If I ask you to imagine a person meditating, you will surely be struck by the image of someone sitting on the floor, with their legs crossed and making a very specific gesture with their fingers. This gesture has a name and it is mudra.

Maybe you have ever heard of mudras. The mudras are gestures usually made with the hands or fingers of the hands. According to Sanskrit tradition, Each mudra has a different benefit for the body and mind.

The word «mudra» comes from Sanskrit and means «trademark, seal or distinctive sign«There are many mudras. Perhaps after the five brushstrokes that I will give you below you would like to know more.

You have to know that there are books dedicated only to mudras, their meaning and benefits. Therefore, don’t be left wanting to know more and do the search. There is a lot of information on the subject.

In this video you can see what mudras are and how to do one of the mudras suggested in this article:

Meditation with mudras

First of all, I would like to share with you the way I practice meditation with mudras. It is a very short and simple exercise. Plus, it can be done wherever you are! You only need your breath and your hands.

1. To perform this type of meditation, you can be sitting or lying down. It is important that you have the hands free.
2. First of all, pay attention to the present moment. Focus on your breathing.
3. Make the mudra you have chosen with your hands. Below I will explain two to you, but I have already told you, there are books dedicated only to mudras.
4. Without undoing the mudra, take five to ten conscious breaths. Breathe in through your nose, bring it towards your belly and exhale it gently through your nose as well.
5. Let yourself be seduced by the mudra you are doing with your hands. Observe. Don’t judge. Have a curious mind and desire to experiment.
6. When you have done the conscious breathing, you can start undoing the mudra. You have already finished the exercise.

Maybe now the question arises: Whenever I intend to meditate, do I have to do a mudra? And the answer is no. You can have your hands calm, one on each side of your body, or they can be resting in your lap. The mudra is a complement.

You can also perform mudras by doing some other exercise or some guided meditation.

Doing mudras should not be an isolated exercise. They are used to help focus attention. If you are a person who it’s hard to stay focused and you tend to move your hands a lot when you speak or your thoughts simply overwhelm you when you sit down to meditate, practicing and learning about mudras will help you focus your attention.

For keep your hands calm and meditateconcentrating on a mudra will be of great help to you. You will be able to follow the meditative exercise with much more care and patience.

2 mudras that fill you with energy and confidence

Now we will see two different mudras. I have chosen the two that I like the most, but – I insist – do not limit yourself to just these two. There are many to discover.

Furthermore, depending on the book on the mudras you choose, they will explain to you that they obtain different benefits with the same mudra depending on whether it is done with the right or left hand.

Even can be combined with each otherthat is, doing a mudra with the left hand and a different one with the right hand to enjoy more benefits. Here I tell you briefly and simply, but know that these nuances also exist.

The energy mudra

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In both the video and this photograph you can see how you must place your hand to do it. You can do it with both hands or with your dominant hand. Remember that once you have done it, the idea is to take conscious and regular breaths.

Benefits of energy mudra:

• Yoga calls it “pranamudra.”. In Sanskrit the word prana It means ‘life force’. Therefore, it is a mudra that It will help you activate the vital force and the energy of the body and mind.
• After doing it for a while, you should feel fresh and with renewed energy.
• If you feel stuck in a situation, it will help you have a new perspective on the problem. It’s like a breath of fresh air comes to you.
• It will also help you when you have headache by having fixed or strained your eyes for too long.

Apollo’s mudra

In the video I explain how to do it, it is typical mudra that we imagine when we think of someone meditating. You can do it with both hands or with your dominant hand. Remember that, once you have done it, the idea is to take conscious and regular breaths.

Benefits of the Apollo mudra:

• It helps us maintain a joyful mood.
• helps us regain confidenceas if we were opening ourselves to life.
• helps us feel like we are stepping hard.
• keeps us attentive and relaxedbut with a mind ready for new challenges and ideas. The mind remains relaxed, but without falling asleep.
• It also helps us have more ingenuity in a conversation.
• It is the mudra that is recommended to people who enjoy hiking, because relieves leg pain and rests your feet.

As you can see, the world of mudras is very wide and exciting. Now you know a little more about it, however, keep investigating and discovering what these gestures magical they can do for you.