Today it's hard to find a man who never heard about yoga. It's the way fo life, endless perfecton, ability to rich harmony with yourself and surrounding world. Yoga appeared before we did ( it's enough to say that the first yoga's references are dated nearly 5000 years ago! ). Many dissapeared civilizations left yoga knowledge as a gift for us. And that gift is still alive...
Mudra practice makes yoga awarness deeper. Mudras are simple yogic actions with the huge meaning! It influences oh whole our being from the physical till energetic level. We are going to
explore one of the most effective mudras in this article.
There are plenty phonetic explanations of the word 'mudra'. It consists of 2 roots: 'mud'- joy and 'ra'- to give. In Pali it's 'muddica' from 'muda'- power. So we can say that 'mudra' is enlightenment of three holly mysteries- the power of spirit, speach and body. Mudra plus asana (body), image (spirit), mantra (speech), is the great tool to achieve highest goal of yoga.
Mudra is a certain gesture or position that reflects condition of human spirit, inner spiritual flow and also deep psychological process. It's nonverbal process that is much more effective
than the verbal one. Mudras are used in yoga, ayurveda, by Buddhist monks and others for healing body, mind, soul through the centures. It creates the energetic direction and flow with
exact meaning. Mudras make certain closed circuit, making tne spiritual flow, concentration more effective, free and easier .Human thoughts in its main form are united flows of nervous activity.
Such practice converts all human consiousness ( brain activity, thin spiritual flow that influence and change whole thinking process and even karma ).
Mudra's importance is observed in ancient vedic scriptures. Such as "Eta MudraMa Janati" - man who doesn't know how to use mudras will never get any good. Mudra practice normalizes energetic
flow in body.
Mudras clean energetic channels and psiсhological centers in subtle body and let to flow the life current to each part of organism. As a result we can see an improvement of health, resistance
to deseases, bringing inner feeling of strong health and fullness of the being.
As we clean our consiousness our mind is also clarifing, intellectual abilities grow letting spiritual aspirations manifest with the bigger power. Mudras help to control our thoughts and
thinking process, concentrate, bring peace and destroy apathy and ego.
Energy space in Mudra's body gives the life force to our body and creates strong protection from the negative energies.
Mudras bring joy, pure happiness, harmony and energy. It clears our mind, heart from human vices. It takes away the worries, woes, sorrow and misery. Mudras protect from bad influence, dark
forces, destructive programs in our minds, removing obstacles on the road of development. We learn how to control emotions better with it's help. Mudras are strenghtening positive intent and
belief in ourselfs.
Using Mudras in selfimprovement practice letting to rich awareness of our inner consciousness for the more effective way of living. Mudra's position reflects our mind in body and body in mind.
Jbserving people, the way they walk, move and so on ,we can find out a lot about his mental, psychological state. The way of walk of the scared man and angry man is very different. This is
kind of communication between AnnaMaya Kosha (phisical body) and other Koshas through the Nadi system (energetic channels) in PranaMaya Kosha. Even simple hand gesture or face expression reflects
inner world.
Let's watch some main Mudras which are regullary used in Yoga and in common life for more consious self-developing way.
Namaste - ancient greeting. ( Namah - sansc.'bow', ma - 'for you'). Also it's simular with latin word 'nemus', ol sacson 'nunan' that means honour, respect, duty.
Gesture of the closed palms united near heart (vishudha chakra) with the slightly tilted head, wellknown in many countries. It's still topical ourtimes and still used in Yoga practice
and in many religions and confessions. Gesture of deep respect, gratitude, sincerity and greeting coming from the kind heart.
Mudra Namaste in wide sense means 'Divinity that's in me is welcoming worshiping Divinity that's in you'. Respectful glorification of Supreme Creator, holy formation of the Universe and human is
integral part of it. It uncovers inside world of a human for a moment, makes him think about deeper realities, blurring borders between people.
Clasped hands stimulate activity in both parts of the brain, harmonising energetic flows, developing concentration and inside balance, providing impact on aura and nervous sistem focusing deep
awareness.
In symbolic meaning this Mudra means unity of the visually dualistic universe, spiritual and material.
Deep special reverence for a teacher jr guru you can express with the closed palms in Namaste Mudra near forehead (adjna chakra). Or palms above the head symbolise focused consciousness
in subtle place.
By other version Na in 'nama' means death (spiritual), but na-ma as a denial of death means immortal.
