Mudras: What is Mudras , Benefits, Types, Balancing  

What is Mudras ?

Namaste from the beautiful Ganges banks in Rishikesh, the home of yoga! We are delighted to welcome you to the fascinating world of mudras, which are elegant, subtle hand movements that can have huge impacts.

Our Rishikesh yoga school’s philosophy aims to honor the teachings of yoga in simple and rich ways. We created an outline of different mudras for meditation and their amazing benefits. This makes it easy to understand.

Mudras, also known as “seals,” can be much more than just pretty hand positions; they are important in India’s ancient Indian traditions because they create subtle shifts in prana (life force energy) through the directions of the hands and fingers with conscious supporters, which have been recognized throughout history to influence the movement of energy in positive ways, pave the way for healing, develop concentration, or create inner peace. 

Types of Mudras

All Mudras In Yoga: Cultivating Inner Peace and Focus

Anjali Mudra (Salutation Seal)

The first mudra that most people experience is Anjali Mudra, often called the gesture of reverence or unity. If you have done yoga before, you have seen it: hands pressed together at your heart, often accompanied by “Namaste.” This simple gesture means more than just a greeting. It helps balance your energies, calm your mind, and boost your sense of gratitude. 

Try it now: bring your palms together and notice how they create gentle pressure as well as (possibly) provide a centering effect. It is such a great way to reduce stress and anxiety and bring into balance the left and right hemispheres of your brain. 

Dhyana Mudra (Seal of Meditation)

Dhyana Mudra is a great mudra to facilitate deep reflection on your own inner consciousness. Visualize sitting in front of a wall or an altar, one hand on top of the other. Place your right hand on your left palm, palms facing up, which creates a gentle cup, and gently touch the thumbs together. 

Dhyana Mudra is a very receptive mudra that helps you deepen your meditation, calm your busy thoughts, and enhance your concentration. 

Jnana Mudra / Gyana Mudra (the gesture of knowledge)

Did you know that classic yoga pose where the tip of the thumb and index finger come together? That is known as the Jnana Mudra, also called Gyana Mudra. The tip of the thumb and the tip of the index finger slightly touch to appear circular, while the other three fingers are extended. Although simple yet powerful, this universal gesture indicates understanding and awareness and is excellent for sharpening attention, improving clarity of thought, energizing the Muladhara (root) chakra, and feeling balanced and clear.

Chin Mudra (Gesture of Consciousness)

Very similar to Jnana Mudra, Chin Mudra is only slightly different: your palm is facing downward. The thumb and index finger still touch, creating that perfect circle. However, having the palm facing down grounds the energy. Amazing when it comes to promoting receptivity, helping one to absorb and understand, and enhancing calming of the mind as well as energy flow throughout the system.

Mudras for Balancing the Elements:

Our bodies are small universes, containing the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space. A great way to harmonize the five elements in us is through mudras. 

Vayu Mudra (Gesture of Air)

If you feel a little airy or hyperactive, you might try Vayu Mudra. Fold your index finger down so it lands flat and touches the base of the thumb. Then gently press your thumb over it. The other fingers extend. This mudra balances the air element in your body. Reducing excess air (gas and bloating). Joint pain and nervous disorders benefit from it too. It produces a nice sense of calm.

Shunya Mudra (or Shuni Mudra) (Gesture of Emptiness or Patience)

When you need to exhibit patience or if you are experiencing ear issues, use Shunya Mudra (sometimes called Shuni Mudra). This one has you fold your middle finger flat down and touch the base of your thumb, then the thumb gently presses down on it. This mudra resembles the space element and reduces ear issues like tinnitus. It allows more patience and purifies emotions.

Prithvi Mudra (Gesture of Earth)

Want to feel more grounded and stable? Try Prithvi Mudra. Simply touch the tips of your thumb and ring finger while the others remain straight. Touching the ring finger and thumb will connect you to the earth element, which will energize your body, increase stability, and promote vitality. It feels as if you’re firmly rooting into the earth.

Varuna Mudra (Gesture of Water)

If you are feeling dry, either physically or emotionally, perhaps you need to connect with some water element through Varuna Mudra. On this one, you touch the tips of your little finger and thumb together, keeping the rest of the fingers straight. This mudra balances the water element, restores hydration, provides skin nourishment and moisturization, and helps with dryness. It also has a lovely sense of fluidity and balance.

Mudras for Enhancing Energy and Vitality:

Prana Mudra (Gesture of Life Force)

Are you experiencing decreased vitality? Consider using the Prana Mudra. To place your hands in Prana Mudra, bring the tips of your ring finger and little finger to touch the tip of your thumb while extending the index and middle fingers. Prana Mudra is like a spark of energy igniting your vital energy, reducing fatigue, supporting your immune system, and helping increase your ability to see. The Prana Mudra is an effective overall energizer.

