ॐ Hindu Of Universe ॐ
“God’s light is within you, It never leaves you.”

This custom originated from India, and is now known across the globe.

India is rich in culture and ancient traditions with a strong foundation on the principle of “oneness“.

According to the principles in Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma, human beings never see the other living beings in this universe as a separate entity from them.

In other words, “ekatwa” or oneness is seen in every action. In other words, it is divinity that is shown in every gestures.

It means respect to other being including humans, animals, and whole of the nature.

One of the basic principles in Sanatana Dharma followed in India is to see Godliness in everyone.

So, whenever somebody ask you why join hands while praying, you can always say that it is the part of the culture that has shown us to see divinity in every beings in the universe.

When we say that it is godliness or divinity, it has nothing to do with the religion.

It is simply considering other living beings also as part of our Self.

Though the people in India follow these in their actions, not many know the moral reason and scientific principle behind this.

One among the several practices is to join both hands while praying.

We should also note here that a prayer is something that would benefit not just me, but the entire creation.

It is a prayer only when it is meant for the entire creation.

Here too, the principle of one-ness is established, visualising that one who prays is also part of the creation & the creation is not separate from us.

These principles are to be practiced in daily life and it is not just seen as theory.

Among these practices, the “Namaskar” or “Namaste” or joining both hands while praying or greeting is the most important and widely used.

Even during the pandemic times, the most important way to greet was joining both hands replacing the shake-hand.

Practices in “sanatana dharma” is not just gestures, but also chanting of some syllable or uttering words of importance to others.

There are some words uttered or chanted while praying and most widely used is the “namah“. “Namaste“, “Namaskar” etc.

are some of the words used in general while greeting people.

But at the same time, “namah” is considered as sacred.

It means “bowing down” to whoever we tell the word “namah“.

The attitude of one who join hands on behalf of others is that he is bowing down to them.

It is a gesture of respecting others.

He who gestures with “Namaste” never consider himself as a great person raising own ego.

This is symbolic in nature, to consider others also as one among us.

When compared with the handshake, “namaskar” is also considered to be more respectful.

If the person who greets another person at a higher level in any situation – whether personal or official, that too is considered as respectful.

The word “namaḥ” in Sanskrit means ‘bow’, ‘obeisance’ or ‘adoration’ and “te” means ‘to you’.

If you combine both as “Namaste” literally means “bowing to you” or in other words, “I bow to you”.

In some situations, people who follow the culture and tradition strongly may bring both joined hands towards forehead.

That is giving more respect to those whom the person shows this gesture.

There are several other scientific explanations in scriptures and some elaborations given by the spiritual masters.

Some say that it is the union, in other words – yoga.

Union of the “two” is to become “one”. Yoga is nothing but communion.

Communion of feminine and masculine form of energy within us is to be taken in this context.

It is also called as the union of “shiva” and “shakti” – the two energies present in the human beings.

Scientifically, it is the joining of energies in left and right sides of our brain.

Here, joining hands while praying is seen in a different sense.

Let us now see how a yogi see the same gesture of joining hands while praying.

There are several “mudras” or gestures in yoga.

Mudras help human beings to gain control over the mind and the body.

Mudras play a vital role in several meditation postures or techniques to attain concentration of the mind in the initial stages.

Here, when we join hands while praying or yoga, it is the fingers that get in contact with each other.

When the fingers touch each other, the pressure points connected with the finger tips creates vibrations in several parts of the body and the dormant cells get activated.

For example, mind becomes alert by stopping the unwanted thoughts created by what we see through eyes or any sound captured by the ears.

This too helps the devotee to close the doors of the mind and focus fully on the prayer.

This helps to focus fully within.

Human heart, as per the Hindu scriptures is the abode of the favourite deity of the devotee.

By joining hands while praying, the devotee is also showing the faith and gratitude towards the deity.

This is also an attitude of surrender.

In Buddhism, eight fingers are considered equivalent to eight petals of the lotus where the devotee visualises the deity being seated in the heart.

Praying with the joined hands with wholehearted devotion, respect and gratitude helps the devotee to surrender to the deity.

This will bring the spiritual wisdom in the mind of the devotee.

Ardent devotees always pray to merge with the deity.

In any ancient art, classical dance, folk dance or any traditional artforms in the Indian villages, you will see the same gesture of joining hands together.

It is also considered as bringing all the energies “pancha bhutas”, the five elements, included in the human body together.

Pancha bhutasare “air, water, ether, fire, sky”.

Five fingers resemble these five energies. Bringing our hands together will neutralize these energies within human body.

This calms down the mind, subsidizes the thoughts and thus increases the confidence by uplifting the mental attitude.

As a whole Hinduism shall be considered as a life style rather than seeing it as religion.

Practices explained in the ancient scriptures open the doors to evolution if practiced properly.

Why do we join our hands while praying

We all know that India is a country of various customs and former traditions. One of them is joining our hands while praying which emerged from India and is now well known around the World.

In ‘Sanatan Dharma’ we consider all the living beings of the whole world as united or connected to each other. Concept of Hindu called ‘ekatwa’ which means Oneness. We see the divine power in everything, maybe it is an animal, nature or all other living beings and respect them. Respect all the living beings, our nature, our rivers, our mountains, cows, buffaloes as well as the deity so in order to show our respect. We join our hands showing that we are bowing to them while praying. It’s a kind of indication that we respect them.

Reason behind joining our hands

We are aware of the fact that when we pray about something, that will not only be advantageous to us but the whole creation of our World. So this is also entrenching the concept of unity or ‘ekatwa’. The person who is praying to God is a part of creation and all the creations are linked to each other.

Not only during praying, while doing ‘Namaskar’ or ‘Namaste’ we also join our hands to show respect to each other.

It originated from the word ‘Namah’ which is considered as a devotional word meaning “I bow to you”. Which is a very respectful custom. Several people who are more linked to the tradition join their hands and put forward towards their forehead which is regarded as showing more respect to other living beings or God.

We all are aware of the fact that our Ancient classical dance, folk dance or any other art of ancient time involves the joining of hands to represent a particular gesture. While joining our hands all the fingers become connected to each other and represent that all the energies are connected. Each finger signifies five elements of the earth that are Air, Water, Earth, Fire, and Sky.

While introducing two hands together it will counterbalance all the energies called ‘Pancha bhutas’ and eliminate all the unnecessary thoughts of our mind, bring calmness and increase our confidence level. So it is also beneficial for maintaining or boosting our mental capability.

Scientific explanations

According to some leaders joining hands while praying is a posture of yoga that means the union of two energies to conjoin. Maybe it is a union of ‘Masculine and Feminine’ ‘Shiv and Shakti’ or ‘Yin and Yang’ anything we can say to it and to achieve this blessed union we just have to join our hands.

It also signifies the association of left and right hemispheres of our brain.

We know that there are several ‘mudras’ of yoga which we perform to acquire authority over our body and brain. ‘ Mudras’ plays an important role for calmness and achieving attentiveness. So while praying when we join our hands then the fingers will get in association with each other. As a result several pressure points of the finger are pressed and which results in creating vibrations on our body parts. This start up the dormant cells by which we become alert and also results in the calmness of our mind. By which we will become free of any kind of unnecessary thoughts created by sound apprehended on our ears. By this, we can fully concentrate on our prayer regardless of the sounds created in the surroundings.

Religious Concept of joining our hands

In Buddhism when joining the hands together our eight fingers become as petals of Lotus whose number is also eight. According to which the adorer imagine the God in their heart within the petals of Lotus. It also indicates the viewpoint of giving up of the adorer showing the belief and acknowledgement of them.

When we join our hands while praying, it will show our respect and gratefulness towards the divine power. Showing a kind of devotion with our whole heart to the God which also helps to bring the Spiritual perception to the adorer.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, joining hands while praying shows the act of respect, our acquiescence and our commitment to God who has created the Earth and is the most enlightened power. It’s a sign of respect which we also give to our elders while doing ‘Namaskar’ or ‘Namaste’. We can impress and win the hearts of our elders by doing this. It also brings calmness to our mind and makes our mind free of any thoughts.

Why ‘Namaskar’ and not a ‘hand shake’?

While visiting places of worship and viewing the Deities or after meeting a elderly or a respected person our hands are automatically joined together in Namaskar. Namaskar is a sattva predominant impression on the Hindu mind, an action that maintains the rich heritage of Hindu culture. Namaskar is a simple and beautiful act of expression of divine qualities like devotion, love, respect and humility that endows one with Divine energy.

Nowadays, perhaps due to ignorance about the Science of Spirituality or the increasing influence of the western culture, many people shake hands.

Why is it not appropriate to shake hands?

Avoid a Hand Shake: It tranfers undesirable raja-tama components!

In short, in a handshake, the raja-tama components in one person may get transferred to the other person, thereby lowering his sattvikta (Purity levels). While practicing Spirituality, our objective is to perform acts which increase our sattvikta.

If at all they do Namaskar by joining their palms, it is done just as a formality. As the act is not based on faith, the benefit derived from it is minimal. Along with faith it is essential that every religious act be correctly performed according to the Science of Spirituality, so that it gives complete benefit. In this series, as with the others, along with information on various methods of doing Namaskar, the Science in them is also explained. Understanding the Science will help in strengthening faith in the act. Such an act correctly performed with faith, will yield corresponding benefits.

Mistakes made while doing Namaskar counter its benefit. Hence incorrect acts that need to be avoided while doing Namaskar are also mentioned in this series, with the scientific explanation. Similarly, guidance has been provided on who not to do Namaskar to. We make this prayer at the Lotus Feet of Shri Guru – ‘Let all imbibe the methods of doing Namaskar mentioned here and hand them on to the future generations.’

Q. How does one do Namaskar to an individual of the same age group?

A. When meeting someone of the same age-group do Namaskar by joining the fingers and placing tips of the thumbs on the Anahat chakra (at the centre of the chest). This type of Namaskar increases the spiritual emotion of humility in the embodied soul. Sattva frequencies from the universe are attracted by the fingers (which act as an antenna) and are then transmitted to the entire body through the thumbs which have awakened the Anahat chakra. This activates the soul energy of the embodied soul. In addition, by doing Namaskar in this manner to each other, frequencies of blessings are also transmitted.

The Meaning and Significance of Namaskar or Namaste

Namaskar, Namaskaram or namaste is the commonest form of salutation in Hinduism. People use it to pay respects to others and to declare their devotion and reverence to gods. The most popular form of namaskar is to join both the hands in the presence of a person or a deity with reverential attitude. In doing so the person who is making the gesture may lower his head and bend his upper body to bow in submission.

