We often use mudras in a yoga class.
The word “mudra “means “seal “or “gesture” and “mudras” are hand positions one of the most common being Anjali mudra where we bring the palms together in front of the heart at the start or end of a class. They also exist however in other traditions such as Christianity or Buddhism and date back thousands of years.
Mudras are designed to help with the flow of energy or prana through the body and intensify the effects of our contemplative practice whether meditation or asanas.
In Ayurveda Yoga’s sister science it is said that dis-ease is caused by an imbalance of the 5 elements in the body – fire, wind, space, earth, and water. Each element is connected to a finger as follows
Thumb – fire
Index finger – wind
Middle finger – ether (or space)
Ring finger – earth
Little finger – water
By using the fingers and bringing the hands into certain positions we can re balance the elements in our body leading to better health and longer life.
Mudras typically chin [thumb and index finger touch palm down] or jnana [thumb and index touch palm up] can be used when sitting practicing meditation or Pranayama.
It is recommended that you hold a mudra for 45 minutes once a day to bring about the desired effect.
The thumb also signifies the divine consciousness and the index finger the individual consciousness so by bringing those 2 together in chin or jnana mudra the practitioner connects with the Divine.
Mudras are also used in an asana practice for example in Natarajasana dancers pose [jnana mudra] or Vrksasana tree pose [Anjali mudra].
If you would like to read more about mudras, I really recommend the book Mudras Yoga in your hands by Gertrud Hirschi.