The Science Behind Mudras | Understanding the Power in Our Hands

We have been given the gift of having a physical experience here through our bodies.  We water, feed and move our bodies and use our senses to see, touch, smell and feel our way through life. 

But, are we missing the subtle power, the instruction manual of how to use our bodies to heal?

Like the breath! (we talk about this one a lot at TRU) We take about 22,000 breaths a day, but most of us never inquire if we are breathing in a way that supports us or depletes us. When done in consciously and as a practice, it has the ability to heal, transform and connect us with our true power and source of life and energy.

The same is true with our hands, we use them for almost everything.  To eat, drink, clean, to signal a hello or goodbye and the well known and more common mudra – pray and prayer pose.

But is there more power in our fingertips than we thought?  The simple answer is YES, the science is a little more complicated.  We’re going to summarize and simplify it here the best we can and  give you a quick guide to the power in your hands.

The Power in Our Hands

We have approximately 17,000 nerve endings in our hands and fingers, that send direct signals to the brain, we use this to tell us if things are hot or cold, rough or soft, moving or still and so on.  Mudras are really about the intelligence in our hands and tapping into our nerves to direct energy in our bodies through these nerves and subtle gestures.

Yogis have long known and practiced these gestures and used them as therapies to elevate moods and energy, manifest wisdom and wealth, connect with GOD and to heal mental, physical and spiritual imbalances and even illness.

There are 399 mudras, and when practiced these subtle hand gestures have the power to re-wire our brain, direct energy and rebalance the elements in our body in a transformational way through balance.

The 5 Elements Within Us Are at our Fingertips
Fire, Air, Ether, Earth & Water

When one or more of these are out of balance within us, it disrupts our mind, body and spirit, resulting in mental and physical symptoms, pain, or illness.  Mudras can help us balance these elements within us as each finger is connected to an element.  Just like acupuncture you can tap into the subtle energy and meridians through the corresponding fingers, pressure and direct energy in an intelligent way for specific purposes.

THUMB: fire; is responsible for our needs

INDEX FINGER: air; is responsible for our movement and breath

MIDDLE FINGER: ether; is responsible for our wisdom, intuition and fears

RING FINGER: earth; is responsible for our physical bodies

LITTLE FINGER: water; is responsible for the fluids in our body, water, blood etc.

Shakti Mudra

Our Theme this Month is POWER
Here are 3 Powerful Mudras :

The Shakti Mudra 

Shakti is another name of Hindu Goddess Durga: the Goddess of power and strength. This mudra is a gesture of power and strength and can be practiced to feel more empowered and fearless.  You can practice this mudra for up to 15 minutes, 1 to 3 times daily with your morning or evening meditation, or to recharge mid-day.  Here’s how :

1. Place your palms in front of your chest
2. Connect the pads of the pinky and ring fingers together.
3. Fold your thumbs into the palms and wrap the index and middle fingers around the thumb
4. Press the knuckles of the index and middle fingers together.
5. Take deep breaths through your nose and out through your mouth to increase your prana.
6. Optional: Lower the hands to just below the navel.

Benefits include better sleep, reduced stress, inspires new ways of thinking and a positive attitude,  with practice it connects you to source energy that makes you feel fearless,  self-worthy and creative.

Lotus Mudra

The Lotus Mudra or Padma Mudra

In Buddhism, the lotus blossom represents a heart opening. When we practice this mudra, we become grounded in faith much like the roots of the lotus in mud, with an open-heart and purity, we can grow toward the light and emerge as the best version of ourselves. Here’s How:

1. Place your hands in prayer pose in front of your heart.
2. Slowly unfurl your hands like the lotus flower blossoming.
3. Keep the base of your palms together and your thumbs and little fingers.
4. Allow the index, middle and ring fingers to gently open as if seeking the light of the sun.
5. Take deep breaths through your nose and out through your mouth to increase your prana.
6. Optional: You can also place your hands above your head, the crown chakra to receive the light.

Benefits include feelings of renewed energy and excitement in your body, it cleanses you of muddy thoughts and emotions that keep you stuck so you can grow into your best self, as a result your love, compassion and appreciation of others grows, as well as your ability to see them in this light too.

Prana Mudra

The Prana Mudra

Prana means life giving force, the energy of life itself.  By practicing this mudra you increase the flow of life through your body. It balances the fire element and stimulates the root chakra.  It revives energy, increases inner stability and clarity. You can perform this mudra up to 35 minutes a day or 10 to 12 minutes, 3 times a day. Here’s How:

1. Sit comfortably in a meditation posture or pose with hands up on your knees.
2. Close your eyes and take some slow deep breaths.
3. Bring the tip of your thumb, ring and pinky finger to touch on both hands.
4. Extend and straighten the index and middle finger on both hands.
5. Continue breathing with equal inhale and exhale.
6. Optional: You can add silently chanting the mantra OM

Benefits include activating dormant and stagnant energy in the body, which increases your immune system, and ability to heal a wide range of physical, mental and spiritual imbalances or illness.  It increases focus and concentration and helps transform the negative into positive vibrations.  It is excellent for eyesight, the thyroid and chronic fatigue or lack of energy.

You are so much more than you know…

As you can see, there is much  more to our bodies and hands than we might have previously understood.  Here are just three examples of simple practices that are truly transformational and can be done anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes a day, or even 10 minutes at a time.  You can add this to your regular meditation or for breaks to re-energize or re-focus throughout the day.

Here are a Some Tips…

• The most important thing is devotion, in other words be present and come from your heart
• Do not put pressure on your fingers in these poses, it usually means you are “trying” too hard or your restless (in conflict with the benefits of the positive work you’re doing)
• Pay attention to your breath, on all mudras – conscious breathing will increase the flow and energy.  It’s best to do equal inhales and exhales.  Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth and hold a steady rhythm.

And… we’ve only mentioned 3 here!  You can google the other 396 mudras based on what you need support on.  Just google, Mudra for breaking bad habits, or mudra for headaches.  You’ll find all the how to’s you need.  We will share more each month too, so stay tuned!