‘Mudra’, a Sanskrit word, means a symbolic hand gesture that has the power of producing joy and happiness. The position of our hands has the ability to influence energy of our physical, emotional and spiritual body.
Mudras help to link the brain to the body, soothe pain, stimulate endorphins, change the mood and increase our vitality.
This table presents the different types of Mudras :
| Names of mudras | Pictures | Descriptions | Effects | Pranayama |
| 1/ CHIN MUDRA |  |
Join the tips of the thumb and index finger in as perfect a circle as possible. The other three fingers should be kept parallel to one another. Place the Mudra on the thighs and breathe deeply | helps gain control of the lower parts of the lungs | in Adham Pranayama |
| 2/ CHINMAYA MUDRA |
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Join the tips of the index finger and thumb as in Chin Mudra and then curl the other three fingers into the palm. Place the Mudra on the thighs and breathe deeply. |
helps us to breathe better into the middle sections of the lungs | in Madhyam Pranayama |
| 3/ ADHI MUDRA |  |
Close all the four fingers in a fist over the thumb. Place the Mudra on the thighs and breathe deeply. | The upper regions of the lungs are especially utilized when we breathe | in the Adhyam Pranayama |
| 4/ BRAHMA MUDRA |
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Make both hands into a fist with the thumb inside the fist. Now hold both hands with the opposing knuckles touching each other in front of the navel and breathe deeply. |
This Mudra is used in the performance of complete yogic breathing in which we consciously breathe in different lung sections | |
| 5/ NASARGA MUDRA |
|
Turn the index and middle fingers down in against the bridge of the nose with the thumb against the right nostril. The ring and little finger are placed against the left nostril. | This Mudra manipulates the nostrils to control the breath through a single nostril at a time. | is used in the alternate nostril breathings practices such as Aloma Viloma, Nadi Shuddhi as well as the single nostril Pranayamas such as Surya and Chandra Pranayamas. |
| 6/ VISHNU MUDRA |
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Vishnu Mudra is a hand position with the tip of the middle finger on the point between the eyebrows at the root of the nose. The index fi nger closes the right nostril while the ring finger closes the left nostril. The thumb and little finger are spread into a wide “V” shape. community. |
This point is known as the Bhrumadhya Bindu and is related to the Pituitary gland and the Hypothalamus of the Neuro-endocrine system. |
This is an excellent Mudra for the practice of the alternate nostril and single nostril Pranayamas as it has the added advantage of focusing the mind on the Bhrumadhya. |
| 7/ KAKACHANDRA MUDRA |  |
This Mudra is performed by rolling the tongue into a tube or curve which is then extended about three-quarters of an inch out through the puckered up, protruding lips | This gesture is used to sip the air in to the throat |
in the Sheetali Pranayama, one of the cooling Pranayamas. |
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8/ JIHVA MUDRA ( Tongue Gesture ) |
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Relax the lower jaw, and slightly open the mouth, so that the tongue may be rolled into a trough-like “V”. . Fold the tongue backwards and press the tip of the tongue by the hard palate, leaving narrow openings on either side of the tongue | in Sitkari Pranayama. |
Inès LAFFONT (200hrs TTC / May 2017)
