 | Art & Culture • Health • Movies & Entertainment • Society • Reference • Sports • Travel | |
| ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Mudra | |||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||
Nature has made the human body self-sufficient, self-contained and almost perfect. But a human being is prone to innumerable pressures. The human body is made up of five elements - fire, air, water, earth and sky that are present in fixed proportions and even the slightest imbalance of any of these can be disastrous. The food, air, and water intake of every individual is different and since the body and mind do not have the equilibrium with so many external and internal pressures, people tend to fall ill. However, striking the balance among these elements is not easy, since even the slightest disturbance can upset it. The mudras help to normalize the five elements in the human body in order to strike a balance between each other, since they influence the human being.
 The middle finger is the element fire, the heart, small intestine, circulatory and respiratory systems, and the emotions are impatience and hastiness.Very often, while healing with hands, one can feel tender, soft, even painful areas on one palm while roaming over them with the fingers of the other hand. These are pressure points and can mean that a certain co-related organ is disturbed or over-used. Meaning and Purpose of Mudras Mudras can help in balancing balance the flow of energy through the nadis that nourish our internal organs. They can also be performed to achieve specific states of consciousness. They also help eliminate negative thoughts and aid mood elevation. Given below are the few Mudras that should ideally be practiced with the spine and head erect. The eyes are focused downward toward the nostrils or at the Sun centre between the eyebrows to activate the third eye. It may also be helpful if the feet touch the floor or if the practitioner assumes a half or full lotus position. These Mudras are easy to do and can change our lives forever if done regularly.  Mudra for Trust
Lift hands overhead and place right palm over back of left hand (reverse for men). Elbows bend softly and shoulders press down away from ears. One should imagine creating a triangle over ones crown chakra in an attempt to connect to it. Breathe short, fast breaths of fire, while focusing on the navel, to build inner trust.  Mudra for Joy
Bend elbows and open arms to side. Position hands at shoulder level with palms facing forward. Press the little and ring fingers down into palms and cross your thumb tightly over them. Lift middle and index fingers straight up toward the heavens like the peace sign. Inhale slowly for eight counts. Exhale for eight counts. Smile as you feel the glow of your inner light.  Mudra for Recharging
Fist your right hand with thumb pointing upwards. Wrap your left palm around the right hand`s fist thumb pointing upwards. Touch the two thumbs together straighten elbows and push arms and hands away from chest. Feel the left hand resisting the strong push of the right fist. Push shoulders back to increase resistance. Avoid hunching shoulders; keep chest and rib cage lifted. Focusing eyes on thumbs, inhale slowly for eight counts and exhale for eight counts. Feel energy radiating from base of spine into hands and arms as you recharge. The benefits of practicing mudras are as follows: Practising Mudras Mudras are said to awaken the kundalini energy. They can be practiced either before or after other yoga practices like pranayama or asanas. Mudras are one of seven practices that yogis employ in order to aid the hearing of these inner sounds. Mudras can be practiced without any difficulty; especially the maha-mudra, which is performed to aid visualisation of the sushumna, is an easy one to practise. Many Mudras are normally associated only with the hands, which are mostly used for Indian dancing like the Chit-mudra, denoting chit or wisdom of the highest consciousness. But when it comes for practicing Mudras for health, the word Mudra refers to the `seal` that closes and safeguards. Kechari Mudra The kechari-mudra is also very popular, since it promotes concentration. It involves rolling the tongue back so that it touches the posterior nares; though this is not an easy task to perform. This may not be easy to do. Nabho Mudra Other yoga texts like the Gerandha Samhita suggests the Nabho mudra where the tongue is turned back onto the palate towards the uvula as far as it will go. It is believed that mental agitation ceases when the tip of the tongue is turned up and back. Nabho mudra is considered a substitute for kechari mudra. Kaki Mudra The Kaki Mudra refers to the breathing through the mouth. Some teachers have also recommended breathing through the nose. The practitioner should choose the most convenient method. Sambhavi Mudra Another Mudra practice that the yoga texts also recommend for the hearing of the inner sounds is Sambhavi Mudra. It is also more of a spiritual practice than a physical exercise. Yoga texts mention that you should sit in siddhasana, and close your ears with the thumbs (as in the Yoni Mudra). Although the eyes are kept open in Sambhavi Mudra, the practitioner is supposed to "look without wanting to see anything". The eyes remain open, but the attention is within. The practice is a `seal` in that consciousness is prevented from externalizing which, in turn, prevents the arousal of objects from within itself. When all externalisation ceases, there is the experience of great inner joy. This is the reason that some yogis, including the Tibetans, call Mudra the "fountain of joy". Since these Mudras are intended for use in chakra meditation, it is recommended that they should not be combined with other types of meditation, or else it might compromise their effectiveness. Know More on Mudra Namaskar and Anjali Mudra Yoni mudra Maha Mudra | |||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
Mudra is a Sanskrit word meaning sign or seal. It is a gesture or position, usually of the hands, that locks and guides energy flow and reflexes to the brain. By curling, crossing, stretching and touching the fingers and hands, we can "talk" to the body and mind as each area of the hand corresponds to a certain part of the mind or body. Mudras can have several meanings. It can be a mere gesture; a position of the hands, a symbol, eye positions, and body postures, even breathing techniques.The thumb is symbolic of cosmic consciousness and the index finger of individual consciousness. The index finger represents inspiration and the thumb stands for intuition. When the tips of both fingers meet, the connection is complete - intuition and inspiration form a closed unity.