In general usage, it is usually offered to elders, teachers, seers and sages, priests, scholars, guests, and people of eminence and authority as a courtesy because of genuine respect and admiration or fear and submission. When it is done habitually or mechanically without any emotion or feeling, it becomes a mere social custom or ritual, which is not uncommon.

The practice is very ancient and dates back to Vedic times. It is not only associated with ritual worship but also with spiritual practices such as Dhyana or meditation. People may also practice namaskaram while circumambulating temples, listening to discourses, praying, visiting sacred places or while waiting for a glimpse of the deity in the sanctum. From the perspective of hygiene, namaskaram is an appropriate form of salutation, since it does not involve any direct physical contact.

However, Hindus also touch the feet of elders, teachers, spiritual people and deities as a mark of respect and reverence. Its purpose the same, but it is not considered the traditional namaskaram. In the presence of a deity or in a temple, they may practice all these according to their faith and devotion to earn his mercy and approval.

A more intense form of salutation, known as Sashtanga Namaskar, is done with eight organs in the body, which involves prostrating before the deity with the whole body, with the head turned towards the floor, and stretching one’s hands towards the object of veneration in total submission. It is used to express not only reverence but also surrender and allegiance. It is commonly practiced during ritual worship at homes and in temples.

Namas means a bow, salutation, obeisance, and akar means giving shape or expression. Thus, Namaskar is a physical expression of reverential love and devotion. The word “pranam” also used in Sanskrit to denote the same. It means reverential salutation, bowing, stooping, etc. It was probably used in ancient times as a declaration or oath of loyalty to a king, divinity or an eminent person, meaning, “I am offering my prana (breath) or life to you.”

Symbolism

Namaskar has a deeper symbolic significance in Hinduism. The two hands, joined together in reverence, serve as the meeting point between the subject and object, God and his devotee, and reality and illusion. The two hands represent the duality, or the pairs of opposites, which are common to our world. By joining them, you join your mind and body, you body and soul, your soul and God, Nature and Self, attraction and aversion, and all the dualities of your mind as an offering to God.

On the other side of your hands, towards the deity, is the transcendental reality (para) or the divinity, and this side, towards yourself, is the physical reality (apara), your body or the field of Nature. In between the two, bridging them, is your devotional offering, your salutation and declaration of faith. By putting the hands together before God, you unite the God (Brahman) in front of you with the deity (Atman) in your heart. At the same time, with those joined hands you are not only saluting the Supreme Being in front of you, but also the deity (Self), who is situated in you.

Thus, namaskaram is not a mere salutation. It is also a sacred gesture (mudra), which is used not only in religious practice but in many art forms also, including dance dramas such as Kathakali and classical Indian dance forms such as Odissi and Bharatnatyam. It serves as the meeting point between the heaven and the earth, God and his devotee, and the immanent and the transcendental.

You may also consider it a yogic posture (asana) and a meditative practice of the offering of your heart and soul, your ego, your being and your life breath itself as a sacrifice to God, and as a declaration of surrender, faith, love and devotion. By that simple gesture, you prepare the ground (Kurukshetra) for a spiritual dialogue with God, seeking his love, guidance, help and forgiveness.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN AND SIGNIFICANCE OF JOINED HANDS USED IN HINDUISM AS A FORM OF GREETING/PRAYER?

Palms are among the most expressive parts of the body and is used for most kind of greetings (from waving your palm to say “hi” to handshakes to Indian namaste). Indian dance forms focus a lot on “hasta mudras” – where the dancer users his/her palms to convey deep philosophical concepts.

Keeping palms together signals welcome and union in a symbolic way.

In India, touching any part of others body (especially with people of opposite sex) always had a taboo (except when it is used to touch the feet). So handshakes are out. This is probably to do with the sanitary aspects in a tropical, agrarian society where contagious diseases are always around.

It is also called the Namaste gesture.

Namaste is derived from Sanskrit and is a combination of two words, “Namaḥ” and “te” (a shortened variant of “tubhyam”). Namaḥ means ‘bow’, ‘obeisance’, ‘reverential salutation’ or ‘adoration’ and te means ‘to you’ (dative case of ‘you’). Therefore, Namaste literally means “bow to you” translated as “I bow to you”.

Namaste happens to be both a formal and an informal form of greeting in India and you can say this to anyone irrespective of age. Normally when you say Namaskar to anybody, you press both your palms together with all the fingers pointing upwards in front of your chest. At the same time, you also bow your head slightly, looking at the person you are saying Namaste to. Even if you simply perform the Namaste gesture with your hands without actually saying the word, it will mean the same thing.

Though saying Namaste to others in daily lives is a part of the Indian protocol, yet many believe it also has religious / spiritual connotation. According to this school of thought, when you greet Namaste, you actually seek to recognize a common divinity within the other person. Interestingly, Namaste can be said in different ways, depending crucially on the person you are saying it to. For instance, when you greet your friend or peer, the traditional style Namaste will suffice.

On the other hand, when it’s a person greeting Namaste to another person of a higher status, this gesture will get intensified. To indicate genuine and deep respect for the other person, you place the hands in front of the forehead. Whereas, you have to pay reverence to God or a holy person then, this feeling can be transmitted through the Namaste gesture by holding / placing the pressed hands above the head. Some natives prostrate on the ground in this posture to show their deep respect and love to God.

The symbolism of the two palms touching each other is of great significance. It is the joining together of two extremities – the feet of the Divine, with the head of the devotee. Yet another theory associates the Namaste greeting with a particular mudra or posture in yoga. However, Namaste being a polite gesture of love and respect can be said to anybody. But traditionally, it’s a Hindu gesture and people of this community greet each other this way only.

Why do we join our hands while praying

We all know that India is a country of various customs and former traditions. One of them is joining our hands while praying which emerged from India and is now well known around the World.

Reason behind joining our hands

Not only during praying, while doing ‘Namaskar’ or ‘Namaste’ we also join our hands to show respect to each other.

Scientific explanations

It also signifies the association of left and right hemispheres of our brain.

Religious Concept of joining our hands

Conclusion:

Why Do We Hold Our Hands Together During Prayer?

We all have our own distinct ways of expressing ourselves when it comes to prayer, whether it be through words or actions. For many cultures around the globe, one of the most powerful symbols of unity and solidarity during prayer is holding hands. In this article, we’ll explore why do we hold hands during prayer and discover other ways to show visible unity and solidarity in prayer. From examining the cultural significance of hand holding to exploring the benefits that come from joining hands together in prayer, this article will provide readers with both insight into this beautiful gesture and ideas for how to incorporate other forms of solidarity into their own spiritual practice. Share this article so more people can learn about the power of symbolic gestures during prayer!

Understanding the Cultural Significance

The act of holding hands during prayer has a deep cultural significance that transcends religious boundaries. It is a gesture of unity, solidarity and connection – whether for a single person, a group or an entire community. This practice dates back centuries and can be found in many different religions, from Christianity to Buddhism to Hinduism. But why do we hold hands during prayer?

Holding hands during prayer demonstrates our collective faith in something greater than ourselves. It symbolizes the unified power of the collective – that when we come together, we can create something much more powerful than what any one individual can achieve alone. Additionally, it shows solidarity within the community by creating an unspoken bond between those praying: no matter who you are or where you come from, when you join hands in prayer, you become part of something much larger.

The symbolic meanings associated with this gesture vary across cultures but generally revolve around ideas of love, protection and safety. In some cases, holding hands is seen as a way to protect each other from external harm or evil; in others it is seen as a way to show love and support for each other through difficult times. In some cultures, hand-holding during prayer is also seen as a way to commune with God or the divine presence – by coming together in this intimate physical act of connection and devotion.

Different cultures use this gesture in unique ways during their prayers – some place one hand on top of the other while praying; others intertwine their fingers with their partners’; still others join both palms together and raise them above their heads while chanting mantras or reciting scripture aloud. No matter which form it takes on, though, holding hands during prayer serves as an outward symbol of shared beliefs and communal strength within any given faith tradition.

Examining the Benefits of Holding Hands During Prayer

Holding hands during prayer is a powerful physical gesture that can serve both as an outward symbol of shared beliefs and communal strength, as well as a tangible reminder of the presence of God in our lives. There are numerous benefits to holding hands during prayer, including:

Promoting Feelings of Togetherness: Holding hands while praying creates a sense of solidarity among believers and reinforces the notion that we are united in faith. By joining hands together, we demonstrate to each other that we are part of something greater than ourselves and create an atmosphere full of love and support for one another.

Providing Comfort: For those who may feel anxious or overwhelmed when praying alone, holding hands with fellow believers can provide reassurance and comfort. This physical connection helps foster feelings of safety and security during prayer, allowing individuals to be more present in their spiritual practice.

Reminding Us Of Our Shared Beliefs: When we hold hands during prayer, it serves as a reminder that we all share similar beliefs about our faith. This creates an opportunity for us to come together in celebration, reverence, and joy for what unites us — our faith — rather than focusing on our differences.

Showing Unity And Solidarity: Holding hands while praying shows unity amongst believers by demonstrating that we are all equal participants in this spiritual practice regardless of age or gender. It is a symbol of solidarity — a visible sign that no matter how different our backgrounds may be, when it comes to faith, we are all united under one God.

By holding hands while praying, we can establish deeper bonds with each other through shared experience. Not only does it promote feelings of togetherness and comfort amongst believers, but also reminds us that no matter where or how we pray or what faith tradition we belong to -we are connected by our shared belief in God’s grace and mercy.

Exploring Other Ways to Show Unity and Solidarity During Prayer

In this section, we will explore other ways to show unity and solidarity during prayer, besides simply holding hands. To start with, incorporating a shared prayer book or religious text can help bring people together in prayer by providing a common set of words and ideas to focus on. This is especially true in group prayers, where all participants can draw on the same source material for comfort and inspiration.

Another way to show unity during prayer is to join hands in a circle. What better way to represent the idea of “we” than by creating an unbroken chain? Joining hands in a circle can also provide physical comfort when praying as part of a group, as well as create an intimate atmosphere that promotes openness and trust between individuals.

Closing eyes and holding hands can also be used as a sign of reverence when praying. By doing this, it serves as an outward sign that we are turning inward toward our spiritual selves and connecting with God or whatever higher power we may believe in. It also creates a sense of community among those participating in the prayer by forming a link between each individual soul and the divine source they are seeking connection with.

