On your Finger Tips

Our body is a mystery. The power and ability to stay healthy is in our hands. Our bodies are made up of five basic elements and can remain fit and free of
ailments only when all five are balanced.

The five fingers of the hand represent the five elements and each finger empowers its corresponding element through cosmic energy. The thumb represents fire, the index finger air, the middle finger space, the ring finger earth and the little finger, water. You can make mudras or hand postures by joining the fingers.

Mudras immediately start showing effects. Sit in a meditative posture such as padmaasana, swastikaasan, sukhaasana or vajraasana to practise the mudras. Now make the relevant hand posture with the implicit belief that it will cure your disease as this positive feeling enhances the effect of the posture.

Practise each mudra for 10 to 15 minutes to derive maximum benefit. If it is not possible to do the mudra in one sitting, then you can do it in parts, too. In all mudras, keep the fingers that are not being used, straight, the palm slightly tight and the rest of the hand loose. Also, keep eyes closed, and the back and neck straight and sit in a meditative pose with your hands on your knees with the palms facing upwards.

Gyan Mudra
Join the tips of the thumbs to the respective index fingers of each hand. Keep both hands on your knees, palms facing upwards and with the other three fingers straight. The posture empowers the nerves of the brain and improves your memory, concentration, and resolve. It increases your intelligence, cures your sleeplessness and headaches and removes mental fickleness. Gyan mudra helps to fight fretfulness, tension and anxiety and guides you towards spirituality.

Akash Mudra
Touch the tip of the thumbs with your middle fingers, while keeping the other fingers straight. Akash mudra helps to address loss of hearing and other diseases of the ears. It also helps to cure bone-related disorders.

Prithvi Mudra
Bring the ring finger of both your hands to the tips of the respective thumbs, keeping the other fingers straight. Now keep your hands on your knees, palms facing upwards. Prithvi mudra cures weakness, helps to put on weight and increases physical strength. It makes you active, brings a glow to your face and increases your life force. It also strengthens your digestive system.

Varun MudraBring the little fingers of both hands to the tips of the respective thumbs. Keep other fingers straight. This mudra cures skin diseases and impurities of the blood. It is beneficial for dry skin and makes it soft and glowing. It improves the complexion as well. However, if you are susceptible to coughs and colds, then avoid practising this mudra.

Surya Mudra
Bring the ring fingers of both hands to the base of the respective thumbs. Now press both these fingers with the thumbs in such a way that the other fingers remain straight. This mudra checks obesity and helps you shed extra weight. It gives warmth to the body, increases physical strength and keeps cholesterol under control. It is also beneficial in diabetes and liver disorders. Do this mudra only if you are strong and do it sparingly in summers. 

by Yogacharya