Namaste works on 3 levels: mental, physical and verbal. Acnion Namaste begins from establishment of strict control. Controlling our thoughts we control our ego. So our sole is a part of one
holy sole.
This unique gesture accompaning with word 'Namaste'. It's equivalent to the Mantra meaning. Sonorousness of tis sacred word has deep mistical value, which correlates with creative change
of the energy, transition from one status to another. This conversation is in direct harmony with the vibrations.
In a general sense Namaste - is a social transaction. It's a popular gesture of greeting and farewell. It expresses respectful attitude. Such an installation creates positive tone for the further
development of harmonic relationship. Namaste is a mosaic of moves and words, reflecting deepest thoughts and feelings of communicating people. In human society this communication setting
mechanism is filled with special social, emotional and spiritual value. We can say that folded together palms as a knife that cuts all the differences and separetions of cognition of spiritual aspects
between people.
Let's compare gesture Namaste and the famous handshake! The last one is so better known for many of us. Anyway Namaste surpasses it in many ways. First of all it equalizes the interlocutor
with God. You can perform Namaste to God, but it's impossible to shake hands with Him. Or King or president physically cann't shake hands with everybody during wellcoming. But Namaste riches
everybody.
Yoga as a systems of exersises (asanas) created for good of all levels of the human being, including physical and intellectual. It makes perfect harmony with the rhythms of the world around.
In this case mudra 'Namaste' itself presents Yoga. Any kind of Yoga activity begins from this holy spiritual gesture. Buddhists went ahead and named this gesture Mudra. If one of the Gods make
Namaste that means Andjali Mudra. 'Andjali' word means Andj (decorate, celebrate, dedicate). Namaste is a dedication of the Kingdom of Spirit, celebration of reaching of the summit of human spirit,
decorated with sinsere desire to become better and improve lives of the surrounding people.
There are some facts of using Namaste:
Mostly all religions has common gesture - folding palms near heart. Obviously it has hidden phisiological rationale. What's going on in our body making this action? In this case common waters in
our body (blood, limfa and so on) are getting neutralized and balanced. We can check this out. We gonna measure our pressure and write down the difference between top and bottom pressure.
Then bring the palms together on 3-4 min. After that check ur pressure again. You are gonna be suprised, because of much more ballanced prassure than before. And also acid-alkalane ballance
will be improved . That is why it's extremely important make Namaste before eat. We should hold it 1.5 min or more.
Nambhi Mudra - symbol of the sky.
It's about touching of the hard palate with the top of the tongue. It's used for the circut paths circulations of Prana in channel's system of the subtle body. It should be done constantly during
all practise.
There are 3 versions of making this Mudra. First two of them are most meaningful in Yoga, but the third one is used mostly in meditation. First version (Vayu-Nabhi-Mudra) activises Wind element
in organism. It helps during practicing asanas, like a 'gaz' for powerfuler practice. Svami Shivananda said that such a technique should be done regullary while exersises, or immediately after
exiting the asana. It's about touching behind the upper gum with the tip of the tongue. Sometimes it feels like shiver in the base of the spine.
Second version of Nabhi Mudra - Agni Nabhi Mudra. It activises energy of Fire element in the body. This tremendous flow is usefull practicing Mudras or Pranayamas. The perpose is to full body with Prana.
The most dense and hard function of it is to restorate perfect health in each cell of the body. For the execution of the Fiery gesture of the sky we should push our tongue deeper than before and touch the
point where hard palate moves to soft one (join of the palate and throat). It's like our body is under the rain of Prana energy. Sensitive to subtle processes people can feel that clearly.
And there is the third one! Deepest version of Nabhi Mudra - Djala Nabhi Mudra, 'Gesture of Water'. Also it has another name Khechari Mudra ('Gesture of Flying in the Sky'). Tongue is pushed in the throat
as deeply as possible. Generally we use this gesture before and during meditation for the cooling 'Soma' flow - 'sweet' flow or boost of Bindu Chakra (between crown and head). This Mudra should be used
during all the day to controll our mind and emotions. Technique: close your mouth, wrap tongue back pushing its buttom to the palate. Keep pushing the top of your tongue as far as possible. If some unpleasant sensation come, than briefly relax your tongue and then repeat exersise. It stimulates many vital nerve centers in brain.