Gestures such as bowing or kneeling can also be incorporated into your prayer practice to demonstrate humility before God or another higher power. These gestures serve both practical purposes (such as making it easier to concentrate on one’s inner thoughts) and symbolic ones (such as showing deference), making them ideal tools for expressing faith through physical action rather than mere words alone.

Finally, reciting poems or chants is another great way to show unity during prayer. Poems often encapsulate certain ideals or invoke certain feelings that can bring people together regardless of their background; similarly, chants have been used throughout history to help groups unify around common beliefs and values during times of transition or crisis. Together these practices can help create a sense of togetherness and connection during prayer – something which is essential for encouraging spiritual growth within ourselves and our communities alike.

Why We Pray with Folded Hands

Prayer in Latin is called Precari “to ask earnestly, beg, and entreat”. It is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. Prayer is also a plea to God to support and help the devotee with whatever he or she is about to undertake or has done.

Though the origin of folding the hands at prayer is unknown, a version can be found by followers of many world religions. In Hinduism, mudras are used to receive and gather an alleged energy that is said to inhabit the universe.

While there are many different kinds of mudras, one of these called Anjali mudra prescribes bringing the palms of the hands together over the heart from the root Anj, ‘to adorn,’ ‘honor,’ and ‘celebrate.’ The hands held in union signify the oneness of an apparently dual cosmos, the bringing together of soul and matter, or the Self meeting the Self.

In Hinduism, many kinds of prayer have been incorporated from fire-based rituals to philosophical musings. While chanting involves ‘by dictum’ recitation of timeless verses or verses with timings and notations; concentration involves deep meditation on the preferred deity/God. The object of prayers could be a person referred as Devta, Trinity or incarnation of either Devta or simply plain formless meditation as practiced by the ancient sages.

Prayers can be directed to fulfilling personal needs or deep spiritual enlightenment, and for the benefit of others. Ritual invocation was part and parcel of the Vedic religion and as such permeated their sacred texts. Vedas are the highest sacred texts, having a large collection of mantras and prayer rituals. We may pray to the highest absolute God Brahma, preserver God Vishnu and destroyer God Shiva.

Why do we fold hands and close our eyes in front of God while praying? There are valid scientific reasons behind it. Historians also say the gesture of praying with folded hands comes from the idea of a shackled prisoner’s hands with rope which came to symbolize submission.

In ancient Rome, a captured soldier could avoid immediate death by joining the hands together. Just as waving a white flag today, the message was clear. “I surrender.” Subjects demonstrated their loyalty and paid homage to their rulers by joining their hands. In time, clasping the hands together communicated both an acknowledgement of another’s authority and one’s own submission to that authority.

There is a left-side and right-side polarity of the body. The right hand constitutes positive energy and left hand negative and when we fold our hands the electromagnetic field of the body becomes neutral which creates a reflex action in the nerves, ultimately resulting in the secretion of the pituitary gland. This creates a resonance rhythm in the brain which creates a state of meditation. Hindu mythology is based on scientific angles and there is a good reason behind each and every step that we follow in our rituals.

In conclusion we can win the heart of millions of people with folded hands. The gesture is a symbol of obedience, submission, sincerity and repentance. When we fold our hands in prayer, we are symbolically communicating with respect and honor to God, pledging to Him our fidelity and loyalty and requesting guidance to fulfill our true purpose on earth, to ensure that when our soul leaves our physical body, that we bring “home” the experiences and learnedness that was expected of us during our time on earth.

God doesn’t care how we pray – if we are standing, sitting, lying down, or kneeling. The most important thing we can do every day is to pray — talk to God and tell Him our troubles, share our gratitude and your prayer will be heard without any reservation.

Why Namaskar, not hand shake?

There are several ways in which people pay obeisance (namaskar or salutation) to the divine. Various types of hand actions or postures accompany prayers or obeisance. Some people hold up their hands as in asking, while others bring their fists together, while yet others may pray with hands folded, as seen above. Hindu Dharma recommends the above shown posture for prayer or paying obeisance (namaskaar) to the divine; for the simple reason that it is the most scientific way to attract the divine consciousness (chaitanya) from God towards oneself. This article discusses the spiritual significance and benefits of namaskaar.

Meaning of Namaskar

Origin and the meaning of the word ‘Namaskar’ : The word ‘namaskar’ is derived from the root ‘namaha,’ which means paying obeisance or salutation. In the Hindu Science of Justice (Nyaayashaastra), ‘namaha’ is a physical action, expressing that ‘you are superior to me in all qualities and in every way.’ The main objective of doing namaskaar to someone is to derive spiritual as well as worldly benefits.

Worldly benefits : By doing namaskar to a Deity or a Saint, unknowingly, their virtues and capabilities are impressed upon our mind. Consequently, we start emulating them, thus changing ourselves for the better.

Spiritual Benefits of Namaskar

• Increase in humility and the reduction of ego : While doing namaskar, if one thinks, ‘You are superior to me; I am the subordinate; I do not know anything; You are Omniscient,’ it helps in reducing the ego and increasing humility.

• Enhancement in surrender and gratitude : While doing namaskar, when thoughts like ‘I do not know anything; You alone get everything done; Grant me a place at Your Holy Feet’ come to mind, they help in increasing ones surrender and gratitude.

• Gaining the sattva component and making faster spiritual progress

• Among the various postures used for paying obeisance, we receive the highest amount of sattva component from the posture (mudraa) of namaskar, recommended by Hindu Dharma.

• By doing namaskar to Deities or Saints we receive the subtle frequencies they emit, for example, the frequencies of sattva or Bliss.

• By doing namaskar to Deities or Saints we also receive their blessings in a subtle form. This helps in expediting our spiritual progress.

Nowadays, it is common to greet each other with a handshake, especially in the West. It is considered a gesture indicating formality or even warmth. However, some Hindus greet each other by paying obeisance through the namaskar mudra. Here we have explained why namaskar is beneficial spiritually and how the handshake can be detrimental.

Some spiritual benefits of namaskar : While visiting places of worship and viewing (taking darshan of) the Deities, or while meeting an elderly or respected person, Hindus’ hands automatically join in obeisance (namaskaar). Namaskar is a sattva predominant gesture befitting the rich heritage of the Hindu culture. Namaskaar is a simple and beautiful expression of divine qualities like devotion, love, respect and humility that endows one with Divine energy. Understanding the spiritual science behind a religious act (Dhaarmik kruti) like namaskar helps in further strengthening the faith in this religious act.

Why is it spiritually detrimental to shake hands?

Nowadays, perhaps due to ignorance about the science of Spirituality underlying Hindu Dharma, or due to the increasing influence of Western culture, people often shake hands to greet each other. In a handshake, the spiritually impure raja-tama components in one person can be transferred to the other person, thereby reducing the latter’s spiritual purity (sattvikta). In addition, if any of the two persons, greeting each other is affected by distressing energies, their distress can affect the other person through the handshake. In comparison, every action and concept in the Hindu Dhaarmik way of life, such as greeting with a namaskar, facilitates an increase in our spiritual purity.

Lately very few people realize the spiritual significance of namaskar. If at all they do namaskar by joining their palms, it is done just as a formality. As the act is not based on faith, the benefit derived from it is minimal. Hindu Dharma recommends that along with faith, every religious act be performed according to the science of Spirituality, so that it gives complete spiritual benefit – power of mantra.

why do Indian’s join both palms together to Greet ?

In Short: In our culture, people greet each other by joining their palms – termed as “Namaskar.” The general reason behind this tradition is that greeting by joining both the palms means respect. However, scientifically speaking, joining both hands ensures joining the tips of all the fingers together; which are denoted to the pressure points of eyes, ears, and mind. Pressing them together is said to activate the pressure points which helps us remember that person for a long time.

Namaste (Namas + te, Devanagari: नमः + ते = नमस्ते) is derived from Sanskrit and is a combination of the word “Namaḥa” and the enclitic 2nd person singular pronoun “te“.

Namaḥ means ‘bow’, ‘obeisance’, ‘reverential salutation’ or ‘adoration’ and te means ‘to you’ (dative case of ‘you’). Therefore, Namaste literally means “bow to you” translated as “I bow to you”.

Normally when you say Namaskar to anybody, you press both your palms together with all the fingers pointing upwards in front of your chest. At the same time, you also bow your head slightly, looking at the person you are saying Namaste to.

When it’s a person greeting Namaste to another person of a higher status, this gesture will get intensified. To indicate genuine and deep respect for the other person, you place the hands in front of the forehead.

Another theory associates the Namaste greeting with a particular mudra or posture in yoga.

We know that shaking hands transfers more germ, thus in this there is no germs since we don’t make any physical contact.

But there is also another scientific reason behind this where we know that the palm which plays a major role in Bharatha Natiyam, Kathakali and Kuchipudi where we have the mudra’s which represents the five fingers as the five elements where vanakkan/namaskar is one of the mudra known as Anjali mudra which is used to increase peace and self-confidence in a person if practiced. It is said that the five fingers are the five form energies (Water, Fire, Air, Sky and Earth). So when we bring our hands/palm together touching the corresponding fingers the five energies get neutralized which is the best way in gesturing and welcoming a person as a friend.

Joining both our Palms together to Greet – Importance of religious practices

In Hindu culture, people greet each other by joining their palms – termed as “Namaskar/Vanakkam.”

There are different reasons behind this, generally joining the palm and bow their head greeting the person is considered as a respect and spiritually conveyed that there should not be any negativity between us where bowing the head reduces one’s ego and creates positivity among both.

However, scientifically speaking, joining both hands ensures joining the tips of all the fingers together; which denoted to the pressure points of eyes, ears, and mind. Pressing them together is said to activate the pressure points which helps us remember that person for a long time.

We know that shaking hands transfers more germ, thus in this there is no germs since we don’t make any physical contact.

Why do we greet by Joining Both Palms together (Namaste) ?

‘Namaste’ or ‘namaskar’ is the Indian way of greeting each other. Wherever they are – on the street, in the house, in public transport, on vacation or on the phone – when Hindus meet people they know or strangers with whom they want to initiate a conversation, namaste is the customary courtesy greeting to begin with and often to end with. It is not a superficial gesture or a mere word, and is for all people – young and old, friends and strangers.

