"A mudra is a gesture or position that locks and guides energy flow. We can talk to the body and mind."
"Mudras are positions of the body that have some kind of influence on the energies of the body, or your mood."
If you’re a long-time yoga practitioner, you know from experience that when you form various shapes with your body, there’s an effect beyond stretching or strengthening. Your energy and mood change.
Wisdom texts from the 15th and 17th centuries documented the findings and effects of these shapes, calling them mudras (referring to more than just hand positions).
Mudra translates to “seal,” “mark,” “gesture” or “symbol”.
Mudras can refer to body positions, breathing techniques, hand positions and more.
They are used to influence energies of the body and mind.
In non-traditional usage, the term mudra is often used to refer to hand mudras in particular.
In the Hatha Yoga tradition, mudras are considered precious tools on the path of awakening. There are five classes of such mudras taught in the yoga tradition: hasta (hand), mana (head), kaya (postural), bandha (lock) and adhara (base or perineal). Although these five are different, they share the common purpose of serving as “seals” or “locks” used to affect the flow of energy in particular organs and channels of the body… Many of the postural mudras and locks form the basis for the internal practices of Hatha Yoga that are aimed primarily at affecting the autonomic nervous system and have very little to do with the appearance of the musculoskeletal system.
Contents
Background
Historical & Philosophical Context
Intention, Effects
Lesson Series: Mudras
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Background
In my meditation practice, I’ve long practiced a couple of simple mudras. But as I learned more about the intended effects of other hand mudras, I was inspired to add more to my meditation — and even during my day to relieve stress.
I doubt you’ll be surprised by what I experienced. :) I had immediate positive impacts and I’m very grateful for this added support and power. (A mudra that I had rarely practiced previously but that I found particularly impactful this week was Dharmachakra mudra.)
Here are a few excerpts from our lesson series on this invaluable yogic tool.
Historical & Philosophical Context
This research… has found mudras present in almost all the known religions.
There are many images and stories of the Buddha using mudras.
According to legend, a jealous rival sent a rampaging elephant to attack the Buddha. Instead of reacting with fear, the Buddha raised his right hand in the Abhaya Mudra, calming the animal instantly. This act symbolizes spiritual mastery over fear and the power of compassion.
Ancient yoga texts teach about mudras.
Hatha Yoga texts that teach mudras include these sources:
Gheranda Samhita — Translated as “Gheranda’s Collection”, it is a Hatha Yoga source text written in the 17th century. It includes 25 mudras.
Hatha Yoga Pradipika — Translated as “Light on Yoga”, it was written in the fifteenth century. It includes 10 mudras, primarily postural mudras and bandhas.
Siva Samhita — Lists 10 mudras, primarily postural mudras and bandhas.
Mudras, especially those of the hand, are prominent in the Tantric aspect of the greater yoga tradition, and are sometimes regarded as an entire branch of practice, like asana, pranayama, mantra or yantra.
Tantra is a branch of yoga that arose in reaction to patriarchy, dualism, and atheism. Practitioners seek to realize through experience that everything is divine and connected. A key philosophy of Tantra is nondualism, or the idea that “one’s true essence exists in every particle of the universe.”
Multiple Upanishads discuss mudras, especially bandhas and postural mudras.
The ten most commonly noted mudras in the Upanishads are also in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Siva Samhita, indicating that while there were various emphases among different philosophical offshoots derived from Vedic wisdom that there has also been much overlap.
“The first books to refer to yoga were the ancient Tantras and later the Vedas, which were written about the time the Indus Valley culture was flourishing. Although they do not give specific practices, they allude to yoga symbolically… It is, however, in the Upanishads that yoga begins to take a more definable shape. These scriptures collectively form Vedanta, the culmination of the Vedas, and are said to contain the essence of the Vedas.” [Swami Satyananda Saraswati]
Learn more about Vedas, Upanishads and Vedanta in Origins & Sources of Yoga.
Intention, Effects
The purpose of mudras is to influence the energy of the body and mind.
Specifically, mudras are said to:
Purify energy channels (nadis), stimulate and direct internal energies.
Help gain control over the senses and mind, increasing concentration and focus.
Elevate mood.
Support spiritual practice and the attainment of liberation; invoke higher states of consciousness.
Provide health benefits.
In dance, mudras are used to express emotions.
Position That Locks & Guides Energy Flow
A [mudra is a] gesture or position, usually of the hands, that locks and guides energy flow… By curling, crossing, stretching and touching the fingers and hands, we can talk to the body and mind. – KundaliniYoga.org
Positions That Influence Energies or Mood
Mudras are positions of the body that have some kind of influence on the energies of the body, or your mood. Mostly the hands and fingers are held in some position, but the whole body may be part of the mudra as well. The most well-known mudras are probably the ones performed while meditating. One sits in lotus position (or with crossed legs) and either puts one’s hands on the knees, the tips of the thumb and index finger joining, or in the lap, the fingers of the right hand resting on the left palm. But also the Christian crossing of the fingers for prayer is a mudra, as is “Namaste” the Indian greeting gesture (that is also used while praying), where the hands are held in front of the chest, the palms touching. – Eclectic Energies
When Joseph LePage, my primary yoga teacher, first introduced hand mudras into the Integrative Yoga Therapy Training program, I resisted. I simply did not get it. But having been raised a “good girl” with respect for teachers, I went along with the program. He introduced them. I listened. I practiced. And I felt nothing. Nada. No energy shifts, no sensations, no nothing. So much for mudras, I thought. Then about three months later, I found myself in a stressful situation. My hands automatically moved into one of the grounding mudras I’d been practicing and WOW!!! There it was. My palms tingled, my breath slowed, and I felt a sense of calm in the middle of that most uncomfortable situation. It actually worked. I was amazed and delighted.
Beth Gibbs, Yoga for Times of Change
Reading about Beth’s experience, I can say mine has been quite similar. Hand mudras didn’t make much impact in my earlier years of practice. But once I was in need and seeking more support and chose them mindfully to meet a need, whah-la, the power was palpable.
Lesson Series: Mudras
Mudras Introduction — Be familiar with the five classes of mudras, plus their historical and philosophical context, purpose, and significance in Hatha Yoga and Tantra Yoga.
About Hand Mudras — Be familiar with the energies represented in the hand and guidelines for practicing hand mudras.
Mudras at a Glance — Identify more than 20 mudras visually and by Sanskrit name, and be able to quickly look up more than 60 mudras, including alternate names.
Anjali Mudra — Be familiar with the naming and translations, techniques, and intentions for anjali / atmanjali mudra.
More Mudras — Be familiar with naming, techniques, and intentions for more than 20 mudras, plus be prepared to explore more than 30 additional mudras.
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