Here are some notes from Friday September 16th's 7pm
Mudra Yoga Study Circle at Birchwood Center for Yoga and Massage in
Nyack, New York. Please enjoy:
We do so much with our hands. We touch, feel, discover, receive, let go and more. We have a multitude of nerves in our hands to help us do so. Yoga's ancient teachings of our subtle (energy) body anatomy teaches we embody the
elements of nature within our fingers as shown in the picture above.
Mudras are
hand gestures. When we practice mudras we
evoke,
experience and
heal various emotions we embody. We also
stimulate our glands, nerves, organs and more. As you practice mudras you deeply
connect to your subtle energetic self which
grounds and
empowers you in addition to vibrantly
connects you
to all that surrounds you.
There are hundreds of mudras to practice. Here I've shared a few by creating some mudra art with a bit of mudra wisdom. As you practice these hand gestures
pay attention to how you feel.
Let's start with perhaps the most popular of mudras,
Jnana or sometimes called
Gyan mudra, the
seal of wisdom. When you take your pointer finger to your thumb you connect to your
root chakra, muladhara chakra. Feelings of being
calm and
grounded arise. This rooted and centered feeling improves your
memory and increases your
concentration which inspires creativity and your transformation. Any left over feelings of anxiety and powerlessness melt away. This mudra awakens and heals your endocrine and pituitary glands in addition to your nervous system.
Jnana mudra's planetary association is
Jupiter, the planet of
expansion. Imagine all the wisdom you've attained thus far expanding you to accomplish more than your wildest dreams ever imagined. Jupiter rules the astrological sign
Sagittarius, the
half man half horse archer who points his
arrow towards the
highest target. See this mudra as the
lucky hand gesture.
Take your middle finger to your thumb and experience
Shuni mudra, the
seal of patience. It takes
courage and
responsibility to have the
discipline that following through with anything requires. Shuni is the
Sanskrit word for the planet
Saturn. The planet of
karma, hard
work and
discipline. Saturn rules the astrological sign of
Capricorn. Think of Capricorn's image of the
mountain goat dedicated to climbing up the mountain. Use this mudra when feelings of hopelessness and giving up arise.
Take your ring finger to your thumb and feel
Surya mudra, the
seal of good health. This hand gesture is often referred to as the
weight loss mudra because it
boosts your metabolism. When you practice this mudra you invite surya's, the
sun's strength into your system. This mudra stokes your
digestive fire and your
third chakra,
manipura chakra. Practice this mudra to boost your
confidence, increase your
sex appeal and to keep yourself
strong as you move through
life's transitions.
Surya mudra's planetary association is
Uranus, the
awakener. The planet of
rebellion. Uranus rules the astrological sign of
Aquarius, the
revolutionary water bearer.
Let your pinky finger and thumb tips touch and feel
Varun or also called
Buddhi mudra, the
seal of mental clarity. Varun is the
Hindu Deity that governs
water, the
celestial ocean.
Water is the element associated with the
pinky finger. When you practice this mudra you stimulate the water element within you which eases
digestion and your muscles, makes your
skin and
eyes glow in addition to
skillfully blend the
intuitive impressions you receive with everyday
facts.
Varun mudra's planetary association is
Mercury the planet of
communication. Mercury
rules the
signs of the intellect,
Gemini, the twins and
Virgo, the maiden.
When you take your palms together at the center of your chest you create
Anjali mudra, prayer pose hands. It is a very popular mudra to practice and extremely powerful. This hand gesture is where you put your
intention, your
highest purpose and
offer it up to the sun to strengthen it.
Padma mudra,
lotus mudra is a beautiful expression of your
purpose blossoming into a reality.
There are so many mudras to experience. If you're interested in seeing and learning more please follow me on
instagram @allisonegandatwani for my latest mudra wisdom art and descriptions.