Namaste According to the Scriptures

Namaste and its common variants ‘namaskar,’ ‘namaskaara’ or ‘namaskaram’, is one of the five forms of formal traditional greeting mentioned in the Vedas. This is normally understood as prostration but it actually refers to paying homage or showing respect to one another, as is the practice today, when we greet each other.

The Meaning of Namaste

In Sanskrit (Devnagiri script) the word is namah + te = namaste which means “I bow to you” – my greetings, salutations or prostration to you. The word ‘namaha’ can also be literally interpreted as “na ma” (not mine). It has a spiritual significance of negating or reducing one’s ego in the presence of another.

Vedic way to do Namaste

When meeting someone, do Namaskar by bending the arms from the elbow upwards and joining the fingers and placing tips of the thumbs on the Anahat chakra (at the centre of the chest). Place the two palms together and keep the folded palms in front of the chest. Utter the word ‘namaste’ and while saying the word, you must have a smile on your face and you also must bow down your head slightly.

The gesture is often accompanied by words like “Ram Ram,” “Jai Shri Krishna”, “Namo Narayana”, “Jai Siya Ram”, “Om Shanti” etc – indicating the recognition of this divinity.

The Traditional explanation of Namaste

Namaste or namaskar is used as a respectful form of greeting, acknowledging and welcoming a relative, guest or stranger. It is used with good byes as well. In some contexts, namaste is used by one person to express gratitude for assistance offered or given, and to thank the other person’s for his or her generous kindness. It is an acknowledgement and appreciation of the fact that there is a God in all of us and we must respect that.

The real meeting between people is the meeting of their minds. When we greet another, we do so with namaste, which means, “may our minds meet,”

Namaskar is also part of the 16 upacharas used inside temples or any place of formal Puja (worship). Namaste in the context of deity worship, conclude scholars, has the same function as one in greeting a guest or anyone else. It expresses politeness, courtesy, honor, and hospitality from one person to the other. This is sometimes expressed, in ancient Hindu scriptures such as Taittiriya Upanishad, as Atithi Devo Bhav (literally, the guest is god).

Namaste is one of the six forms of pranama, and in parts of India these terms are used synonymously.

The Scientific explanation of Namaste

Namaskar increases the spiritual emotion of humility in the embodied soul. Sattva frequencies from the universe are attracted by the fingers (which act as an antenna) and are then transmitted to the entire body through the thumbs which have awakened the Anahat chakra. This activates the soul energy of the embodied soul. In addition, by doing Namaskar in this manner to each other, frequencies of blessings are also transmitted.

Exercise:

Joining both hands ensures joining the tips of all the fingers together; which are denoted to the pressure points of eyes, ears, and mind. Pressing them together is said to activate the pressure points which helps us remember that person for a long time. It also reduces stress; helps to focus; increases the flexibility of the hands, wrist and the fingers; can improve the concentration and can help to increase the influence of meditation on the mind and body of the person.

In today’s world, people are addicted to computer and mobile, Due to long use of this, there wrist and palm starting paining. On consultation, may physiotherapist has suggest them to do one of the exercise that is similar to Namaste gesture (without words).

Ego:

As the word Namaste itself explains. When one has already said and feel ‘I blow to you’, he/she has already reduced one’s ego in front of another.

Health:

No germs since we don’t make any physical contact! It is believe that will doing hand shake. It is, indeed, a more hygienic, non-aggressive, and graceful way of greeting than the Western custom of shaking hands or hugging.

Handshake transfers undesirable raja-tama components!

In short, in a handshake, the raja-tama components in one person may get transferred to the other person, thereby lowering his sattvikta (Purity levels). While practising Spirituality, our objective is to perform acts which increase our sattvikta.

An Appeal To You

In today’s world, where western influence is more on us (Indian’s) and our children’s. Where we have started greeting by doing hand-shake, hug or kiss on the person’s chick. Not for our culture, but at least for our health, let us follow and greet by doing Namaste.

Introduction: Greetings in India

In India, there are many different ways to greet someone. The most common way to greet someone is by saying “namaste.” This word can be translated to mean “I bow to you.” It is a respectful way to greet someone and shows that you honor them.

Another common way to greet someone in India is by saying “Jai Hind.” This phrase means “Victory to India.” It is a patriotic greeting that shows your love for your country.

When greeting someone, it is also common to place your hands together in front of your chest and bow slightly. This is called the “namaste” position and is a sign of respect.

When greeting a person of high status, such as a religious leader or an elder, it is customary to touch their feet. This is a sign of reverence and respect.

There are many different ways to greet someone in India. The most important thing is to be respectful and show honor to the person you are greeting.

Khadi Pranam

The Khadi Pranam is a traditional Indian greeting where you place your palms together in front of your chest and bow your head. This greeting is used to show respect and can be used when greeting someone who is of a higher rank than you, such as a boss or elder.

To do the Khadi Pranam, stand with your feet together and your palms pressed together in front of your chest. Then, bow your head slightly and say “namaste” or “pranam.” You can also add the person’s name if you know it. For example, you might say “Namaste, Amit” or “Pranam, Rani.”

The Khadi Pranam is a simple yet respectful way to greet someone in India. It shows that you are willing to put aside any differences and show respect to the other person.

Namasté

Namasté is a very common way to greet someone in India. It is a word that comes from Sanskrit, and it means “I bow to you.” When you say Namasté to someone, you are showing them respect.

There are many different ways to say Namasté. You can say it with your hands together in front of your chest, or you can bow slightly when you say it.

You can also add other words to Namasté, such as “Namasté, how are you?” or “Namasté, I’m glad to meet you.”

When you meet someone for the first time, it is customary to exchange business cards. You should take the time to read the person’s business card before you put it away.

In India, it is considered impolite to ask personal questions right away. You should wait until you know the person better before asking about their family or personal life.

Overall, there are many different ways to greet someone in India. Namasté is a very common way to show respect. There are many different ways to say it, and you can add other words

Aarti

The aarti is a traditional Hindu ceremony in which light is offered to the deities. It is usually performed at the end of a puja, or worship service. The aarti is also sometimes performed during festivals or other special occasions.

The word aarti comes from the Sanskrit word meaning “to offer.” Aartis are often performed with candles, but they can also be done with oil lamps or even just with the light of the sun. The light represents the divine presence and is seen as an offering of respect and devotion.

Aartis can be performed alone or in groups. When done in a group, everyone usually participates in singing or chanting the words of the aarti. The person performing the aarti usually leads the group and sets the pace.

Aartis are an important part of Hindu religious life. They offer an opportunity to express respect and devotion to the deities. Aartis also play an important role in social and community life. They provide a time for people to come together and share in their faith.

Namaskar

The most common way to greet someone in India is with a Namaskar. This is done by joining your hands together in front of your chest and saying “Namaste” or “Namaskar.” This gesture shows respect and is a sign of greeting.

When you meet someone important, such as a business associate or VIP, it is customary to bow. This shows even more respect than a Namaskar and shows that you are willing to lower yourself in order to meet them.

If you are greeting someone who is older than you, it is proper etiquette to put your hand on their feet. This is called a Namaskaram and is considered to be a very respectful gesture.

In India, there are many different ways to greet someone. The most common greeting is Namaste, which means “I bow to you.” This greeting is used to show respect for the other person. It can be used between friends, family, and strangers.

Another common greeting in India is Jai Hind, which means “Victory to India.” This greeting is used to show patriotism and pride for one’s country. Jai Hind is often used on special occasions, such as Independence Day or Republic Day.

Finally, Hindus often use the word Om, which is a sacred sound in their religion. Om can be used as a greeting or as a way to show respect for the other person’s religious beliefs.

Overall, there are many different ways to greet someone in India. The most important thing is to be respectful and show appreciation for the other person’s culture.

Another Good Morning!

In India, there are many ways to greet someone and show respect. One common way to greet someone is to say “Good morning!” (or “Namaste!”). This is a polite way to show respect and can be used with anyone, whether you know them well or not.

Another common way to greet someone in India is to say “Jai Hind!” This phrase means “Victory to India!” and is used as a patriotic gesture. This phrase is often used when greeting military personnel or government officials.

yet another way to greet someone in India is to say ” Ram Ram! “. This phrase is a Hindu prayer and is used as a sign of respect. It can be used with anyone, regardless of their religion.

There are many other ways to greet someone in India, but these are some of the most common. No matter how you choose to greet someone, always do so with a smile and show respect.

Hi There, Pal!

In India, it is very important to greet people with respect. When you meet someone for the first time, it is customary to say “Namaste” or “Namaskar.” This shows that you respect the other person and are happy to meet them.

If you are greeting someone who is older than you or of a higher social status, it is important to bow slightly or put your hands together in a prayer-like gesture. This shows even more respect than simply saying “Namaste.”

If you are greeting a group of people, it is customary to say ” Namaste” to each person individually. This ensures that everyone in the group feels included and respected.

It is also important to use the right word when addressing someone. For example, if you are greeting your father, you would say “Papa.” If you are greeting your mother, you would say “Mama.” Using the wrong word can be seen as disrespectful.

In general, it is always best to err on the side of respect when greeting someone in India. By following these guidelines, you will be sure to make a good impression.

What are the Five Elements or Pancha Bhutas?

offers an elaborate look into the five elements or Pancha Bhutas, and gives simple processes to purify and gain mastery over the five elements.

hether it is the individual human body or the larger cosmic body, essentially, they are made of five elements or the pancha bhutas – earth, water, fire, air and akasha.

#1 Water

Today, there is substantial scientific evidence to show that water has tremendous memory. If you just generate a thought looking at the water, the molecular structure of the water will change. If you touch it, it will change. So how you approach water is very important.

#2 Earth

The Earth element is the basis that all the other elements build on, and of our physicality. Though the element of Earth is part of physical matter around us too, it is best we start to perceive and understand it from the basis of our lives, because most people only really experience their own body and mind. Knowing and experiencing the element of Earth from within is part of the Yogic process.

#3 Air

In the Yogic tradition, we refer to air as “vayu,” which means not just air as a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and other gases, but as a dimension of movement. Among the five elements, air is the most accessible and relatively the easiest element to gain reasonable mastery over. Hence, a large number of Yogic practices are structured around vayu or air.

#4 Fire

In Indian culture, the element of fire is personified as Agni Deva, a god with two faces who rides on a fiery ram. The two faces are symbolic representations of fire as a life-giver and a life-taker. Without the fire burning within us, there is no life. But if you do not take care, fire can quickly go out of control and consume everything.

