Mudras are hand gestures that are used in yoga and meditation to stimulate different parts of the body and affect the flow of energy. There are various types of mudras including hand mudras and head mudras. Mudras work to balance the five elements in the body and stimulate the chakras when bringing the thumb and fingers together. Regular practice of mudras can help build immunity, cure diseases, and lead to higher states of consciousness. Bandhas are techniques used along with mudras and pranayama to control prana and draw energy into the core of the body.
3. INTRODUCTION
Mudra means gesture or attitude
Muda- pleasure, delight, to be happy
Ra- to draw forth
define as Mudam anandam dadati iti mudra
means the actions that gives us pleasure, bliss is
called mudra.
4. Mudra denotes the sense of evoking a hidden power
or uniting with something large.
In hatha yoga, mudras are used in conjunction
with pranayama (yogic breathing exercises),
generally while in a seated posture, to stimulate
different parts of the body involved with breathing
and to affect the flow of prana, bindu,
boddhicitta, amrita or consciousness in the body.
5. In hatha yoga there are 10 mudra explain which destroy old
age and death.
In gherand samitha 25 mudras are explain which will give
success to yogi.
Aims of mudra:-
Hathapradipika: mudras are practised for awekening of
kundiline.( kundilini prabodhana)
Gherand Samhita: they are practise for equilibrium and
stability.
Primarily used for shakti jagran.
Kalika purana- the practise of pranayama as well as
medative asanas are fruitless withour mudras/
7. IN INDIA THERE ARE 3 LEVELS AT
WHICH MUDRAS ARE EMPLOYED:
1. The use of mudras in classical indian dance forms
as fully meaningfull gestures to convey bhavas
and rasa.
2. in hindu ritualist worship, Nyasa and mudras are
used meaningfully in various rites and pujas.
8. 3. In yoga and tantra, mudras are used with the most
evolutionary knowledge available to the serious
student about the relationship between energy
flows in the tissues, nerve channels and organs of
the body as well as their corelation to higher flows
of prana in the subtle and causal bodies.
10. These elements either get deficient or get imbalance
accordingly disease manifest in body.
when a finger representing an element is brought into
contact with the thumb the element is bought into the
balance. Therefore disease caused by imbalance is
caused.
11. HOW THESE MUDRAS WORK??
Mudras establish direct link between annamaya
kosha, manomaya kosha and pranamaya kosha.
a voluntary neuromuscular actions or posture with
the help of which the prana is controlles and
directed through a particular nadi.
It is that specific body position which channelize the
energy produced by asanas and pranayamas into
various centres & arouses particular state of mind.
They can also arouse specific emotions.
13. WHEN TO PERFORM?
Can be practise all the times while lying sitting,
walking,or even talking.
for good result should be practised for 24 min
continiously or can be practised 4-5 min also at one
time every day for lifetime disease free
if mudras cannot be made in both hande, you may
do it in one hand only.
27. HEAD MUDRAS
akashi mudra
bhoochari mudra
kaki mudra
khechari mudra
nasikagra mudra
shambhavi mudra
shanmukhi mudra
unmani mudra
35. BENEFITS OF MUDRAS
harmonizes and heals body mind and soul.
builds immunits, and cures diseases as they work
on our organs.
crate equilibrium by regulating flow of prana/life.
Stimulates and balances chakras.
long term practice leads to higher state of
consciousness.
36. IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE
MUDRAS:
1. When the tip of the thumb joins the tip of the other
fingers, respective tatvas gets balanced in the body.
2. When the tip of the thumb joins the base of the other
fingers, respective tatvas gets increased in the body.
3. When the tip of the fingers brought to the base of the
thumb, respective tatvas gets reduced in the body.
4. Anyone and anytime Hasta mudras can be done.
5. As far as possible, the hands should face upwards while
doing the mudras.
37. 6. Doing the mudras on both hands is more beneficial.
7. Mudras can be done for few seconds, 10 minutes, half an
hour or 50minutes. If done for 50 minutes. Desired results
will come.
8. While doing the mudras, only the tip of the fingers are
used. Pressing the fingers not needed. Other fingers
should be straight.
9. There is no side effect in this. This can be done while one
is on the medication also.
38. 10. If the Prana mudra, Apana mudra, Janan mudra and
Pritvi mudra done every day for 5-15 minutes, ones
health improves significantly.
11. Mudras not only improves the physical health but also
improves the mental health by reducing the anger,
increasing the peace and releasing one from the
addictions.
12. Chikitsa mudra should be stopped after ones health
improves.
52. Using the Bandhas Using all your Bandhas allows
you to create aninternal force to move your body
from one asana to the next throughout your flow.
Effortlessly.
The Bandhas are tools that can be variously
engaged to support different energetic actions in
the practice.
A full Uddiyana Bandha restricts the breath, rather
it should be used as a light and energetic lifting.
Similarly, the Muja Bandha should draw energy
into the core of the body, rather than creating pelvic
tightness.