What is Mudras?
Mudra means Seal, Mark or Gesture
A representative hand movement used in various religions in India in their ceremonies, statuary and in Indian dance. Some of the mudras consist of the entire body and most are performed with the hands and fingers. It all depends on type of mudra we are performing. There are several mudras in India which are being performed by different ways and methods. Across various disciplines it is said that there exist close to 399 mudras.
Who invented mudras?
Although mudras have been used for thousands of years and have been seen in many different religions and cultures, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Egyptian hieroglyphics, Tantric ceremonies, Roman art, Asian martial arts, Taoism, and Indian classical dance, their exact roots are unknown.
How many mudras are there in India?
24 mudras are registered in the Natya Shastra, whereas 28 are listed in the Nandikeshvara Abhinaya Darpana. The mudras are the similar in all forms of Indian classical dance, despite the alterations in terminology and applications. Bharatanatyam customs 28 root mudras, Kathakali uses 24, and Odissi uses 20.
How to start Mudras?
Beginning each Mudra session by “washing” your hands can help energy flow through your hands. Rub your hands together roughly ten times while holding them in front of your navel chakra.
We have stated below 10 Mudras which will help to boost energy, mental sharpness, and general wellness.
| Sr.No. | Types of Mudras |
| 1 | Gyan Mudra |
| 2 | Buddhi Mudra |
| 3 | Shuni Mundra |
| 4 | Prana Mudra |
| 5 | Dhyana Mudra |
| 6 | Surya Mudra |
| 7 | Apana Mudra |
| 8 | Ganesha Mudra |
| 9 | Vayu Mudra |
| 10 | Rudra Mudra |
- Gyan Mudra
Gyan Mudra is ‘Mudra of Wisdom or Knowledge’. This mudra is typically connected with meditation practise. It aims to make your memory sharper and concentration stronger. When you’re attempting to learn something new and stimulate your creative thinking and thoughts, this mudra can be helpful to you. If you want to gain insight into your life or a particular issue, try holding this mudra while you are in a state of meditation. This will enhance your ability and stimulate your concentration.
You can perform this mudra by touching the tip of your thumb with the index finger of your right hand while maintaining the other three fingers’ straightness. In this mudra, Space and Air are the primary elements taken into account.
Benefits:-
Gyan mudra benefits include improved focus and memory, a decrease in sleep disturbances, a reduction in stress and anger, and relief from sadness and headaches.
- Buddhi Mudra
It means Seal of Mental Clarity. This mudra is connected to mind and help to increase mental clarity and peace of mind. You do this when you need to understand intuitive instructions from your subconscious, such as perplexing dreams or meditations. One of this mudra’s most significant benefits is the improvement of communication, including the improvement of internal and external interaction.
To make this mudra, touch your thumb to your pinky finger while keeping your other three fingers straight. The main Elements considered in this mudra are Space and Earth.
Benefits:-
This mudra helps to increase concentration, memory, reduces sleep disorders, improves some skin disorders, bladder & kidney-related issues indigestion, constipation, and other digestive issues. Addresses disorders related to the blood, such as anaemia, Improves mental clarity.
- Shuni Mundra
The Shuni Mudra is also known as the “seal of patience “.In Sanskrit, Shuni means Saturn, the planet knows for governing discipline. This gesture can foster sensitivity, awareness, and intuition. It also filters your emotions and thoughts. Having noble thoughts and transforming bad emotions into positive ones can aid in development. Use it if you notice yourself growing irritable with or toward someone.
To make this mudra, touch the tip of the middle finger to the tip of the thumb while maintaining the other three fingers’ straightness and relaxation. The main Elements considered in this mudra are Space and Fire
Benefits:-
The Shuni Mudra helps to encourage compassion, understanding and patience towards others
- Prana Mudra
Prana Mudra is also known as the ‘life force seal‘ where the word prana means life force and mudra means seal. The Prana mudra is one of the most noteworthy mudras because it can awaken dormant energy inside the body. Prana is the vital life force shared by all living beings. This mudra can assist you awaken and invigorate your own prana as well as support you to become more attuned to the prana around you. Prana mudra has several benefits for physical and mental health.
To make this mudra, touch the tips of your ring and pinky fingers to your thumb, keeping your other two fingers straight. The main Elements considered in this mudra are Space and Water
Benefits:-
This mudra enhances immunity, improves eyesight, helps to get rid of cramps, and reduces pain in limbs and legs .It also benefits to increase blood circulation in body.
- Dhyana Mudra
Dhi and Yana, the basic words of Dhyana, can help us better understand it. Dhyana is the name for the act of thinking or perceiving. This motion is typically made when the Buddha is depicted. Long before the Buddha, yogis used the Dhyana mudra throughout their concentration, healing, and meditation practises. This mudra’s repute is based on its ability to broaden and intensify your level of focus. Additionally, it could support your search for inner serenity and tranquilly.
Simply sit down and place your right hand on top of your left palm to form the Dhyana mudra.
Benefits:
This mudra helps to relax and settle the mind. As a result, it lessens unpleasant feelings like tension, despair, anxiety, and so forth.
- Surya Mudra
The words Surya and Mudra both denote hand gestures in Sanskrit. Therefore, Surya Mudra yoga is a hand motion or finger configuration that represents the energy that our body can absorb from sunlight. The Surya mudra is intended to improve the body’s sun or fire element while promoting digestion and metabolism. Increased body temperature also aids in weight loss and the prevention of colds.
To perform this mudra, bend your ring finger such that the knuckle of your ring finger touches the base of your thumb. With moderate power, straighten the remaining three fingers. In this mudra, space and water are the primary Elements taken into account.