#5 Akasha

Do not mistake akasha for empty space. It is ether. The word “ether” is not quite accurate but it is the closest translation. Ether is not space; it is a subtle dimension of existence. Space is kala or nonexistence. It is Shi-va – “that which is not.” Akasha is “that which is.”

Why Does One Need the Cooperation of the Five Elements or Pancha Bhutas?

If these five elements do not cooperate, you can struggle as much as you want, nothing happens. Only with their cooperation, from the basic aspects to the highest aspect, your life becomes a possibility. The fundamental sadhana in Yoga to gain mastery over these five elements or to purify the elements in the system

This human system is like a doorway. A door has two aspects to it – if you are always facing closed doors, for you doors mean that which stops you. If doors are opening up for you, then for you a door means a possibility of entering into something. In either case, it is the same door; which side of the door you are on decides everything about your life, even in terms of time and space. Whether you experience this body as a great possibility or a great barrier simply depends on the extent to which these five elements are cooperating.

In Isha Yoga, every sadhana has something to do with organizing these five elements in such a way that you can reap the best out of the individual being and the cosmic nature because both are just a play of these five elements. Whether this individual physical body becomes a stepping stone for your ultimate possibility or a hurdle towards that essentially depends on how you are able to deal with these five elements. What you are right now is just a little bit of earth, water, air and temperature. All the ingredients are out there in the garden; it just takes a little divine touch to make these four things into a throbbing human being.

Sitting here, if you are aware of how the water, air, earth and fire in your body are functioning, suddenly you live your life with so much ease that people start thinking you are superhuman. But this is not about being superhuman, this is about realizing that being human is super. Being human is super if only you learn to use your humanity and this human mechanism as a possibility, not as a barrier.

What Is the Composition of the Five Elements Within the Human Body?

In these five elements, unless you want to explore mystical dimensions you do not have to bother about the akasha. Among the other four, seventy two percent of your body is just water. Another twelve percent is earth. Another six percent is air, which is the easiest thing to manage and take charge of because there is breath and you can take charge of it in a certain way. Another four percent is fire. Taking mastery over fire could do many things to you but because you are householders living in family situations, you do not have to take charge of fire. The remaining is akasha. You do not have to bother about that unless you want to explore mystical dimensions of the existence. To live well, four elements are enough. The fifth one is not relevant for people who just want to live well.

Pancha Bhuta Temples

India is a land where for the five elements in nature, there are five temples, which are all geographically located within the Deccan Plateau – four in Tamil Nadu, and one in Andhra Pradesh. These temples were created not for worship, but for sadhana. People moved from one temple to the other to do sadhana on each of the five elements.

At one temple, they did sadhana on earth, then, they went to the next temple to do sadhana on water, and so on. Unfortunately, this connection is not there anymore because the sadhana atmosphere has been taken away. This understanding and mastery is generally missing, but the temples still exist. Some of them have maintained that vibrance and quality, while some of them have become weak.

Elemental Deities

Consecration can be done for the five elements. For example, let us say we want to create a deity for air. We will create an energy form, which a human being can relate to. Being in the yogic system, we generally do not go for a human form. We go for an ellipsoid because we know it is one form which will last longest with least maintenance.

Adiyogi Unravels the Mystery of the Five Elements or Pancha Bhutas

Over 15,000 years ago, Adiyogi spoke about the five elements or the pancha bhutas. He pointed out for his first seven disciples that the whole universe is just a play of five elements; and in what proportion it plays within our body and how, if one can gain mastery over these, in a way you have mastery over the creation. By having even an element of mastery over the creation, you have a very direct access to that which is the source of creation. When this science was expounded in great detail and in all its manifestations, the Saptarishis who were sitting there as disciples, and Parvati, his wife, who was also witness to this, were amazed. They were incredulous. They could not believe that the whole existence is just five things – and one is nothing, so only four things.

Adiyogi Reveals the Two Ways to Access the Source of Creation

Adiyogi went about describing the intelligence behind it: with just four ingredients, you can cook up such a soup that we call the cosmos today. Everything that is physical is largely four elements. You do not experience the fifth one most of the time. If I just give you four things, can you even make sambar out of it? Even to make sambar you need twenty-five ingredients!

If someone can cook up a whole cosmos with four things, that is astounding brilliance. Adiyogi went about describing the science and technology of gaining mastery over these elements. These seven plus one who were listening to this and were watching the little demonstrations that he setup were absolutely taken by this. Then he said, “Either you can master all these things or you can just surrender to this intelligence and it will be yours.” The seven men were excited about mastering it. Parvati, the woman, decided to surrender to it and make it a part of herself.

So the seven were sent away to do work. Parvati was kept there because she gave in to the intelligence and it became a part of her. These seven were labeled as sages. She became a Goddess. I am talking about how to promote yourself! If you get into the intricacy of how everything has manifested, even if you live here for a million years and study, study, study, it will be an endless process. It is exciting but it is an endless process.

Or, you simply put this endless process aside and touch the dimension that is the source of all these. If you want to play the game, you involve yourself with the elements of creation. If you do not want to play the game, if you are a match-fixer and just want to win – you are not interested in the game, you just want to pass and go on – then you touch only that which is the source of Creation. You do not have to get lost in the elements.

You play the game or the game plays you. But if you do not play the game, the game may play you. Keeping the whole game of life aside and just being focused on being one with the source of Creation seems to be the simplest thing. If you have no sense of “you”, if you have that level of dispassion about your own body, mind, thoughts, emotions and everything, it comes naturally.

Otherwise, this is the most diﬃcult thing. Is it possible to keep “you” aside when you are the hero of your life? When you are the main role, keeping “you” aside does not happen so easily. But that is the simplest and greatest way. Otherwise there is a big game to play – quite an endless game. But if you want to play the game, you better play it skillfully. A lousy player is hated by everyone.

Why is it Important to Gain Mastery over the Five Elements or Pancha Bhutas?

Once you choose to play the game, having some mastery over the elements is important. Otherwise you will be a lousy player with life. If people have succeeded in any sphere of life, that means knowingly or unknowingly, in some way there is some mastery. Otherwise there is no success in anything. Maybe they worked for it elsewhere or they are working for it here, but without a certain element of mastery over something, there is not going to be any success in life.

If we have chosen to do activity, success is the sweetest thing in human life. There are some people going about spreading this kind of rubbish – they are referred to as philosophies – “It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it’s all right.” There is no such rubbish in life. When you play a game you want to win. After the game is over, in case you lost, yes it is all right that you lost but before you play if you think it is all right to lose, you do not know what a game is.

Once you have chosen to play the game – whether the marketplace, marriage, life or spiritual process – you must win. Many times it may be a team sport. You may forget that you winning means people with you also need to win. If you are married and you think only you should win, he or she will make it miserable for you!

The Yogic Way of Gaining Mastery Over the Five Elements or Pancha Bhutas

a way of consciously winning because without mastery over what you are doing, victory will be accidental. Your opponents may be lousy, so you may win. That is of no consequence. Whichever way, you play to the best of your capabilities and beyond. Whenever we give instructions for Hatha Yoga, we say, “Stretch yourself as much as you can and little more.” It is that little more which is the most important aspect. That is where life is. That is the diﬀerence between victory and failure – someone is doing that little more and another is not.

In the 1970s, Kenny Roberts won the world motorcycle championship three times in a row. That is not easy because these are the best machines on the track and the riders are of the highest order on the planet, so you win by hundredths of a second. If you have to win a championship, you have to win some twelve, fifteen races in a season and three times in a row is almost impossible. So people asked him, “How do you do this?” He said, “I go out of control with control.” Having the courage to cross that line of control and having the wisdom not to go too far.

If you have to have the courage to do something, you have to have some capability. Otherwise courage will turn into disaster. If you do it successfully, people will say you are courageous. If you crash, people will say you are stupid. That line is very thin and your ability to traverse that line, your ability to walk that line becomes better and better if you have more mastery over the fundamentals of your existence.

For those people who are not willing to do any sadhana towards this, we organize the Pancha Bhuta Kriya in Dhyanalinga so that at least you benefit by being there. This is the significance of a ritual. A ritual is essentially for those who cannot do it by themselves – public sadhana. A thousand people can sit and benefit from it. But if you do sadhana, it is just you. Sadhana is definitely of a higher nature but ritual is of a larger benefit.

What Happens if you Gain Mastery Over the Five Elements or Pancha Bhutas?

Once there is a certain amount of mastery over the five elements, there is no such thing as inward and outward because elements do not respect your boundaries. To put it in the simplest form, as you sit here, you breathe. The air does not respect your boundary. It is constantly in and out. This is not just air, this is happening with everything. The food that you eat and whatever substance we relieve ourselves of and everything else is in constant transaction.

The boundaries of your body are only for your psychological comfort. But the five elements have no respect for that and they anyway transact without your permission. If you have some access to experiencing the nature of the elements, then you also lose the boundaries of your body. Or in other words, you have sacrificed your privacy because everything is seeping in and everything is seeping out constantly.

How to Gain Mastery Over the Five Elements or Pancha Bhutas?

#1 The Way of the Nagas

When one wants to gain mastery, one of the things that are commonly done is to expose yourself to the elements. What spiritual movements of the past like the Nagas, Goraknathis or the Jains did at the basic level of sadhana is to expose themselves to the elements because they wanted the transaction to happen freely. Today, walking around naked in the world is not a possibility, though in India it is still in practice. You will see thousands of them walking naked, not bothered about the social norms. But that is not a possibility for all of you.

Question: Is it possible to become more aware of this just by sitting in open spaces like in a field or looking at horizon points, staring at the ocean, or looking up at the sky or just spending some time in open spaces?

It could help, but the general tendency for most people when they are in open spaces is to cover and protect themselves, considering the variations in temperature that one may experience in different places. At the same time, yes, it is a possibility, but it need not necessarily be. If you happen to sit out, you can make use of that.

#2 Wear Loose Clothing

One simple thing that you can do is move to a looser level of clothing. You may not look shapely, but there is no shape to you in the elemental scape. It is in constant transaction. To facilitate this, to be able to be conscious of this, one important thing is that there is a little bit of space between your body and what you wear, that you are not wearing tight-fitting clothes. This is one step that one can take.

#3 Pay Attention to the Breath

If you pay attention, you will see that beyond this breath, a whole lot of transaction is happening constantly across the body. If one pays enough attention to this transaction, then one will also slowly understand the nature and the composition of the elements within us. Then enhancing one dimension or increasing the akasha in the system through appropriate practice becomes a possibility. If one knows that there is transaction – not by intellect, but by attention – then how to tweak the transaction in our favor is something we can do.

