Relief from anxiety is right at your fingertips. Learn these five easy yoga mudras and begin to cope with stress and panic attacks naturally.
What is a mudra?
The word mudra in Sanskrit means gesture, mark, or seal. A hasta mudra is a gesture, or a hand position, meant to channel and direct energy in the body by encouraging the free flow of energy. Mudras have been used for thousands of years to help ease the mind and body, providing relief from a number of different conditions, including dealing with common anxiety issues.
The practitioner of yoga uses their body in many ways, but ultimately with the intention of drawing the self inward. Mudras are powerful tools for accomplishing this. There are more than 100 known mudras that have been developed over the centuries. Each type is thought to have a specific effect on the body and mind by clearing energy centers and energy channels. Here are five commonly used mudras that have been advocated for centuries for relieving stress, anxiety, and depression.
How to Practice a Mudra
If you have been experiencing anxiety and stress, regular practice of these easy hand gestures can help you. Take a comfortable seat, and practice any of these mudras with slow and gentle breaths for 5–15 minutes. Since hasta mudras work to change the energy in the body and spirit, it’s best if you incorporate conscious breathing into your practice. Breathe full and free on the inhale, and exhale the breath out completely. Find a rhythm with the breath. Try to make the inhale and exhale the same length—inhale for a count of four, and exhale for a count of four.