Mudras: The Forgotten Yogic Language of Energy

Salutations, my loved ones of quietness!

Here we are in this space where we seek the darker, more silent aspect of the yogic path. Personally, having been practicing in the potent, spiritual flow of Rishikesh, we have experienced personally the transformational power of practice. Most people go to this place because they want to know the striking poses (asanas), but nowadays, we would like to reveal to you the secret language of the subtle body, the actually forgotten yogic aid that acts at the level of energy as such: Yoga Mudras.

A mudra is much more than a mere hand gesture; the Sanskrit term translates to mean “seal,” “gesture,” or “mark,” and it is utilized to specifically seal and guide your vital life force, which is called “prana vayu.” These little but extremely effective hand gestures to energy are the keys to unlocking more good health, increased attention, and ultimate inner peace. Best of all? You need not lose time but can exercise them wherever you may be.

The Deep Science: Your Hands are an Elemental Map.

To explain the working principle of yoga mudras, we should start with the simplest rule of yoga and Ayurveda that we have learned at Rishikesh Yoga traditions: that the universe and your body are a combination of the five elements (Pancha Tattvas).

The most amazing part? These elements have five electrical terminals, and you can instantly exert an effect on them by means of your fingers in your system:

Finger	Element (Tattva)	Function in the Body	Imbalance Symptoms
Thumb	Fire (Agni)	Metabolism, Digestion, Body Heat	Fever, Anxiety, Hyperactivity
Index	Air (Vayu)	Movement, Circulation, Nervous System	Restlessness, Bloating, Tremors
Middle	Space (Akasha)	Expansion, Communication, Hearing	Ear issues, Numbness, Emptiness
Ring	Earth (Prithvi)	Stability, Structure (Bones, Muscle)	Weakness, Lethargy, Insecurity
Little	Water (Jala)	Fluids, Circulation, Immunity	Dehydration, Dry Skin, Reduced Fluidity

By touching with two certain fingertips, you form a circuit. This practice is to make your Prana Vayu, or the life-force energy that would otherwise fade into the air, come back into your nadi (channels of energy). This is the way a mudra will at once assist in balancing the five elements, pacifying what is in excess or vibrating what is lacking.

The five currents of life: Prana Vayu.

Also Read: The Five Sheaths of the Soul: Understanding Pancha Kosha

In order to be efficient with your yoga mudras, it is useful to know how prana flows. It is not a single stream of energy, but five in all, the so-called Pancha Vayus (the five winds or movements of Prana). All your mudras affect these currents:

• Prana Vayu: the internal and upward energy of reception (inhalation, food intake, and sense experience). Controls the chest, lungs, and heart.
• Apana Vayu: The energy of elimination (exhalation, excretion, birth) downwards and outwards. Controls the lower abdomen and the pelvic floor.
• Samana Vayu: The turbulent energy of assimilation (digestion, absconding, and metabolism). This controls the area between the heart and the belly button.
• Udana Vayu: The rays of movement upwards (expression, growth, spiritual growth). Regulates the throat, head, and sensory organs.
• Vyana Vayu: This is the circulating, diffusive energy that inhabits the whole body and coordinates and balances all other Vayus.

By making a hand mudra, you are literally using a dial to either step up or down the flow of one of these Vayus. An example is a mudra, which enhances fire (thumb) to improve Samana Vayu, which raises digestion!

More Intensive: The Four Foundational Hasta Mudras (Hand Gestures).

These four yoga mudras are invaluable instruments for one who wishes to change with the help of Rishikesh Yoga in Maa Shakti Yog Rishikesh. To achieve optimal outcomes, sit up with a straight back, relax your shoulders, and keep each mudra loose, not strained, for 10 to 15 minutes.

1. Gyan Mudra (The Seal of Knowledge)

Also Read: Mantras and Chanting in Yoga: A Deep Dive

• Technique: Rub the end of the index (air) and thumb (fire). The rest of the fingers are slightly extended.
• Vayu Influence: The touch decreases the surplus Air element (Vayu) and pacifies nervousness and increases the Fire element (Agni) that is related to light and knowledge.
• Sublime Benefits: This is the ideal mudra in meditation techniques. It has an extremely good effect in enhancing concentration, reducing the mind, enhancing memory, reducing stress, and reducing insomnia by balancing the central nervous system.
• Our Tip: This should be practiced when one is sitting near the Ganga River. The murmur of the running water also makes a perfect match to the relaxing focus that this mudra provides.

2. Vayu Mudra (Seal of Air Balance)

Also Read: The Sound of Stillness: The use of silence in yoga.

• Entering: Bending the index finger (air), making the tip of it meet the thumb’s (fire) base. Press the thumb down against the index finger. The rest of the fingers are straight.
• Vayu Influence: This is a strong hand position of energy specifically created to control the air element, churning out Vayu, which does not leave the body, and hence makes one uncomfortable and restless.
• Inestimable Advantages: This sign is a healing gesture. It works very well in alleviating problems associated with overabundance of air, like gassing, bloating, sore joints, neck stiffness, and nervous shivering. It introduces a profound feeling of silence.
• Note: This should be used as a therapeutic application until the Vayu imbalance is corrected, when it may be changed to a balancing pose such as Gyan Mudra.

3. Prana Mudra (The Seal of Life and Vitality)

Also Read: Ready to Get Strong? Start here with these 11 yoga poses for strength.

• How to Do It: Use the tips of the ring finger (earth), the little finger (water), and the thumb (fire). Have the index and middle fingers straight.
• Vayu Influence: It is a vitalizer! It enhances the Prana and Vyana Vayus. All these elements of Earth, Water, and Fire boost the overall circulation of life force and increase the overall stamina and immune system of the physical body.
• Deep Benefits: It can be regarded as an amazing tonic, as it decreases physical exhaustion, enhances energy and confidence, and is generally prescribed to enhance vision and to strengthen the eyes. It is the ideal mudra for low-power days.

4. Prithvi Mudra (The Seal of Earth)

Also Read: 5 Breathing Techniques to Supercharge Your Yoga Practice

• How to Do It: The Ring Finger (Earth) and the Thumb (Fire). The rest of the fingers are outstretched.
• Vayu Influence: Strengthens the Earth element, providing immediate stability, and diminishes the Fire element, which may produce too much heat or aggressiveness.
• Deep Benefits: This is the deepest grounding mudra. It also fights instability, reinstates faith and confidence, and assists in eliminating the feeling of restlessness or light-headedness. It is great to make the body stronger physically (hair, nails, bones) and make body practice an anchor that helps to stay in the present moment, which is a very important anchor in our life that is very fast-paced nowadays.

How are mudras used to awaken higher consciousness (kundalini awakening)?

Mudras are not just physical ailments in the deep traditions that are taught here in Rishikesh. They are an effective channel of spiritual change.

The idea of Energetic Seals is an important part of the practices that are directed towards Kundalini Awakening. Meditation and breath practice are complemented with ancient hand gestures for energy. The energy within the Prana Vayu is sealed inside the Sushumna Nadi, creating pressure upon release through each Chakra as it rises. These mudras refine one’s ability to sense the subtle energies around them, which until now they would only have felt physically.

Through the practice of yoga, we create our own experience of transformation within us. With these ancient hand gestures for energy, you can move from merely practicing yoga to becoming a conduit of the subtle energies that flow through everything. 

We reviewed four essential mudras. Which of these powerful mudras most resonates with you at this moment?