#4 Pay Attention to Food and Water

The first thing is to take charge of the most obvious transactions. The most obvious transactions are breath, food, consumption of water and the temperature of the body and the temperature outside. These are the most obvious transactions. Just pay a little more attention to these obvious transactions.

It always amazes me how most people never ever notice breath, which is such an obvious transaction and it does not happen quietly, it moves the entire body. If you cannot notice your breath, how to notice anything subtler than that? If you bring attention to how you eat, drink, breathe and touch everything, you will see that the experience of life will rise to a completely diﬀerent level.

Most human beings are not doing these simple things. They are gulping down what they eat and drink. They breathe completely unconsciously. They touch anything and everything without knowing what they are touching or feeling it. People think that when you are breathing, you should not be doing anything else, you must just be breathing. The beauty of being human is that we have a cerebral capability of conducting complex activity within us and still be able to pay attention. It is like you are driving and you can still have a conversation with someone. So two levels of attention are happening just like this. You could be doing whatever you are doing, while paying attention to the breath. Breath is one thing that is always happening. You can pay attention to that.

You can also pay attention to the food that you eat and the water that you drink. The possibility of knowing dimensions of the beyond and dipping into the mystical nature of the existence is very much rooted in the elemental composition of who we are. Bringing about a transformation in this can do fantastic things to you.

THE UNION OF SHIVA AND SHAKTI

We are manifest through the vehicle of the mother. The entire Universe is manifest or given birth through the vehicle of Mother. The Mother is the instrument for converting spirit into matter. To understand that all form is spirit made matter is to see that at the source within the world of matter lies the Mother.

Behind the Mother, or beyond the Mother, lies the Father. The Father is formless, unmanifest in which the spirit exists with no matter. To understand the relationship between the Mother and Father is to deal with the most profound mystical enigma, for the Father is the Father of the Mother and the Mother is the Mother of the Father. Each gives rise to the other, neither exists independent of the other and each is contained within the other. For the Mother in all of her manifestations is only the formless, taking form. It is not a continuum between spirit and matter, between formless and form, it is an identity.

The levels on which manifestations exist, or on which the Mother manifests, range from the finest stuff, the mist that is finer than thought and faster than light, to the grossest, densest forms, found in the depths of the earth. To know the Mother means to recognize the entire range of manifestations. To see her manifesting in the densest, slowest forms of rock and mineral, and to see within these dense forms the fine mist of the spirit in its finest manifestation. It’s like looking at clouds without forgetting that it is made up of drops of moisture.

Recognizing that these drops of moisture are relationships among hydrogen and oxygen atoms and that these atoms are composed of neutrons and electrons and protons. That these units in turn are still finer stuff and that it is also what the cloud is. And that this stuff that composes the cloud is no different than the stuff that composes that which is around the cloud.

For the quanta of energy which make up all forms of the Universe are the same. They are all manifestations of the Mother; they are all pure energy, or from another way of looking at it, pure love. Or from yet another way of looking at it, pure consciousness.

As energy, the Universe is referred to as Shakti; and the Father, that which is an identity in the formless, is referred to as Shiva. The path of enlightenment is the path of bringing together the two parts of this identity until form is no different than formless. A being who has merged into that identity, clinging nowhere to form, neither here nor there to neither this nor that, is said to be realized. which is the ultimate union of the Mother and Father. The process of bringing about that union involves working with shakti, the Mother, directing and using the energy in form, in order to transcend that form and merge with the formless.

Each individual has a connection to the shakti which is the Universe of form. This connection is often referred to as kundalini, or the serpent that lies coiled at the base of the spine. For this coiled energy is starting out as the energy uniquely existing within that form, which we define as ourself, climbs the spine, the sushumna, and passes through the chakras, resonates, tunes to, identifies with, and incorporates, larger and larger components of the shakti of the Universe until finally when the serpent has risen to the ajna, the sixth of the seven chakras, it is so identified with patterns of energy throughout the Universe, that the individual knows everything, for it is one with all patterns in the universe. So that the individual is the blade of grass, and is the thought of another, is the past and is the future. Nothing is veiled from such a being, for such a being‘s identity is no longer limited by the body or the psychological separateness but is now one with the shakti of the Universe. That is the stage prior to the merging which occurs in the sahasrara, the seventh chakra, at which time Shakti of the Universe merges into Shiva, that which is formless.

Most people have a very limited amount of shakti which they work with. They receive shakti through their eyes, nose, mouth, skin, thoughts, senses, what they eat, through their love relationships. This shakti is limited by the power of the molds in their mind. As these molds give way, as the attachments to one’s separation diminishes, one identifies with more and more of the shakti of the Universe, until they are one with the Mother, one with the energy, with the force.

In truth, it is only at that moment that you can merge with God. That is why there is such profound purification and strengthening necessary to go through the journey of enlightenment, for one must be a vessel of the Universe. One must, as we will all come to see, consume the Mother.

Union of Shiva and Shakti: Tantra Philosophy of Consciousness and Energy

According to Tantra, Shiva represents the formless, unmanifested, cosmic consciousness. Whereas, Shakti represents formed, manifested, energy. Shakti is the energy not only restricted to the cosmos but also present in each and every individual. Just like Shiva is the supreme consciousness pervading each individual and the whole cosmos. Union of Shiva and Shakti is the way to know reality.

Shakti is considered as the power that manifests the potential contained in the consciousness. It is responsible for creating the varied forms manifested in the universe, i.e., she is the creator of man, objects, things, planets, trees, etc. Shiva that from which she creates.

It is said that through Shakti Shiva can experience himself.

Shiva is the principle of changelessness, and Shakti is the principle for change. Although, in Tantric philosophy, there is a contradiction or paradox at play. Even though both Shiva and Shakti have been given different attributes, they are still considered the same. The changeable and the changelessness are the same, understanding this is the perfect union, the dissolution of duality. The aim of tantra and yoga is the dissolution of duality.

This indifference between energy and consciousness, Shiva and Shakti, is realized at higher states of awareness. When a person has advanced ahead in his yoga or tantra sadhana.

Role of Tantra in Realization

The goal of Tantra is to retrace the path from the manifestation (Shakti) to the source (Shiva).

Shakti is used as the vehicle to reunite the individual with the supreme experience that is samadhi, nirvana and the various other names for attaining unity across traditions. The goal of tantra is to lead you, the individual or the jiva, to the patam atman or the supreme.

Maya

For Tantra, the power of manifestation (shakti) is in its true essence consciousness itself. But it is hidden from us because of the phenomenal world we live in, the world that creates this illusion (Maya). It is not in ordinary state of awareness that we can understand this union between Shiva and Shakti.

According to Tantra, it is difficult to comprehend that each thing existing in this universe is nothing but manifested consciousness.

The consciousness itself, i.e., Shiva does not change in its nature or content even though everything comes from it. It is said so in Ishavasay Upanshisad about the nature of this supreme consciousness:

That is full, this is full.

From full, the full is taken,

the full has come.

If you take out the full from the full,

the full alone remains.

Shiva is the source of the universe; from Shiva, the universe comes but everything individually comes through the power of Shakti.

Yet in the highest sense, when the realization comes through Tantra and Yoga, the union of Shiva and Shakti occurs, they are understood to be one and the same. This is a big paradox, a conflict, a mystery that is resolved by Sages and Siddhas through experience and is difficult to articulate in mere words.

Tantra vs Non-Duality

Unlike other philosophical systems like Advaita, Tantra believes that both the manifested world and the unmanifested world are real. The film and the screen, the background, and the projection are real. The experienced world (the world of senses) and the higher world (experienced at higher levels of awareness) both are real.

The body, mind, symbols, and rituals are to be used to know that which is beyond. In a way, it saves from the sense of disillusionment and existentialism that might take place if the world around us, visible to use and experienced by us is denied.

Shiva

According to Tantra, Shiva is the pita (father) of all that is stationary or moving. He is considered a Digambar (clothed in the air). He mostly wears a tiger skin and holds a trident that represents three qualities of nature:

tamas (inertia and darkness),

rajas (activity)

sattwa (light and harmony)

His vehicle for transport is a bull called Nandi. The supreme consciousness of Shiva is usually symbolized by the Shiva lingam. Shiva is believed to be unconditioned or uninfluenced by the rules and norms of society. He is said to exist constantly in the state of nirvikalpa samadhi (second-highest state of samadhi according to Patanjali’s Yogasutra).

In the yogic tradition, he is called Adiyogi (the first yogi) and Yogeshwara (the king of all yogis).

In the tantric tradition, he is known as Kuleshana, the lord of the Kaulas (a religious tradition in Tantric Shaktism and Shaivism).

Shakti

Shakti is associated with numerous names, concepts, and aspects across the Tantric tradition. A few of these are:

Prana – the vital energy responsible for growth and arrangement of all life forms

Kali – the dissolver of the world, one who withdraws into her womb things at the end of their allotted life span

Kundalini – the power lying dormant in the base of the spine that can be unleashed through tantric practices

Parvati – the faithful and loving wife of Shiva

Adhyashakti – the primordial power

Ishwari – the lord of the universe

Avidya Rupini – a form responsible for ignorance of an individual of the reality or true form of everything (supreme consciousness or brahman)

Vidya Rupini – a form of knowledge, because it is her world of senses and objects that one can use to know the ultimate reality (using the body for meditation and yoga to attain enlightenment)

She is also recognized as Maya – the creator of illusions – for it is her world of differentiated forms because of which one fails to realize the unity. At the same time, she is Shakti the energy that allows us to experience the world, move our minds and body and practice tantra and yoga. She is the key to reaching Shiva.

Union of Shiva and Shakti

Shakti (energy) when united with Shiva (cosmic consciousness) is called Parabhrahman, the absolute. Energy can be nurtured and guided by consciousness but consciousness itself can’t express itself without energy.

Adi Shankara asks in Saundarya Lahari (a prominent tantric textbook): “How can Shiva function without Shakti?”

Therefore, in Tantra, Shakti is an indispensable means to merge with consciousness, to reach Shiva. A supreme, divine experience takes place with the union of Shiva and Shakti. Some say it is the realization of Brahman, others “not this, not this” to show that it is inexpressible.

It can be expressed as the state of nirvana, samadhi, or perfect oneness.

