip of your index finger touches the first thumb joint (passive receiving position).
This mudra is used to improve mental tension before the practice or after.
Prana Mudra
Often called Life Mudra. Place the tip of your thumb to your little and ring fingers together and extend the other two fingers.
This mudra activates the root /Muladhara chakra, it is your elemental right to be. It increases the vitality, reduces fatigue and improves vision. Combined with gentle pranayama it has the effect of stabilizing and calming and securing your body like an anchor.
Prana is within all living things. This mudra will help awaken your personal prana, put you more in tune with the prana around you.
Press down on the index finger to your level of comfort (hence you’ll often see images of thumb being positioned differently in order to reach the knuckle of the index finger comfortably) ; this gesture is intended to relax not strain the joint. To find out more about this mudra, click on the link.
Surya Mudra
Bend your ring finger to the base of your thumb and your thumb over the ring finger so that it touches the ring finger’s knuckle. Stretch your other three fingers straight without stressing the hand.
Fire mudra. This mudra increases the solar/fire element in the body; it improves digestion and metabolism. It supports water and space elements and is useful in reducing heaviness in the body. It is known to be practiced to help ward off colds, since it increases core body temperature.
This mudra stimulates the heart, strengthens the heart muscles, opens the bronchial tubes, releases the tension. Both physical and psychological. It gives us courage, confidence and openness towards others. To find out how more and how to practice this mudra, click on the link.
Bronchial Mudra
Both hands: Place your little finger at the base of the thumb, your ring finger on the upper thumb joint and the middle finger to the tip of the thumb. Extend the index finger.
Bronchial Mudra is used for asthma, bronchitis, allergies and respiratory symptoms caused by pollution. People with respiratory problems or shallow breathing tend to also suffer from sadness, loneliness or isolation, and this mudra can also help to shift these emotions.
In Yoga every breathing technique or pranayama builds inner strength and so does the mudra – it builds up our energy levels. Next time you are practicing your pranayama, place your hands in Bronchial mudra and notice the difference.
I practice mudras regularly as part of or the regular yoga or meditation practice. To find out more join one of our online group classes or private online or face-to-face classes.
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