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What are Mudras?

Mudra means seal in Sanskrit. It has deep roots in Eastern spiritual practices and bears
important symbolic significance. You may recall seeing statues of buddhas or bodhisattvas that
display a different hand gesture each. Sometimes, by just observing the way the hands are
placed, you can tell which enlightened being a statue is trying to represent.
But mudras arent just symbols with no practical uses. Meditation, yoga and energy work
practitioners believe that mudras help to complete the energy circuit inside us and allow our life
force to stay within the body, instead of escaping through the tips of our fingers during
meditation and yoga exercises. By adopting a certain meditative or yoga pose and then sealing
it with our hands, we help to preserve and cultivate our qi, or life force.
Note: The Cosmic Mudra is one of the most common Mudras and has a very practical
purpose. The changing pressure of the thumbs together can help one notice if there is
drowsiness or tension present during meditation. Drowsiness, sleepiness and restlessness are
hinderances that one needs to be aware of. Noticing what is being manifested in the body is a
way of seeing one's mind state, which is very important to noticing and investigating
experience.

Live Wires in Your Hands

There are hundreds of mudras being used, with each creating a different energy circuit using
your hands, fingers and for some, even your body. But how is it possible that the energy flow
created by one mudra is different from the other? To answer this question, think of your fingers
as colored electrical wires. Like electrical wires, each of your fingers radiates a different type of
energy that connects to a specific part of your body and mind. But instead of the usual three,
you have literally five in your hands.
I attempt to interpret the significance of each finger using Chinese Five Elements (Wuxing)
and Traditional Chinese Medicine theories. If you are using a different theory, you could end up
with a completely different interpretation from mine. When there appear to be conflicts, use
your own judgment and apply those that make the most sense to you.

Thumb. Represented by the earth element and the planet Saturn, the thumb
corresponds to the organs Stomach, Spleen and mouth. It is connected to the Yi (), or the
intellect, and its energy influences our clarity.

Index finger. Represented by the wood element and the planet Jupiter, the
index finger corresponds to the organs Liver, Gall Bladder and eyes. It connected to
the Hun (), or the ethereal soul, and its energy influences our sensitivity.

Middle finger. Represented by the fire element and the planet Mars, the middle
finger corresponds to the organs Heart, Small Intestine and the tongue. It connected to
the Shen (), or the aggregate soul and its energy influences our creativity.

Ring finger. Represented by the metal element and the planet Venus, the ring
finger corresponds to the organs Lung, Large Intestine and nose. It connected to the Po (), or
the corporeal soul and its energy influences our intuition.

Little finger. Represented by the water element and the planet Mercury, the
little finger corresponds to the organs Kidney, Bladder and ears. It connected to the Zhi (), or
the will and its energy influences our spontaneity.

Note: The names of organs as used in TCM are capitalized to highlight the fact that they are
not the same as those we understand in western medicine. For instance, the term Lung does
not refer only to the lungs we rely on for breathing. Lung in TCM is used to describe the
function of inhaling and exhaling of air, as well as the descending and dispersing of qi

throughout the body. It also has implications involving other organs such as the Small
Intestine and skin, and also emotions like grief and sadness.

Gyan Mudra:

Prithvi Mudra:

Uniting with the Divine

Tapping on the Power of the Earth

Function: The gyan mudra helps to

Function: The prithvi mudra helps to

clears the mind, improve alertness and

ground one to Earths energy, promotes a

enhances clarity.

sense of stability and increases tolerance

and patience.

This is a popular mudra that is almost

synonymous with meditation. Known as the

Join the tip of your ring finger with the tip of the

gyan mudra to yogis, this hand gesture

thumb. Extend all the other fingers and keep

connects the tips of the thumb and index finger

them relaxed.

together to form a full circle, while the other

three fingers are left relaxed. It symbolizes ones
unity with the cosmos, or the Divine.

Cosmic Mudra:
Coming Home to the Universe

Function: The cosmic mudra helps to bring your attention inward and is useful when
you are trying to increase self-awareness.
The cosmic mudra is commonly used in zazen, a form of sitting meditation practiced by Zen
Buddhists. To adopt this mudra, use your dominant hand to cradle the other hand, with both palms
facing up. Tips of your thumbs should be touching each other, forming a compressed oval shape
together with your palms.