The power of touch
Overwhelm has got to be an epidemic by now, right?. All of us are overly familiar with feeling flooded by anxiety, suffocated by stress, engulfed by emotion. Wanna know one of the most grounding and proactive things you can do to not only 'manage' stress and overwhelm, but to obliterate it's power? It's Mudra, Baby.
Just like a full-blown yoga practice can, we can use specific mudras to remedy how we feel; to enhance our capacity to concentrate, to overcome overwhelm and essentially create more harmony on the daily.
Mudras are simple physical gestures or shapes, made usually with the hands. We can understand the word mudra as a seal of physical energy within the body and/or to seal ones relationship t the divine.
We are going to unpack 4 of my fave mudras so you can start feeling more zen, right NOW
Photo Cred: Studio North + Keeper Creative
Jhana Mudra: seal of wisdom
How: Place the tip of the forefinger and thumb together, palm faces upward.
This one can be done in sitting meditation or even during yoga asana to instill deeper focus. This mudra creates a loop to re-direct prana (life force energy) back into bodily circulation. It is used to improve concentration, memory and uncover inner knowledge, intuition and wisdom.
Anjali Mudra: reverence to the heart seal
How: Simply place the palms together at the chest
This mudra is often used at the beginning or completion of a yoga class and reminds us that our practice is a celebration of everything as sacred. This simple touch of the hands together with reverence reconnects us to the light or divinity that dwells in our own heart, in the hearts of all beings and beyond.
Lotus Mudra
How: Place the heels of your hands together in front of your heart, rest the thumb and pinkie finger against each other and let your fingers spread out like the petals of your heart lotus.
The lotus flower represents the blossoming of the soul, it blooms on the waters surface, with the roots buried in mud below; as we emerge from darkness – we flower into the light and beauty of our awakened soul.
I love to use this mudra if I’m feeling overwhelmed. It reminds myself of the natural unfolding of divine timing and that from the deep and dirty comes great transformation. Just like a flower, we cannot rush the natural process, it’s like forcing a lotus to bloom and we just end up ripping off the petals!
Shiva Lingum Mudra: seal of masculine and feminine
How: Place you left palm facing upward, just below your navel; make a fist with your right hand with the thumb pointing up. Rest right hand (masculine) on left palm (feminine)
Shiva, the lord transformation, the destroyer, represents our inner power and an unshakable reservoir of life force energy, prana.
I love this mudra for dissolving feeling of separation or polarity. For example, a dissonance between what I’m thinking and what I’m feeling. I use this mudra like medicine when I need to blast through feelings of stuckness and to steady myself in times of change to regain balance.
Now, take a moment and check out how you are feeling. Which mudra is going to be your medicine? Select one and sit with it for 5 minutes, breathing slowly and let me know if it worked in the Comments!
To learn more, Join our upcoming Meditation Course here
Love, Amanda