Apana Mudra (Gesture of Elimination)

Apana Mudra is the gesture for detoxification and facilitates healthy elimination. By touching the tips of your middle and ring fingers to the tip of your thumb, keeping the index and little fingers extended, you can use this mudra to support detoxification, assist the natural elimination process, and relieve constipation.

Poorna Mudra / Brahma Mudra (Gesture of Wholeness / Supreme)

Poorna mudra, or Brahma Mudra, is a lovely gesture of completeness and wholeness. Bring your hands together with your palms facing upwards, thumbs touching, to form a bowl at the navel. This mudra creates feelings of being satisfied, balances energy, and calms the nervous system.

Benefits of Mudras 

Shakti Mudra (Gesture of Power)

For strengthening and inner peace, especially in the pelvic area, consider Shakti Mudra. With fingers interlocked and thumbs gently touching and pointing upwards, this mudra is connected to feminine energy. Shakti Mudra can also relieve tension, assist in childbirth, and increase creativity.

Hakini Mudra (Gesture of Intuition and Concentration)

If you want to improve your concentration or tap into your intuition, Hakini Mudra works like a charm. Simply bring the tips of your fingers to touch one another at the level of your third eye or chest. This mudra enhances concentration, improves coordination of the brain, and stimulates intuition.

Adi Mudra (Gesture of the First Sound)

To calm your nervous system and cultivate grounding, you may want to try Adi Mudra. Simply fold your thumb into your palm, and then fold your fingers around your thumb, almost like making a soft fist. Adi Mudra is quite calming and has more impact while practicing pranayama.

Chinmaya Mudra (Gesture of Awareness)

Like Chin mudra, Chinmaya Mudra takes focus on energy and enhances self-awareness. To do this gesture, form a circle with your thumb and index finger (like Jnana Mudra), but curl your other three fingers into your palm.

Yoni Mudra (Gesture of the Womb/Source)

Yoni Mudra is a very soothing and introspective mudra. You want to touch your thumbs together, then touch your index fingers together, and form a diamond shape before interlocking the remainder of your fingers below. This is a mudra that can calm the nervous system, induce deep relaxation, harmonize hormones, and connect you with inner intelligence. 

Bhairav Mudra (Gesture of Fearlessness—Masculine)

For cultivating courage and inner strength while allowing yourself an outpouring of bravery, we have Bhairav Mudra. All you do is place your right hand over the left hand with palms facing up in your lap. This mudra facilitates a sense of fearlessness and allows your internal energies to balance themselves. 

Hridaya Mudra (Gesture of the Heart) 

Hridaya Mudra, as the name indicates, has to do with the heart. You take your index finger to the base of your thumb, while the tips of your middle and ring fingers touch the tip of the thumb—make sure to keep your little finger. When held near the heart, this mudra supports heart health and can give you compassion, as well as supporting your heart-soul center when something is troubling you. 

Vishnu Mudra (Lord Vishnu) 

The Vishnu Mudra is commonly used in the Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (alternate nostril breathing) because it is so indicative of balancing two channels in the body and within the mind. For the Vishnu Mudra, you use your index finger and middle finger folded into your palm—the thumb, ring finger, and little finger are extended.

Granthita Mudra (The Knotted Gesture)

To properly concentrate and direct the energy within your body, you can practice Granthita Mudra. Interlace the fingers of both hands firmly together so that your thumbs wrap tightly around the interlaced fingers. Granthita Mudra is an excellent way to stimulate, direct, and concentrate your energy and stabilize you. It can also even be helpful for some digestive conditions. 

Mahasir Mudra (Gesture for Headache Relief)

Do you have a headache? Perhaps Mahasir Mudra will give you some relief. To practice Mahasir Mudra, bring the tips of your thumb, index, and middle fingers together and fold your ring and pinky fingers into your palm. 

Incorporating Mudras into your practice:

The best thing about Mudras, apart from their simplicity and accessibility, is that there is no limit to where or when you can use them. You can use mudras in your daily yoga practice, you can use them when you are meditating, or you can simply use them during your day whenever you feel like it! 

• Set an Intention—As you hold each mudra, be sure to set an intention. What do you want to cultivate and/or release? 
• Mindfulness—Be with what sensations arise in your hands and what subtle changes shift in your energy. 
• Go at Your Own Pace—As with any practice, your consistency is important. You do not have to work with mudras for extended periods of time, and just a few moments a day can create the most profound changes.
• Listen to Your Body—Try a few mudras and see what you resonate with the most! 

We would love to hear about your experiences with mudras, so feel free to share in the comments below! We love to hear from our community. 

With love and light from Rishikesh,