Ten yoga mudras and Their benefits

Yoga is about more than twisting your body or performing tough asanas. There are many other old practises that can be used in Yoga. Today, we’ll discuss one of them: Mudra, an ancient technique that we use during Pranayama and Meditation.

Mudra is a Sanskrit term that means “gesture” or “attitude.” Psychic, emotional, spiritual, and artistic gestures or attitudes are all examples of mudras. Mudras were characterised by ancient yogis as energy-flowing postures meant to connect individual pranic force with universal or cosmic force.

Mudras are a set of subtle physical movements that can change one’s mood, attitude, or perspective. And which help to increase concentration and alertness. A mudra can be a simple hand position or it can encompass the entire body in a combination of Asana, Pranayama, Bandha, and visualisation methods.

Mudras are higher rituals that help the pranas, chakras, and Kundalini to awaken. It restores pranic balance within the koshas and allows subtle energy to be directed to the upper chakras, resulting in a higher state of consciousness. Each mudra establishes a distinct relationship and has a distinct influence on the body, mind, and prana.

Diseases arise from an imbalance in the body, which is produced by a shortage or excess of any of the five elements: air, water, fire, earth, and space.

Each of these five elements has a specific and crucial job within the body, and our fingers have the qualities of each of them. When a finger representing one of the elements makes contact with the thumb, that element is balanced. As a result, the imbalance-caused sickness is treated. Mudras modify energy flow, changing the equilibrium of air, fire, water, earth, and ether, thus facilitating healing and health restoration.

Air (Vayu)- Index Finger

Fire (Agni)- Thumb Finger

Water (Jal)- Little Finger

Earth (Prithvi)- Ring Finger

Space (Akash)- Middle Finger

Today, we’ll go through some of the most effective mudras for curing ailments.

1.Jnana/Gyan Mudra (Psychic gesture of Knowledge)

This is one of the most fundamental yoga mudras for increasing concentration and knowledge.

Sit comfortably in a meditation pose such as Padmasana or Sukhasana. Your index fingers should be folded such that they touch the inside root of your thumbs. Straighten each hand’s remaining three fingers so that they are relaxed and slightly apart. Now, with the palms facing down, place the hands on the knees. Hands and arms should be relaxed.

2.Chinmaya Mudra (Awareness)

This is one of the most effective mudras for physical and mental well-being.

Form a ring with the thumb and forefinger, then curl the other three fingers into the palms of the hands. Now, with your palms facing upwards, lay your hands on your knees and take deep, relaxed breaths. Relax your hands and arms while observing the flow of your breaths. This mudra enhances digestion and improves the flow of energy in the body

3.Vayu Mudra (Air)

This is for balancing your body’s air element, as the name implies.

Fold your index finger in half. With the base of your thumb, press the second phalanx bone of your index finger. Straighten each hand’s remaining three fingers so that they are relaxed and slightly apart. Now, with the palms facing up, place the hands on the knees. Hands and arms should be relaxed.

This mudra aids in the expulsion of excess air from the body, which relieves chest pain caused by trapped gas.

4. Agni Mudra (Fire)

This mudra is for balancing your body’s fire element, as the name implies. If you have indigestion or acidity, you should avoid this mudra.

Fold your ring finger and press the base of your thumb against the second phalanx bone. Straighten each hand’s remaining three fingers so that they are relaxed and slightly apart. Now, with the palms facing up, place the hands on the knees. Hands and arms should be relaxed.

This mudra should only be done on an empty stomach and in a sitting position early in the morning.

This mudra aids in the reduction of abdominal fat, increases metabolism, and manages obesity. It also aids digestion and strengthens the body.

5.Varun Mudra ( Water)

This mudra is for balancing the water element of your body, as the name implies. This mudra can be used to improve one’s appearance. It makes your skin glow by allowing your body’s fluids to circulate freely and keeping your skin hydrated. Avoid pressing the tip of the little finger against the nail. Instead of balancing your body’s water level, this could create dehydration.

Touch the tip of your little finger and the tip of your thumb together. Straighten each hand’s remaining three fingers so that they are relaxed and slightly apart. Now, with the palms facing up, place the hands on the knees. Hands and arms should be relaxed.

This mudra aids in the activation of fluid circulation in the body, keeping it hydrated. It prevents the appearance of pimples and treats skin illnesses and infections. It gives your face a natural glow and relieves muscle problems.

6. Prana Mudra (Life)

This mudra is for balancing your body’s life element, as the name implies. This yoga gesture strengthens your immune system, enhances your vision, and helps you feel more energised by combating lethargy. This is a crucial mudra because it activates your body’s energy.

Bend your ring and little fingers and place the tips of both of these fingers on the tip of your thumb. Straighten each hand’s other two fingers, keeping them relaxed and slightly apart. Now, with the palms facing up, place the hands on the knees. Hands and arms should be relaxed.

This mudra strengthens your immune system. This increases the power of your eyes and the clarity of your eyesight. It also alleviates fatigue and treats eye disorders.

7. Shunya Mudra (Sky)

This mudra is also known as the paradise mudra, and it can help you achieve a state of tranquillity if you practise it regularly

Using your thumb, press the first phalanx of your middle finger. Straighten each hand’s remaining three fingers so that they are relaxed and slightly apart. Now, with the palms facing up, place the hands on the knees. Hands and arms should be relaxed.

This mudra relieves earaches and aids persons who are losing their hearing due to age or disease. It also aids in the treatment of motion sickness and vertigo.

8.Surya Mudra (Sun)

This mudra is for balancing the sun aspect of your body, as the name implies. To take use of the sun’s vitality, you must do it first thing in the morning.

Press your ring finger with the thumb. Straighten each hand’s remaining three fingers so that they are relaxed and slightly apart. Now, with the palms facing up, place the hands on the knees. Hands and arms should be relaxed.

This mudra aids in the reduction of bad cholesterol and weight gain. It also helps with anxiety and digestion.

9.Prithvi Mudra (Earth)

Make a connection between the tip of your ring finger and the tip of your thumb. Straighten each hand’s remaining three fingers so that they are relaxed and slightly apart. Now, with the palms facing up, place the hands on the knees. Hands and arms should be relaxed.

This mudra helps to increase blood circulation throughout the body. While meditating, it improves patience, tolerance, and concentration. It also aids in the strengthening of weak and lean bones. Surprisingly, it aids in the increase of body weight, as well as the reduction of weakness and mental dullness.

10.Adi Mudra ( First Gesture)

This is a symbolic and ritualistic hand gesture used to quiet the mind and nervous system in a spiritual yoga practise.

A light fist is formed by placing the thumb at the base of the tiny finger and curling the other fingers over the thumb. Now, with your palms facing upwards, lay your hands on your knees and take deep, relaxed breaths.

This mudra helps to prevent snoring by relaxing the nerve system. It also boosts the passage of oxygen to the brain and expands the lungs’ capacity.

Complete Guide to Mudras: Benefits and Use in Yoga, Meditation & Chakra BalancingYou may have seen hands and fingers take an interesting shape or form during yoga practice or meditation. The likes of hands in prayer position before Surya Namaskar or connecting the thumb and index fingers of both hands in meditation? Well, these positions of the hands and fingers are sacred gestures called mudras. Like other practices in yoga, they have purpose and significance.

In this blog, we’ll explore what mudras are, their importance in yoga and meditation, as well as a few of the best mudras for chakra balancing and everyday practice.

What are Mudras in Yoga?

A mudra is a gesture or seal used in yoga. The practice of these gestures and seals channel the flow of prana life force. There are many mudras. They are categorized as hand hasta mudras, body (kaya) and consciousness (citta) mudras. We commonly use hand mudras.

Ayurveda and Mudras

Ayurveda explains the body as being made up of five elements; fire, air, space, earth and water. A healthy body has a balance of these elements. Conversely, a dominating or weakening element would cause an imbalance in the body and have a negative impact on one’s health. This would express as illness or disease.

There are five elements and five fingers. Each finger represents an according element. In yoga philosophy, it is said that through each finger, runs the prana for each element. By manipulating the pranas we can increase or decrease the prana to a specific part of the body. That is why a mudra is also referred to as a seal. We are sealing or locking the pranas for a specific purpose.

When a specific mudra is used for a specific purpose, it can help restore the balance of the five elements of the body using prana.

The fingers represent, accordingly, each element:

The Thumb – represents the fire element

The Index finger – represents the air element

The Middle finger – represents the space element

The Ring finger – represents the earth element

The Pinky finger – represents the water element

The Five Pranas

Apana – the force required for excretion, like sweating, urinating, etc.

Samana – the force required for digestion and metabolism.

Prana – the force required for the heart to pump.

Vyana – the force required circulation and movement.

Udana – the force required for upper body actions like talking, thinking, eye movement, etc.

Five Mudras for Meditation and Yoga

Mudras function as a unifying force to bring together and balance the body through the hands.

As we have two hands, so do we have two sides of the body; solar energy on the right side and lunar energy on the left side. The Gyana Mudra, for example, connects the right solar prana via the Pingala Nadi to the left lunar energy via the Ida Nadi. Mudras work to singularly stimulate solar or lunar energy too.

Apart from balancing energies in the body, mudras are also used in meditation and yoga practice to enhance focus and help direct our awareness inwards.

There are many mudras for meditation and yoga, each with its own unique purpose and benefit for the mind, body and spirit. Some of the most widely practiced hand mudras for meditation and yoga include Namaskar Mudra, Chin Mudra, Gyana Mudra and Vayu Mudra.

The Secret Language of Hands in Indian Iconography

There is no one key to unlocking the mysteries of India, a nation at once so traditional and so dynamic, so anarchic and so arresting. But mudra, the gestural vocabulary used in imagery, dance, and yoga, can help. With root meanings in a verb that can signify cleansing and purification as well as satisfaction and delight, mudra is used in Indian rhetoric to denote “the expression of things by their right names.” More concretely, a mudra is a seal or an emblem. As a system of hand gestures, it can sum up a god’s or goddess’s character—or a dancer’s mood—in a moment of concentrated symbolism and meaning.

What follow are illustrations of some of the most common mudras used in Indian iconography, whether Hindu, Buddhist, or Jain. Understanding these symbols can enable a visitor to make sense of who’s who in a prolifically carved Hindu temple, or give an indication of the message conveyed in a brightly printed calendar hanging behind a shopkeeper’s counter. The attentive visitor may even see reflections of these ancient gestures in the everyday bearing of ordinary people, whether the truck driver, the waiter, or the temple priest.

