Ever wonder why we place our hands together at our hearts in yoga, prayer or greeting people in the Eastern world? It’s one of the many lovely and spiritual “mudras.”
Mudras are ritual positions that influence energy flow and reflexes to the brain. Some involve the entire body but most are done using hands and fingers.
Anjali mudra (palms together at chest level) balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain. It unites male/female aspects or yin/yang, sun/moon, light/dark,etc. as one.
In Sanskrit, mud=joy and ra=to give. Mudras are “seals” of a sort. They mentally center, balance and purify subtle energies.
The universe is composed of five elements (earth, air, water, fire, and ether). Similarly our body is made up of five elements which can be represented by our five fingers!
Mudras have been used in the East for thousands of years. You may notice how the sweet buddha’s fingers are usually placed in one mudra or another, each having it’s own meaning. Hindu/buddhist deities and many forms of dance often utilize mudras.
Try Guyan Mudra (common during meditation or pranayama). The thumb touches the tip of the index finger. The tip of thumb relates to the pituitary and endocrine glands. When it’s pressed with the index finger, the two glands work actively. This mudra calms the mind, stimulates knowledge, increases memory power and enhances concentration. It also heightens intuitive knowledge and contemplation.
I bow to you all in anjali mudra with Peace, Love, Unity and Respect!
