Have you ever wondered how the five fingers of your hand can channel primordial energy and lead us back to natural elements? Let’s take a closer look.
Let’s start with the name. Mudra is an ancient Sanskrit term. It means “gesture” or “mark” and in Yoga, the mudras are precisely that, “gestures”. Symbolic gestures which channel the flows of energy through our body, consequently facilitating the practices associated with meditation.
The first mudras were used in India about 5000 years ago: this we know from archaic shamanism and Vedic culture. In this culture ritual hand gestures are used during the mantras performed during various sacred ceremonies. The followers of Brahma, the Cosmic Creator, thus invoke the energy of Heaven and Earth. This energy was simultaneously channelled in order to obtain spiritual as well as material benefits.
Traces of mudras can be found too in some Indian dances, but in this case, their function is purely physical: the dancers (male and female) use them in order to provide a harmonious accompaniment to the movements of their bodies.
To get back to meditation, the correct position of the hands is of fundamental importance: our arms must never be neglected or casually positioned. Each mudra stimulates different parts of our brain and consequently, helps us to channel energy towards a specific part of the body.
Each finger, represents a point of connection with a specific natural element (and the energy associated with it). By placing our fingers in a particular position we are therefore able to control the amount of elemental energy that has always flowed within us.
The Thumb connects us with the sun and the energy of fire. The Index finger brings us closer to the air and its energy in constant movement. The Middle finger allows us to conquer space, meaning bodily expansion and openness to the world. The Ring finger symbolises earth, solidity and rootedness. Finally, the Little finger is associated with the element of water and liquids in general. It stands for mobility.
