Thousands of years ago, before body language experts deciphered the meanings behind our movements, Mudra Masters were focused on optimizing hand positions to enhance internal energy flow within the body. The word “mudra” stems from an Indian Sanskrit word meaning “sign” or “seal.” Through the centuries, hundreds, if not thousands, of mudras were developed and refined.
Let me introduce a familiar mudra to you.
Imagine contemplating a brilliant idea. Extend your fingers and touch the fingertips of your right and left hands together. Perhaps you even tap them together in excitement. From a Mudra Master’s perspective, this gesture synchronizes the right and left hemispheres of the brain, fostering creativity.
Now let’s observe this inner energy in action.
Look at your right hand. Let it rest gently open. Over time, you’ll feel the warmth emanating from this hand. It won’t be like Superman’s X-ray vision boring heat into your hand, but rather the internal workings of the hand radiating heat from the inside-out. Be sensitive to these internal happenings. Be patient. You may not feel the heat immediately.
But here’s a way you will:
Rub your hands together until you feel heat generating between them. Then place your cupped hands over your closed eyelids. Feel the comforting warmth of your hands against your closed eyes. Embrace this soothing warmth and calming energy.
Ancient religious statues recognized the significance of the hands in spiritual practices. Have you seen a Buddha statue sitting with crossed legs and palms facing up? There’s a reason behind these upward palms. It symbolizes openness to the energy of one’s surroundings. By placing the palms down on the knees, it’s a way of grounding one’s energy. These hand gestures aim to harness internal energy into peaceful states of being. And that’s just the beginning. There are so many more handy ways of holding those hands.
We all possess energy. Many believe that the imbalance of energy is the root cause of all diseases. Finding ways to direct and balance this energy can become a healthy, organic ingredient to a happier life. Discovering new methods to harness and channel our incredible energy into creative ways of inspiring peace in our chaotic world seems like a commendable gesture to me.
• Joan Budilovsky can be reached at editorial@kcchronicle.com or through her website at Yoyoga.com.