As 2020 draws to a close, it appears that many of us, including myself, are having mental health issues. What about you? For me, practising yoga, meditation, and spending time in nature have been a lifesaver. If you're here, it's possible that you read The Little Book of Mudra Meditations, or you're looking for mudras or meditation techniques to assist you manage your anxiety.
There are numerous ways that anxiety might manifest itself... From being unable to go forward, experiencing unreasonable concerns, and feeling stuck to having racing thoughts, panic attacks, and restless nights to becoming agitated and irritable. Please keep in mind to be nice and compassionate to yourself as well as your loved ones.
I'll discuss some of the techniques, in particular hand mudras, that I employ in this blog post to assist me get through uncomfortable situations. These four hand mudras for anxiety, along with a few minutes of breathing exercises and meditation, have helped me change my perspective from one of anxiety to one of being grounded and tranquil—or at the very least, to be more grounded and quiet. I advise anyone who is having anxiety to talk to a therapist, counsellor, or even a dependable friend. Hand mudras are a fantastic healing tool that are frequently used in addition to conventional therapy and work well with it.
Why Do Mudras Function?
There are several reasons why hand mudras are effective (pun intended). Mudras are essentially designed hand yoga positions. Mudras focus your attention and awareness while directing your prana (life force energy, similar to chi in Traditional Chinese Medicine). They frequently go together with meditation, though some can also be utilised when doing yoga, going for a walk, or handling a challenging situation.
A Synopsis of Mudra History
Some of the hand gestures are as old as the Vedas, a more than 4,000-year-old Indian scripture. In Indian dance, Ayurveda, and yoga, hand mudras are utilised as gestures. The sister science of health and wellbeing to yoga is called ayurveda. It examines your WHOLE being and works to reestablish balance through a lifestyle, diet, and other factors. Beyond India, several cultures employ hand gestures to express their intentions, such as raising the hands in prayer, making the peace sign, crossing the fingers, etc.
To feel more rooted, solid, supported, peaceful, content, tranquil, capable, secure, trustworthy, and less disturbed, you can apply hand mudras for anxiety. And those are just a few of the advantages I have personally experienced and have seen in action while teaching yoga to my students.
Bhu, Apan Vayu, Kalesvara, and Chinmaya are the four mudras for healing and reducing anxiety.
Mudra Bhu For Anxiety
Bhu Mudra is the first mudra for anxiety I'd like to share with you. Sanskrit word bhu, which translates to "Earth," is related to the Hindu Mother Earth goddess Bhumi Devi. Sometimes, people just refer to her as Bhudevi. She is the spouse of Varaha, Vishnu's incarnation, in the Hindu pantheon. Bhumi Devi is seen as a mother Goddess and, as such, is a nurturer and sustainer of life, much like Mother Earth herself. She delivers favours and abundance, like Lakshmi. She is frequently shown holding a water container, a bowl of holy herbs, a blue lotus, and practising the Abhaya Mudra in her iconography. The abhaya mudra symbolises courage. By requesting the energy of Bhumi Devi, we are asking for her support in overcoming our fears, nourishing and grounding us in our relationship with Mother Earth.
Bhu Mudra Advantages
- Consistency, safety, and security
- Rootedness and grounding
- decreases tension and stress
- enables us to easily overcome fear
- connection to the nourishing power of goddesses and Mother Earth Dev Bhumi
Methods for Using Bhu Mudra
- I would suggest that you sit on the ground if at all feasible, but I realise that this isn't always possible, so any upright seat will do.
- Your thumb should be placed over your ring and little fingers after gently folding them into your palm.
- Your middle and index fingers should be lengthy.
- Put your hands at your sides and softly touch the ground with the tips of your middle and index fingers.
- Place your middle and index fingers on your thighs, just above your knees, if you're sitting in a chair. Ground your feet into the ground. Your hands will be held with the palms facing down.
Bhu Mudra Prayer
Set up shop
Locate a relaxing spot on the ground (if possible). Set yourself down, make the Bhu Mudra with your hands, and place your index and middle fingers gently on the ground. You could even move them about a little to feel the grass blades, the soil's softness, or the stone's solidity. Simply become conscious of your connection to the earth underneath you by closing your eyes for a second. Feel the contact of your fingertips with Mother Earth's surface—earth, dirt, grass, stone, etc.—and become conscious of the weight of your seat sliding into her support.
