The Spiritual Significance of Yoga Mudras: How Hand Gestures Can Affect Your Energy?
What is a Mudra?
The Sanskrit word ‘Mudra’ means a symbolic gesture of the hand along with the alignment of the body. The body system functioning can be controlled by these Mudras if done in the correct way. They make a positive impact on your body and mind as it helps in the flow of energy in a particular direction. They create a connection between the brain and the parts of the body. Apart from hand gestures, breathing also plays a vital role in holding Mudras. With full concentration, you can guide your energy to any particular part of your body.
Mudra is a pure science. It is related to the geometry and circuitry of the body. Mudras have great healing power that can keep your mind and body healthy. The five elements of the body, namely Fire, Air, Space, Earth, and Water, can be kept under control and in sync with the help of Mudras. Their imbalance can impact the body in a negative way and can create several health issues. So, along with doing asanas, one must include Mudras as well as a part of the daily Yoga regime.
What is the Importance of Mudras?
The significance of mudras lies in their ability to promote physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Here are certain benefits of practicing mudras:
- They help in the relaxation of mind and body, thus the anxiety and stress are reduced.
- They possess great healing power as they help to channel energy to a particular part of the body.
- They improve concentration and boost memory and mental clarity.
- They help in dealing with several health issues like high BP, sleep disorders, digestive issues, etc.
- They prove to be helpful in a person’s spiritual growth as the person feels deeply connected to the supreme power.
How a Yoga Mudra Works?
As we know that the human body is made up of five elements and a proper balance is necessary to be maintained among all these elements. If any of these elements goes out of balance, the body has to face repercussions.
Our fingers of the hand represent these five elements: the little, ring, middle, and index fingers represent earth, water, space, and air respectively while the thumb represents fire. As Mudras are done with hand gestures, our hands are capable of controlling these five elements.
Apart from this, mudras help in stimulating brain functioning by targeting certain areas of the brain, which can improve mental functioning, concentration, and memory power.
While doing a Mudra, a particular gesture needs to be held for a given period of time keeping the breathing pattern in control. With this, the effectiveness of mudra deepens and a deeper connection is made between your body, mind, and soul.
Types of Mudras:
There are various Mudras in Yoga and each one of them has its own benefits. Do not forget to concentrate on your breathing pattern while doing these Mudras. Let us discuss some of them along with their benefits:
Chin Mudra or Gyan Mudra:
How to do this?
Place your hands on the thighs. Touch the index finger with your thumb and keep all other fingers straight. Do not put any pressure on the thumb and index finger.
Benefits:
- Improves concentration
- Improves memory
- Helps in sound sleep
- Energizes the body
- Reduces lower back pain
- Reduces tension and depression
- Improves the health of the pituitary glan
Chinmaya Mudra:
How to do this?
Place your hands on the thighs. Touch the index finger with your thumb while making a zero. Keep other fingers closed inside your palm.
Benefits:
- Helps in the energy flow in the body
- Improves digestive system
- Promotes breathing in the midsection of the lungs
Adi Mudra:
How to do this?
Place your hands on the thighs. Put your thumb at the base of the little finger. Close all other fingers lightly to make the form of a fist.
Benefits:
- Nervous system relaxation
- Reduction in snoring problems
- Improves oxygen flow toward head
- Promotes lungs’ health
Brahma Mudra:
How to do this?
Make fists of both hands and position them upwards. Press both fists against each other at the knuckles’ area. Keep them close to your navel.
Benefits:
- Clams your mind and channelizes the flow of energy in the body
- Makes focus better
- Increases positivity by reducing negative thoughts
- Detoxification of body
Vayu Mudra:
How to do this?
Place your hands on the thighs. Bend the index finger under your thumb. Keep all other fingers straight.
Benefits:
- Improves nervous system
- Reduces restlessness and uneasiness of mind
- Controls arthritis and reduces joint-related problems
- Reduces gas problems
- Relaxation of muscles
Prithvi Mudra:
How to do this?
Place your hands on the thighs. Touch the ring fingertip with the tip of the thumb. Keep all other fingers straight.
Benefits:
- Strengthens the body and keeps it stable
- Improves stamina
- Relieve fatigue
- Boosts the growth of tissues
- Improves self-confidence
Prana Mudra:
How to do this?
Place your hands on the thighs. Touch the tips of the ring finger and the little finger with the thumb. Keep two other fingers straight.
Benefits:
- Makes eye-sight better
- Improves immunity system
- Overcomes vitamin deficiency in the body
- Reduces tiredness
- Gives sound sleep
Shunya Mudra:
How to do this?
Place your hands on the thighs. Bend the middle finger and place it under the thumb. Press your thumb. Keep other fingers straight.
Benefits:
- Helps with ear pain
- Reduces watery problems in the eyes
- Improves hearing power
- Makes bone strong
- Improves heart health
- Reduces throat problems
- Makes gums stronger
- Improves the health of thyroid glands
Apan Mudra:
How to do this?
Place your hands on the thighs. Fold the middle and ring fingers and touch the thumb tip with their tips. Keep index and little finger straight.
Benefits:
- Gives relief in constipation and piles
- Helpful for diabetic patients
- Reduces kidney problems
- Improves gums’ health
- Helpful in digestive and stomach issues
- Improves heart health
Surya Mudra:
How to do this?
Place your hands on the thighs. Fold the ring finger beneath your thumb and maintain pressure. Keep all other fingers straight.
Benefits:
- Helps in weight reduction
- Helpful for eyes
- Helpful for digestive problems
- Reduces coldness of body parts
Varun Mudra:
How to do this?
Place your hands on the thighs. Touch the tip of your little finger with that of your thumb. Keep all other fingers straight.
Benefits:
- Helpful in skin issues
- Keeps body hydrated
- Blood purification
- Joint lubrication
- Helps glow the skin
Ling Mudra:
How to do this?
Clasp the fingers of both hands together and keep your right thumb erect. Apply a bit of pressure and sit in a relaxed form.
Benefits:
- Helpful in cold
- Helpful for asthmatic patients
- Improves sinus-related problems
Conclusion:
In nutshell, Yoga mudras are a powerful tool for promoting health, healing, and spiritual growth. By including mudras in your daily Yoga regime, you can feel their transformative power and experience the many benefits they have to offer.
