Our hands have the most nerve fibers, which, when pushed or organized in a specific way, form an ‘energy circuit’. This directs Vayus on the inside of the body. The practice of yoga mudra involves a conscious effort to create energy circuits with the physical motion of hands. This is often known as “gesture,” “seal,” or “mark.”
Although doing a mudra asana may appear weird at first. But, we are all instinctively conditioned to various moves in our daily lives.
These movements normally appear out when we are upset, engaged in thought, or happy. Many body language gestures have become integrated into yoga mudra pose.
Namaste, for example, is a typical hand gesture that used welcomed or thanks, someone. It’s termed as Anjali Mudra in mudra practice. You will get all this knowledge in our 200 Hour YTT and many other courses.
What is Yoga Mudra Asana?
A mudra is a sign/power mark of a precise position that demonstrates a delicate health status of consciousness. Mudras in yoga can be hand motions (Hasta Mudra), head gestures (Mana mudra), or overall body gestures (Kaya mudra) just like in yoga positions.
They are similar to other physical reactions such as laughing, weeping, moving, or singing. Mudras reflect body language feelings in the same way as physical expressions convey outward indications of how people are feeling or what they are doing.
When we execute a mudra, the move awakens these feelings and connects us to our true nature.
How Yoga Mudra pose Works?
The functioning of yoga mudra is centered on the Pancha Mahabhutas theory. The five vital elements, symbolized by the five fingers of the hand, are known as Pancha Mahabhutas.
When any of the five fingers are brought together in the hand mudras, the constituent of that finger is merged.
5 Elements in yoga mudra corresponding to 5 Fingers:
- Thumb is the Fire element, and it is in charge of our basic necessities like as hunger, thirst, and sleep.
- The air element is represented by the index finger, which is critical to the function and breathing.
- The Ether element is represented by the middle finger and is responsible for internal awareness, understanding, and identifying our fears.
- The earth element, represented by the ring finger, is responsible for bodily structure such as skeleton and ligaments, muscles and skin, and hair.
- Water element — saliva, blood, sweating, urination, and reproductive cells are all produced by the little finger.
Let’s assume the body is like an electric circuit with current (energy) flowing via nadis (wire) to know how mudras work. Five fingers are equivalent to the five endpoints of a human circuit, each of which belongs to a distinct portion of the body and intellect.
The appropriate energy center or gland in the brain is stimulated when you hold or push a certain finger in yoga mudra (Power supplier of the circuit). By adjusting Prana flow, the central nervous system receives input to adjust the energy pattern throughout the body.
Effects of positions of Fingers with the Thumb
How we arrange our fingertips in a yoga mudra indicates whether one of the five elements will be increased, decreased, or balanced.
- Balance the particular element: The analogous fingertip is connected with the tip of the thumb to regulate the effect of an element.
- Increase the particular element: Thumb is compressed at the root of the adjacent finger to boost the influence of an element.
- Decrease the particular element: The corresponding fingertip is folded right to the bottom of the thumb to reduce the influence of an element.
Five Powerful Types of Yoga Mudras
1. Gyan Mudra:
This is a mind-focused yoga mudra. It’s a typical habit that aids in physical relaxation. It also affects the brain, acts on the central nervous, aids in stress relief, enhances focus, and provides a calm mind.
Sit quietly in a state of relaxation to perform this yoga mudra. Fold your index finger such that it touches the inside of your thumb’s root.
Straighten the remaining fingers on both hands so that they are relaxed and separated from one another. Slowly place both palms of your hands on your knees, facing downward. Finally, let your arms and hands rest.
It is good yoga mudra for studying and to be more focus on your work.
2. Surya Mudra:
One of the most effective weight-loss mudras. This increases the body’s fire element, which is claimed to aid weight loss and digestion. It not only does these two things, but it also improves vision, lowers cholesterol, improves digestion, energizes your body, and keeps you active.
To practice this yoga gesture, put your thumb on your ring finger. Extend the other fingers both of hands so that they are calm and a little apart from one another. Place both hands back on your knees, palms facing upward, and relax your arms and hands.
3. Prana Mudra
This is good for your health and gives you a lot of energy. It produces superb energy by increasing the water and earth elements in your body. This also treats fatigue, insomnia, general ailment, hypertension, anxiety, and panic attacks. Eliminates any poor immunity issues, acidity, ulcers, joint pain, and other issues caused by a lack of water in your body.
To do this yoga mudra, bring your ring and little fingers together and use the tip of your thumb to contact the tips of both of your fingers. Stretch the other fingertips of both hands till they are loose and separated from one another. Place both hands on your knees, palms facing upward, and relax your arms and hands.
4. Vayu Mudra
This aids in pain reduction by increasing the air element within you. It works well for patients with joint aches including rheumatism, gout, arthritis, or those who have just had surgery. It also aids digestion and allows you to unwind.
Fold your index finger and press the second column bone of the finger with the thumb in this yoga mudra. Extend other fingertips of both hands till they are loose and separated from one another. Place both hands back on your knees, palms facing upward, and relax your arms and hands.
5. Varun Mudra
This mudra is designed to help with dehydration, muscle cramps that occur during the below conditions:
- pregnancy
- menstrual cycles
- skin dryness
- dryness of the eyes, mouth, and throat.
It also treats constipation and other tongue-related issues.
Begin by touching the tip of your little finger to the tip of your thumb in this yoga asana. Straighten the other two fingers of both hands till they are loose and separated from one another. Place both hands firmly on your knees, palms facing upward, and relax your arms and hands.
Conclusion:
Mudras are a simple but essential aspect of yoga as they control the energy within your body. Asanas and pranayamas are preliminary practices that create awareness of the presence of Prana inside us.
Then there’s mudra practice, which allows you to engage with and manipulate pranic energy.This is why, in the Hatha tradition, mudras are only used after mastering Asana, Pranayama, and Bandha.
Yoga Mudra is linked to a person’s shifting moral and psychological characteristics. This alteration in hand gesture allows the internal energy to be channeled by changing the body’s sensory glands, veins, and organs.