Benefits:-
This mudra Boosts Metabolism Promotes Healthy Digestive System Alleviated Issues That Come With Cold Weather Reduces Cholesterol Helps in Weight Loss Stimulates Thyroid.
It permits heat balance in the body. It increases the fire element in the body and regularizes the metabolism. It improves appetite and digestion.
- Apana Mudra
Apana mudra, often known as the “seal,” is a sacred hand position that is utilised in yoga and meditation to direct the flow of prana, or life force energy. This mudra aids in the removal of waste from the body and aids in digestion on a mental and physical level. When applied to “evil” that is external to the body, this exercise may also aid in the digestion of mental and emotional material.
To attain this position, move your second and third fingers toward your thumb. Your finger placement may need to alteration depending on the subject you are studying. Some illustrations of this mudra suggest placing the middle and ring fingers just behind the tip of the thumb, while others mention the opposite. The main Elements considered in this mudra are water, fire, and space
Benefits:-
It helps to prevent heart attacks as well as their recurrence, lessen heart palpitations, and relieve heaviness on heart. It helps to relieve heartache, anxiety, panic, grief, sadness, overwhelm.
- Ganesha Mudra
Ganapati mudra, The well-known Ganesha mudra takes its name from the Hindu god Ganesh. According to legend, Ganesha can remove challenges. In a same line, this mudra is fantastic for getting rid of any and all impediments in life; when you’re going through problematic circumstances, it can help you find your courage and optimism again. You can focus your attention and energy into the heart centre by using this mudra to open your lungs and heart to the topic of your meditation. This helps to improve health of you heart.
The pulling action is helpful for your heart chakra’s mental and spiritual well-being, as well as the health of your cardiac muscles and the release of tension in this region of the body.
This mudra can be performed by placing your left hand in front of your chest with the palm facing outward and the left thumb down. Next, place your left hand behind your right, with the palms of both hands facing the other way. With your fingers clasped together and half-bent like claws,
While performing this mudra, take a deep breath while holding your hands in this position. As you breathe, spread your hands wide deprived of releasing your fingers. Reverse the movement by placing your right hand in front of your chest with the thumb sharp downward and outward after finishing up to six repetitions. To preserve balance in the pulling act, perform this mudra the same number of times in both directions.
Benefits:-
With regular use, this mudra may evoke strong feelings of warmth and brightness in the heart area, which can be supportive for those suffering from heartache, depression or feelings of heaviness and sadness.
- Vayu Mudra
Vayu, when translated literally, means wind or air. The Vayu mudra is beneficial for ailments brought on by imbalances in the air, such as gas-related pain, flatulence, joint pain, bloating, and discomfort in the abdomen. By reestablishing the appropriate flow of your air element, this mudra helps manage physical and mental issues caused by the vata dosha.
At first look, this mudra may seem to be quite related to the Gyan mudra. In order to use Vayu, you must assign the thumb to the index finger’s knuckle or hump; in order to use Gyan, you must attach the fingertip. The goal of this activity is relaxation, not joint tension, therefore press down on your index finger to change the level of ease. For optimum benefits, hold this mudra while performing your pranayama exercises. The main Elements considered in this mudra are Space and air
Benefits:-
Vayu Mudra controls the air element of the body, thereby helping tackle bloating, flatulence, excess gas, or other gastric issues. Besides eliminating gas from the intestines and helping better digestion.
- Rudra Mudra
Shiva is frequently linked to the Rudra mudra, which alludes to your ability for inward transformation. The Sanskrit name “Rudra” means “lord,” which makes sense given that the main benefits have an impact on your personal power centre, the solar plexus. It is intended to increase mental clarity and concentration. This mudra is commonly advised to persons who are feeling tense in their bodies, worn out, or lightheaded. The Rudra mudra can revitalise your body and provide you the strength to reach your maximum potential or goals. Say it out loud for a chuckle.
To do this mudra, connect your thumb to your index, middle, and ring fingers while maintaining your other two fingers as straight as you can. The main elements considered in this mudra are water, air and space.
Benefits:-
- Improves mental clarity, concentration, Eases tension.
- Improves circulation and respiration.
- Decreases feelings of dizziness and exhaustion.
- Endorses better eating habits.
- Energizes the body and Promotes empowerment.
The fingers of our hands represent each element:
- The Thumb – the fire element
- The Index finger – the air element
- The Middle finger – the space element
- The Ring finger – earth element
- The Pinky finger – the water element
Best time for performing these Mudras
It has been observed that mudra is more effective when practised while meditating. Although early in the morning is the ideal time for sadhana, it can be performed at any time of day and wherever the practitioner feels comfortable. One should not practise just after eating; there should be a break of at least 30 minutes.
Conclusion:
In the practise of yoga, the usage of mudras is a potent tool for self-care and empowerment. The goal of yoga is to bring oneself inward. Mudras provide us the opportunity to turn within and refuel. The use of hand motions in meditation with specific intentions of channelling your body’s energy flow is known as mudra.
Mudras help to connect the brain and the body, reduce stress, enhance energy, and relieve pain.
Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha also said that
“The mind & body are not separate entities. The gross form of the mind is the body & the subtle form of the body is the mind. The practice of asana integrates & harmonizes the two. Both the body & the mind harbor tensions or knots. Every mental knot has a corresponding physical, muscular knot & vice versa. The aim of asana is to release these knots. Asana release mental tensions by dealing with them on the physical level, acting somato-psychically, through the body to the mind.”
