by Ravindar Kaur
Taking health in your own hands is not just a statement of becoming responsible for your own health, it is a truth 
that has been around for thousands of years.
Mudras are part of the ancient wisdom of ayurveda, which is known as the science of life; “ayur” means life and “veda” means knowledge. Ayurveda brings to you the wisdom and knowledge of the ages, which can guide you to keep your body, mind and spirit in balance by realizing and then using this power to its full potential within yourself to stay vibrant and healthy naturally, as intended by the creator.
This kind of commitment empowers you to feel that you are not a victim to unknown forces that could make you suffer. You are now able to change victimhood into victory through simple yet powerful tools that are now in your hands.
In ayurveda, there are two main factors that are considered to bring natural health. Your mind and body are interconnected. Nothing is more powerful and healing for your body than your mind. Meditation is one of the biggest tools that can help your mind to heal and balance.
How does this happen?
Meditating creates expansion in your awareness and brings stillness that creates natural balance of mind. Since your mind and body are interwoven and interconnected, balance of mind means balance of body. When you are in restful conscious awareness, you breathe in a natural, slow, steady rhythm and your heart rate is in a healthy balanced state. This results in decreasing the cortisol and adrenaline, well-known “stress hormones.” All the while increasing the serotonin, oxytocin and all the other “healthy hormones” that contribute to enhancing your well-being.
There are other practices that help your innate state of balance. Most important of all are doshas, which are the foundation of ayurveda. The three doshas—vata, pitta and kapha—are derived from five elements of nature: akasha, which means space; vayu, which means air; agni, which means fire; jala, which means water; and prithvi, which means earth.
By identifying your unique dosha, or mind-body type, you can create a conscious choice of bringing health and vitality through balancing these specific elements in your body. Mudras are part of ayurveda because the five fingers represent five elements. When you do mudras, you are impacting your doshas by balancing them. The thumb represents agni, or fire; the index finger represents vayu, or air; the middle finger represents akasha, or sky or space; the ring finger represents prithvi, or earth; and the little finger represents jala, or water.
Mudra means seal or union. Mudras are yoga movements that involve hands and arms. Mudras liberate the electromagnetic energy by creating a circuit through the thumb—fire when joined with other elements. Similar to the fact that in order to create electricity we need to connect the wires, there is no charge if two wires are kept next to each other but not touching.
In the same way, we can create electromagnetic energy in our body by connecting the tip of the thumb to the tip of one or two other fingers in a specific way to create specific results. Mudras work on your endocrine system, which is made of glands and tissues that secrete hormones. Endocrine glands are ductless organs producing hormones that are directly delivered to the blood stream. So, in other words, when you do mudras, you are balancing hormones. Balancing the elements and improving the flow of hormones contribute to vibrant health and vitality.
While mudras are traditionally performed during meditation, they can be done while walking, talking, watching TV or doing many other activities. Visualization and chanting mantras while doing mudras can magnify the effect and can create amazing results. Mudras have powerful healing effects when combined with reiki healing. It is very important that pressure exerted on fingers is very light, and that you breathe deeply and gently. Rub your hands for a few minutes and then touch your navel point to bring charge in your hands. At the same time, mudras can work even when you don’t believe that they can make a difference.
Benefit of mudras is possible when you practice them for at least 10 to 15 minutes consistently for 21 days for prevention, and for longer periods of time for any health condition that you would like to complement while doing other necessary actions to bring optimal health.
Connect with Ravindar Kaur to learn more about mudras with ongoing courses. She is also a writer, a Brennan Healing Science practitioner, a reiki master teacher, and a professional artist. Join her for meditation at 55 W. Old Country Rd., Hicksville. For more information, call 516-519-2458 or visit GuidingLightMeditation.com.
