Hasta mudras are sacred hand gestures that have different effects on the body. Some call them yoga poses for the hands. I was taught by my teachers that mudras channel your energy to specific parts of the brain and can impact your mental health.
These healing hand postures are powerful, simple tools you can use anywhere and anytime to change your emotional state.
One of my favorite mudras I practice daily is Vayu Mudra, which is believed to help ease stress and aid in digestion. I try to do this in the morning before I start my day to help quiet my mind before tackling work and my never-ending to-do list. Sometimes, I find myself doing this right before a big meeting to lower anxiety or about an hour after eating a big meal. Basically, you fold your index finger down and use your thumb to gently hold it while the other three fingers stay straight. I rest my hands on my thighs or knees, palms facing up.
There are dozens (if not hundreds!) of mudras. The benefits are vast and include everything from improving your mental focus and increasing your energy to purifying your emotions and thoughts.
You can do these hand gestures while sitting, walking, or practicing yoga.
Here are some mudras that I love:
🤌 Prithvi Mudra
Helps build strength and endurance and promotes glowing skin.
How to practice: Join the tips of the ring finger with the thumb, and extend the other fingers.
🤌 Jnana Mudra
Enhances mental focus and concentration. It also helps you let go of anger and sadness.
How to practice: Join the tips of the thumb and index fingers and extend the other three fingers.
🤌 Vayu Mudra
This mudra is associated with anxiety and stress. It is believed to help calm you down and helps with digestion.
How to practice: Curl your index finger in towards the palm and press it down with the thumb while keeping your other 3 fingers extended.
🤌 Prana Mudra
Boosts energy and removes tiredness. It is also believed to reduce hunger and helps you sleep well at night.
How to practice: Join the tips of the thumb, little finger, and ring finger together and extend the other two fingers.
🤌 Padma Mudra
Padma means lotus, which is a sign of purity, perseverance, and love. This mudra symbolizes the ability to rise above challenges. It calms the mind and opens the heart to love and compassion. It also helps the body eliminate negative feelings like hate, misunderstanding, and anger.
How to practice: Bring your hands softly into prayer position and slowly unfurl your hands like a lotus flower blossoming open. The base of your hands remains sealed, along with the thumbs and little fingers. The index, middle, and ring fingers can gently open like a flower.
🤌 Anjali Mudra
This mudra is probably the most well-known hand gesture. A namaste or prayer pose is a simple posture where you join the hands at the heart center. It is a sign of greeting, humility, and gratitude. This mudra ushers in positive thoughts and calms an agitated mind. It also brings more awareness to the present moment and enhances concentration.
How to practice: Seal the palms and fingers together 🙏
Practitioners believe combining mudras with mindful breathing increases their effectiveness.