Nasikagra Mudra - this one is one of the most common and wellknown Mudra practice. It's used for the breath control in each of the nostrils. It helps to inhale and exhale evenly without sudden and
discontinuous movements. We use right hand for practicing Mudra. On the Prana level right hand is used to give and the left one - to take. Technique: bring your right palm behind your face. Softly put your
index and middle fingers on the forehead where the third eye area is. Both fingers have to be relaxed. Put your big toe near your right nostril and ring finger near the left one. Pressing and releasing right side
of the right nostril you control the breathing process. The Little finger you will not use during Nasikaga Mudra, so you can bend it. You should press the nostrils one by one very slightly. The right foream
shouldn't press on your chest, so the light feel any pressure. Elbow looks down to avoid unpleasant sensation in that area. Keep your shoulders and hands relaxed to make planty circles of Pranayama practice.
Djnyana Mudra - the position of 'intuitive knoweledge'. Bend your index fingers on the both hands so they make circle with the big toe. Put your hands on your knees (palms down). Relax your hands. The point is that middle finger, ring finger and the little finger are simullar with the three quality of Nature. Sattva - Middle finger (clean, wisdom, full understanding), Radjas - Ring finger (motion, passion, movement), Tamas - the Little finger (lethargy, darkness). It is nessesary to pass the way from Tamas to Sattvsa, from darkness to the light, from ignorance to the knowledge. Bended index figer simbolises an individual manifestation of consciousness (Djivatma).The omnipresent consciousness (big toe) - Tsramatma. Connected big toe and index finger present the union of God and individual.
Djnyana Mudra rises power of mind, relises from anger, mental distraction and head pain, laziness and depression. Effective for the deeper concentraition of mind. It used while reading or conversation. Consciousness becomes sharper and more attentive.
Chin Mudra same as Djnyana Mudra, but the palm look up. It helps to keep meditative pose relaxed and strong for the very long time.
Viparita Karani Mudra (sans. 'Inverted psychic position')- inverted asana. " An amazing thing, that protects Moon energy from the burning by Sun",-Hatha Yoga Pradipica about Viparita Karani Mudra. This asana is effective for higher vitality of the organism. It's available almost for everybody. Such a joint of Hatha Yoga and Kriya Yoga. So there are versions of makening this Mudra from banal exersise till deep meditation, that can clean our body on every level. While makening the posture the direction of rotation of the main Vortex changes on the reversed one. So it influences on the direction of the flow of internal time. But the full version of Viparita Karani Mudra is qwite difficult to make, so here is presented the most easy one. Mudra stimulates the thyroid gland and harmonises cardio-vascular, digestive, andocrine and nervous systems. Riched with blood brain heals mental disorders. It also tones the leg, abdomen, spine and neck muscles. Master learning of Sarvangasana provides control of body temperature. Practicing this Mudra helps to avoid desires based on passion (Energetic
channels become clean in lower part of the body and energy comes in Sushumna (central energetic channel), so higher chakras begin to open.
It's enough just a couple of min in a day to make Viparita Karani.
lay on your back, legs should be gethered together.
make Halasana
hands put on your loin, your palms should be looked like a bowl
put your hips in this 'bowl' so all body weight is in your palms and elbows.
legs are in vertical position, cause of the body bending right in the hip joint!
stay in this Mudra with calm breathing untill you will get tired.
and after finishing dont stand up for some time.
Also dont forget about contraindications! Go deeper in this practice consciously, increasing knowledge and body possibility.
Summarizing the use of the instruments described above I should warn all the spiritual seekers about incorrect use of the phenomenal superpower abilities, that can happen in Yoga or Mudra practice. The main point of these exercises is the Sole development. And the danger of self-deception, complacency, egoism is very near.. Untill you will not learn how to control Ego, all this knowledge and spiritual power will not get any use. Gaining unusual superpower is percieved for spirituality. Emerging visions in our mind often delight Ego. As higher the level of development as understanding of the surrounding world getting more true.
If man has that supernatural force just for one perpose to help others, then it works! Important is to understand that possibility to live for others makining the world around you better. Spirituality is not about what you've learned or practiced.. It connected with real you, your inner world. That is why while practicing Mudras or other stuff you should raise in yourself clean, softness, dedication, sincerity and other positiv sides first of all.
Don't try to jump steps on the way..
Mudras are the instruments of spiritual developing. It's gonna be very helpful if you will combine it with other disciplines. Among the diversity of practicies there is no more important one. Its impossible to compare them, but practise it together such a nice idea!
Om! And have a good practice!
Bedunkova Olga