7 more mudras for meditation

7 More Mudras for Your Meditation Practice

And How To Use Them To Transform Your Mood

In a previous article, we wrote about 7 Mudras: Yoga of the Hands and the Fingers, and Their Meanings. Below, we offer 7 more mudras to stimulate your energy flow and transform your mood!

If you haven’t used mudras before and have no clue what they are about, not to worry! We will explain how these powerful meditation anchors work.

These mudras are fairly simple to try and can be a beautiful way to help you focus your mindfulness inward, as you meditate or practice pranayama (breathwork). Together with breathwork, they can help direct energy flow to invigorate different parts of your body and help you reinforce a specific healing state of mind. 

What are Mudras?   

In our last article, we explained that mudras are “expressions of inner feelings.” The word mudra means “seal” in the Buddhist and Hindu traditions. Mudras are symbolic hand gestures with a specific intention to invite balance and reconnection into your life. 

Energetically, they are said to connect different meridian endpoints in the body, creating a seal so that vital life force energy can be directed back into the body. 

Our nerves end in sensitive points in our hands and fingers, feet and toes. Perhaps that is why it is there, in our fingers, that meridian endpoints are thought to connect us to the 5 elements. As we mentioned before,

“These 5 elements are important because when we are not in balance, physical and psychological ailments can manifest.”

They are represented as follows: 

“The thumb is fire as well as universal consciousness.

The index finger is air and individual consciousness.

The middle finger is space and connection.

The ring finger is earth.

The small finger is water.”

How Do the Mudras Work? 

Spiritual Aspect: Mudras can be seen in Buddhist and Hindi statues of deities or masters who have achieved enlightenment. They are thought to connect you to the cosmic flow of energy and higher states of consciousness. 

Mental Aspect: Each mudra comes with a particular intention. By reflecting on that intention with every breath, the mudra can help provide an anchor (focus) for your meditation. This can keep you nested in the present moment, as well as help you to release old inner feelings and replace them with a new state of mind. If these hand gestures resonate with you, they can be a powerful tool to transform emotions and to strengthen any “change” therapy (i.e., sound therapy, hypnotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy). 

Physical Aspect: In the original Eastern traditions, prana (energy) is thought to radiate from the body “through the fingertips, lips, tip of the nose and toes.” So, when the thumb (fire) gets in contact with the other fingers, energy is directed to parts of the body, which is called circuit bypass.” With each breath, more prana builds up through that circuit, revitalizing and balancing those parts of the body.

(It is recommended that a mudra be held with intention for 5-10  minutes, to allow time for the energy to build.)

Ready to try these beautiful hand gestures and see how they feel for you? 

Find a peaceful place that is conducive to quiet and moments of stillness.

Make sure you are wearing some comfortable clothes and seated in a comfortable position. (This is very important so that you don’t get distracted during your meditation.)

If you have trouble finding a seated position that’s comfortable for you, we recommend these relaxing Zafu cushions that can raise your hips and relax tension you might feel in your back. (Read more about these amazing meditation pillows hereSeriously, they changed how we do meditation!) 

Now, let your mind settle, and pick the mudra of your choice. 

(Refer back to the 7 common mudras in our first article here or read on!)

Below is an intro into 7 additional mudras and how to use them in your meditation practice:

1. Ganesha Mudra

ganesha mudraMeaning: The Ganesha mudra is believed to awaken our inner fire. It is associated with the energy of Ganesh, the Hindu god commonly known as “the remover of obstacles.” This mudra focuses on self-confidence and courage through an open heart. Through overcoming obstacles, the heart is strengthened.

Benefit: This mudra is recommended if you are struggling with feelings of depression or sadness.  

How to: 

Focus on the heart center.

Place your left hand in front of the chest, with the palm facing outwards.

Bend your fingers into hooks, and grasp your left hand with your right hand into a lock. 

Keep your hands level with your heart, as you pull them apart without releasing your grip.