“Consciousness or Deliberation Mudra”

Known as Chin or Vitarka Mudra. This touch of the thumb and forefinger evokes mind and mindfulness. A yogi will assume this gesture—accompanied by outstretched arms and upturned palms resting on knees—while meditating in the lotus position. Or the dreadlocked god Shiva, with a crooked elbow and a vertical palm, might use this while explaining yoga to his consort Parvati.

“No Fear Mudra”

Known as Abhaya Mudra. A gesture familiar from statues of the Buddha, it’s also used by the fearsome Hindu goddess Durga as she looks out at you while riding a tiger. It’s commonly employed as well in modern daily life—to calm a crowd, or an impatient traveler.

“Giving Honor Mudra”

Known as Namaskara Mudra. Probably the most familiar gesture in all of Indian physical culture. This can be a deeply felt sign of reverence or simply a polite form of greeting.

“Earth-Touching Mudra”

Known as Bhumisparsha Mudra. Another signature gesture of the meditating Buddha. He is said to have touched the soil like this at the moment he simultaneously attained enlightenment and came back to Earth. Shiva, Hinduism’s great erotic-ascetic god, can also be found in this posture.

“Meditation Mudra”

Known as Dhyana Mudra. The archetypal, centered position of contemplation. Hands are held still in the lap, between the upward-facing soles of the feet in lotus position, exemplifying symmetry and stillness.

“Index Finger Mudra”

Known as Tarjani Mudra. Indicates anger, but do not fear. Raised by a guardian spirit at a temple doorway, or in the iconography of a terrifying goddess like Durga or Kali, the finger is meant to point away from you and vanquish what would harm you.

“Giving Mudra”

Known as Varada Mudra. You’ll often see this in statues of the standing Buddha as well as in calendar-art prints of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, which are often posted

10 Powerful Meditation Mudras and How to Use Them

The use of mudras, in the practice of yoga are a powerful tool for self-care and empowerment. With yoga the intention is to draw oneself inward. Mudras allow us to go inward and recharge our energy levels. The term mudra applies to the use of hand gestures during meditation that carry specific goals of channeling your body’s energy flow. There are more than 100 known mudras that have been developed over the centuries.

Use these 10 energizing mudras to improve your mental clarity, energy and to increase your overall health.

1. Gyan

This is probably the most familiar mudra in mainstream society. Meditators are often seen pairing this mudra with their practice. The intention of the Gyan mudra is to improve your concentration and sharpen your memory. This is a great mudra to use when seeking to gain knowledge. Try holding this mudra while meditating for insight into your life or a specific issue.

Method: This mudra is performed by touching your index fingertip to the tip of your thumb, while holding your other three fingers straight.

Elements: Space + Air

2. Buddhi

This mudra is used for mental clarity. You perform this gesture when you need to understand intuitive messages from your subconscious (i.e., dreams or meditations that puzzle you). One of the most powerful benefits of this mudra can be found in the improvement of communication, such as improving internal and external dialogue.

Method: This mudra is performed by touching your thumb to your pinky finger, while holding your other three fingers straight.

Elements: Space + Earth

3. Shuni (or Shoonya)

This gesture is used to improve intuition, alertness, and sensory powers. It also purifies your emotions and thoughts.

Method: This mudra is performed by touching the tip of the middle finger to the thumb tip, while keeping the other three fingers straight and relaxed.

Elements: Space + Fire

4. Prana

The Prana mudra is said to be one of the most important mudras due to its ability to activate dormant energy in your body. Prana is the vital life force within all living things. This mudra will help awaken and enliven your personal prana, and put you more in tune with the prana around you.

Method: Perform this mudra by touching your ring and pinky fingers to the tip of your thumb, while keeping the other two fingers straight.

Elements: Space+ Water

5. Dhyana

The Dhyana mudra is shared across several eastern meditation disciplines. The Buddha is often pictured doing this gesture. The significance of this mudra is to bring you into deeper, more profound concentration. This gesture can also help bring you tranquility and inner peace.

Method: To do the Dhyana mudra, simply sit with your hands facing upward, right hand resting on top of your left palm. The right hand, representing enlightenment and higher spiritual faculties, rests over the left hand, representing the world of maya, or illusion.

Elements: All

6. Surya

The Surya mudra is intended to increase the solar/fire element in the body and improve metabolism and digestion. It is also useful in reducing heaviness in the body and to help ward off colds, since it increases core body temperature.

Method: Perform this mudra by bending your ring finger to the base of your thumb so that your thumb touches the ring finger’s knuckle. Stretch your other three fingers straight without stressing the hand.

Elements: Space+ Water

7. Apana

The Apana mudra is good for mental or physical digestion and for eliminating waste material from the body. This gesture may also be a form of aiding in mental and emotional digestion when applied to “evil” outside of the body.

Method: To do this posture, bring your second and third fingers to your thumb. The way you position your fingers may differ depending on the discipline you are learning from. Some say that you should rest the two fingers just slightly behind the tip of the thumb, but in many depictions, this mudra is demonstrated by bringing the middle and ring finger to the tip of the thumb.

Elements: Space+ Fire+ Water

8. Ganesha

The Ganesha mudra is widely used and is named after the Hindu Ganesh. Ganesha is said to be a remover of obstacles. Similarly, this mudra is great for relieving yourself of all types of obstructions in your life; it can help you regain positivity and courage when dealing with hard times. By performing this mudra, you bring your attention and energy into the heart center, opening up your lungs and heart to the subject of your meditation.

Aside from the mental and spiritual benefits on your heart chakra, the pulling motion is also beneficial to your cardiac muscles and good for tension in this area of the body.

Method: Place your left hand in front of your chest with your palm facing outward and left thumb down. Next, place your right hand in front of your left with your right palm facing toward you and your left palm. Lock your fingers together, holding them in a half-bent position like a claw.

During your meditation, inhale deep, holding your hands in this gesture, then pull outwardly on your hands as you exhale without unlocking your fingers. Repeat this motion up to six times, then reverse the gesture (i.e., put your right hand in front of your chest facing outward with the thumb down). Be sure to perform this mudra the same number of times in each direction to maintain the balance of the pulling act.

Elements: All

9. Vayu

The Vayu mudra is good for diseases related to air imbalances, such as gas-related pain, flatulence, joint pain, bloating, and abdominal discomfort. This mudra helps regulate Vata-related issues, both mental and physical, relieving them by bringing your air element back into its proper flow.

Method: At first glance, this mudra may seem very similar to the Gyan mudra. The difference is the Vayu has you connect the thumb to the knuckle or hump of the index finger, as opposed to the fingertip in Gyan. Press down on the index finger to your level of comfort; this gesture is intended to relax not strain the joint. For optimal results, do your Pranayama exercises while holding this mudra.

Elements: Space + Air

10. Rudra

This mudra is often associated with Shiva as it applies to your internal transformative abilities. The word Rudra means ”lord” in Sanskrit, which is fitting for this gesture because the main benefits affect your personal power center—the solar plexus. It is said to improve clarity and concentration of thought. Often this mudra is prescribed for those dealing with dizziness, exhaustion, and chronic tension in their body. You can use the Rudra mudra (say that out loud for a laugh) to energize your physical body and empower you to reach your highest potential or goals.

Method: To do this mudra, connect your thumb to your index and ring fingers while keeping your other two fingers as straight as you can.

Elements: Space + Air + Water

Anjali Mudra — Position, Benefits & Meaning Mudra Science

Some of us may find a subconscious resistance to bringing our hands together as if it were a sign of submission. However, the beauty of this gesture, which positions us right at the core of our being, is timeless and universal. Anjali mudra is but one of thousands of types of mudras that are used in Hindu rituals, classical dance, and yoga. As you bring your hands together at your center, you are literally connecting the right and left hemispheres of your brain.

The Anjali Mudra is also seen in Buddhism, Hinduism and many other religions. Of course, in the West it is seen as being the hand gesture of prayer. Anjali Mudra is so closely associated with religion, many non-religious people do not wish to make the gesture.

Anjali Mudra Position:

· Simply bring the hands together at the palms with the fingers reaching upwards.

· The hands are pressed together firmly and evenly.

· If using this mudra in yoga, the hands will usually be placed in front of the heart.

· The hands will be in front of the center of the torso.

Anjali Mudra Meaning:

The Anjali Mudra means “Namaste” and is regularly used in greetings.

Benefits:

· Bringing the palms together in the Anjali Mudra connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain.

· The Anjali Mudra connects the practitioner with spirituality.

· The mudra promotes respect for oneself and others.

· The mudra is a natural remedy for stress and anxiety.

· It is a useful mudra for entering into a meditative state.

Time Duration:

No particular time duration for this mudra. It is also often used in yoga practice, such as during Sun Salutations and Tadasana.

Caution:

Nothing at all. Perform this asana freely.

Why We Combine Namaste and the Anjali Mudra in Our Yoga Practice

We see and hear many symbolic things in a typical yoga class. Arguably most common, though, is the combination of the word “Namaste” with the gesture of prayer hands at heart center, or Anjali Mudra. But what is the significance of this combination?

Just about everything in yoga has a deeper and symbolic meaning. Understanding these meanings can help you deepen your yoga practice as you begin to piece together why you’re doing what you’re doing. The more you dive into these meanings, you’ll also start to see the big picture of how everything is connected.

The Significance of Namaste and Anjali Mudra

Namaste is a Hindu greeting, similar to “hello,” often used in yoga classes. It represents the spark of divinity each of us has within the Heart Chakra. Therefore, the salutation at the beginning or end of yoga practice is “Namaste” as your hands press gently together in front of your Heart Chakra in Prayer Mudra.

Prayer Mudra, or Anjali Mudra in Sanskrit, is known as the heart seal. As you place your hands in front of your heart, you powerfully connect both the left and right sides of the brain. The combination of this mudra and the word “Namaste” is symbolic as you bring together your divine masculine and feminine powers.

Another interpretation of Namaste is, loosely, “the light in me bows to the light in you.” We use Anjali Mudra to represent this because, symbolically, it represents your inner spirit. This beautiful salutation is recited by your yoga teacher as a form of thank you – a recognition of humility and grace.

Namaste is a gesture offered to family, friends, and students. It symbolically represents that everyone is equal, as you bow to the light within each individual you honor your divinity within. We are all one.

So, Namaste! Good luck on your yoga journey, and remember to always keep learning.

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