Nowadays, yoga is one of the most popular physical, mental, and spiritual practices and people throughout the globe do it on a regular basis and reap its health benefits. When done on a regular basis, yoga is known to enhance the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system.
This is the system, also known as the rest and digest mode, and helps us feel more relaxed by minimizing stress. According to the Hearty Soul, when compared with other types of exercise, yoga was found to be as potent as or better than traditional exercises, both in healthy individuals and people with a disease.
Is Yoga the Right Choice for You?
In addition to the physical health advantages it has to offer, yoga is also highly effective in addressing problems such as poor focus and memory problems, depression or anxiety. When talking about yoga, it is pivotal to mention that it is never about the acrobatic-looking positions and putting your body in impossible shapes- it is more about the journey, about the breath, meditation, and poses and gestures that put you in the present moment by increasing your awareness.
Knowing the benefits of yoga, in today’s article we will present 3 different hand mudras or poses with the hands that can be done at any time. You can do them with your regular yoga workout or any other time. Before we show you the mudras, let us learn more about what a mudra actually is.
Mudras Explained
Mudra is a hand and finger gesture which is usually done during breathing exercises or meditation. They are thought to be ritual gestures because they are often seen in ancient scripts and images from Hinduism or Buddhism. In the yogic tradition, mudras help direct the energy flow in the body and to enhance the functioning of different brain parts. Each of the fingers corresponds to a natural element, i.e. water, air, earth, fire, and space.
3 Mudras for Better Health & Well-Being
- Mudra of knowledge
This gesture is believed to enhance the knowledge by boosting our memory and focus. It is helpful for people suffering from insomnia and it also betters the functioning of the endocrine and pituitary glands. Touch the tip of the thumb against the index finger’s tip. Stretch the other three fingers or keep them slightly bent.
2. Mudra of air
This mudra is good for releasing surplus air from the stomach and it can be of aid for people suffering from gout, arthritis, Parkinson’s, paralysis, rheumatic problems, and cervical spondylitis. To perform it, fold the index finger and put the base of the thumb against the bone close to the tip of the finger. Place the thumb over the index finger. Maintain the other three fingers as stretched as you can.
3. Mudra of earth
This mudra is recommendable for when you are feeling tired and stressed out. It will boost the blood flow, lower weakness, and better the digestive processes. Hold the tip of the ring finger and thumb together and apply slight pressure. Keep the other three fingers as extended as you can.
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