2. Akash Mudra

akash mudra

Meaning: The Akash mudra is associated with the element of space/ether. Akash means to “view” or “recognize.” Symbolically, it is used to recognize and increase the space within. It is a detoxifying hand gesture, and is believed to activate the throat chakra, enhancing communication, truth, purification, and self-expression.

Benefit: This mudra is recommended if you are struggling with anger, fear, or sorrow. 

How to: 

Focus on the throat chakra.

Lightly press the tips of the middle fingers to the tips of the thumb in each hand, creating a circle of space. 

Keep your other fingers held straight. 

3. Prithvi Mudra

prithvi mudraMeaning: In Sanskrit, “prithvi,” means “the vast one,” and this particular mudra is said to correspond with the earth element and strengthen the root chakra, which governs our strength, stamina, and sense of stability. It is a grounding mudra, and can help with mental clarity and endurance.

Benefit: This mudra is recommended if you are struggling with insecurities, low self-confidence, and instability.

How to: 

Focus on the root chakra.

Lightly press the tips of the ring fingers to the tips of the thumb in each hand, creating a circle of space. 

Keep your other fingers held straight. 

4. Vajrapradama Mudra

Vajrapradama mudra

Meaning: This mudra is inspired by the Sanskrit word, “vajra,” meaning thunderbolt, and is typically referred to as the mudra of “unshakeable trust.” It is associated with all the elements, inspiring a sense of inner strength and connection with the higher self. 

Benefit: This mudra is recommended if you are struggling with mistrust, hopelessness, overwhelming hardship, and self-doubt.

How to:

Focus on the heart center.

Cross your fingers and interlace them together. 

Place them in front of your chest over your heart center, with your elbows wide. 

Make sure your thumbs are spread apart, and point them up.

5. Linga Mudra

shiva linga mudra

Meaning: This mudra, sometimes called the “shiva linga” mudra is closely associated with Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction. Linga comes from two Sanskrit words: li, which means “to dissolve,” and gam, which means “to move on.” It is said to balance feminine and masculine energies, and invokes the element of fire. This mudra builds heat and helps us move stuck energy.

Benefit: This mudra is recommended if you are struggling with mental or physical fatigue, or lack of passion.

How to:

Focus on the movement of energy up through your chakras.

Place your hands on your lap and clasp your hands together with your fingers intertwined. 

Point your knuckles away from your body in front of your solar plexus. 

Point your right thumb to the ceiling. 

6. Yoni Mudra

yoni mudra


Meaning:
This mudra comes from the sanskrit word for “womb,” and is connected with the water element. It directs attention to the Sacral Chakra, and helps inspire a sense of nurturing, enhancing intuition, and protecting your energy, when life feels challenging. It is thought to help you escape the outer world, and allow your inner world to calm and rejuvenate you. 

Benefit: This mudra is recommended if you are struggling with stress and feeling exhausted or overwhelmed.

 

How to:

Focus on the navel chakra.

Make sure you are seated. 

Draw the tips of your thumbs together and press them onto the navel region. 

Draw the tips of the index fingers together and point them downward. 

Tuck in the chin, and close your eyes. 

7. Varun Mudra

varun mudra

Meaning: Varun is the name of the Hindu god of water. Also known as the jal vardhak mudra, which literally means “enhance water,” this mudra, needless to say, balances the water element in the body. It is the seal of “mental clarity,” and is believed to enhance intuition and navigate sensitive or emotional topics.

Benefit: This is an excellent mudra if you are struggling with relationship conflict or having trouble communicating. 

How to:

Focus on the throat chakra.

Lightly press the tips of your little fingers with the tips of your thumbs.

Hold out your other three fingers. Be sure to relax them and not hold them rigidly.


If you resonated with any of these mudras, or found the insight helpful, be sure to share with someone else who might like to explore this practice!

And don’t forget to check out our meditation accessories, as you enhance your space of peace and stillness at home! 

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