Mudras are gestures - usually hand positions - used to aid concentration, focus and connection to yourself during your meditation and asana practice. The term translates from Sanskrit as “gesture”, “mark” or “seal”.
Performing mudras are to stimulate the flow of prana (life force or energy) throughout the body. It’s to quieten the mind by focusing it on the simple touch of our hands or fingers and to intensify the power of our practice.
Each individual mudra has unique symbolism and is thought to have a specific effect on the body and mind by clearing energetic pathways.
According to Ayurveda – considered to be the world’s oldest holistic healing system – disease is the result of an imbalance in our body caused by a deficiency or an excess one of the five key elements: space, air, fire, water and earth. Each of these play a specific role within the body and are represented by the five fingers:
• The thumb is connected to the fire
• The forefinger to the wind
• The middle finger to the ether (or space)
• The ring finger to the earth
• The little finger to the water
The fingers essentially act as electrical circuits and the use of mudras adjust the flow of energy which balance these various elements and accommodate healing.
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