Develop and hone your awareness
Refocus your attention on your seat, and as you take a breath in, picture a golden light streaming up through it, through your chakras up your spine, and out of the top of your head. Then, when you exhale, imagine this golden light flowing from the crown of your head down your arms to your fingertips and finally to the ground. The front and rear of your body are covered with golden light, which also descends through your legs, hips, and pelvis to the ground. You are standing on earth that is alive with golden light. Golden light envelops your entire body.
Imagine that the wonderful energy of Mother Earth is nourishing, holding, and supporting every cell in your body as this light continues to flow up your spine and then down the surface of your skin. She eases your suffering, relieves your stress, and calms your worries like a mother caring for her children. Your dread of the unknown is removed, and it is then churned and composted into something rich, fertile, and nourishing. Allow her food to enter the core channel down your spine and then to travel down your spine and throughout the rest of your body.
Keep using this mental image until you start to feel at ease, solid, and serene. Sit for a few more seconds before returning to your day gradually and carefully.
Maybe an affirmation has more resonance?
Working with a mantra or affirmation might be beneficial while using Bhu Mudra. I really adore Jennifer Reis' assertion that "My roots reach deep into the core of the living soil." If the meditation described above doesn't speak to you, try utilising this affirmation or coming up with your own.
Anxiety Apan Vayu Mudra
Another mudra that works with the Earth element is Apan Vayu Mudra. It is said to up-regulate the akasha/ether (space/void), the fire element (activity, heat), the earth element (think grounded, solid, supported, safe), and the fire element. It is believed to down-regulate the air element. Ayurveda states that having too much air in the body can cause anxiety, agitation, irregular conduct, and even panic attacks.
According to the ancient rishis (seers in India), the apan vayu mudra is used to support heart health and ought to be employed if you are having a heart attack while travelling to the hospital. This mudra is occasionally referred to as the Heart's Lifesaving Gesture.
When I first read that it may be utilised during a heart attack, I'll be honest, I was a little dubious, but a tiny research released in 2017 shows potential. To truly grasp and comprehend its efficacy, though, a far larger study is required.
Despite the fact that I am aware that this mudra is also beneficial for heart health, I don't use it. I do it before public speaking events as well as when my sense of peace is slipping away, my mind is racing, or when I'm feeling anxious. When I'm feeling anxious, I employ this mudra. Let's start the exercise now since I'm confident you understand what I'm referring about.
Advantages of the Apan Vayu Mudra
- reduces panic attacks by calming the nerve system and the mind.
- cardiac health
Apan Vayu Mudra for Anxiety: How to Use It
- If at all possible, I prefer to practise this mudra while sitting comfortably; but, if that is not an option, I have been known to perform the mudra while jamming my hands into my pockets.
- Reach your thumb's base with your index finger.
- Next, touch the tips of your thumb with your middle and ring fingers.
- Maintain a lengthy pinky extension.
- Put your hands on your knees or thighs.
- Spend up to 30 minutes practising.
A Pranayama & Meditation for Apan Vayu Mudra
Unfortunately, many of us aren’t taught how to breathe properly. We’re taught to constantly suck in our bellies and we carry loads of tension in our back and shoulders — our breath potential is wildly limited. Our breath is one of the most powerful tools we can use to regulate our nervous system.
Belly Breathing in Three Parts, Dirga Swasam
We'll begin with Dirga Swasam, a yoga breathing exercise. In essence, it is a belly breath. Bring one hand to your tummy and one to your heart to perform Dirga Swasam. Take a deep breath in and let it travel to your tummy. Your rib cage first enlarges, followed by your tummy, and ultimately your collarbones lift. The opposite happens when you exhale: your chest softens, your gut pulls in toward your spine, and your collarbones descend. The length of your inhales and exhales should be equal. To start, a four-count breath is usually a good place to start while counting your breath. Do this for three to five minutes, or until you feel at ease.
Round Breath
Let's now discuss Square Breath. One of my favourite breathing exercises is this one. It gives me such a sense of foundation. The practise of Dirga Swasam should be continued for a little while longer, though, if you found it difficult or it made you anxious to hold your breath. Each component of a square breath is the same length. I like to count to four. Breathing in for four counts, pausing at the top for four counts, exhaling for four counts, and pausing at the bottom for four counts constitutes one round of breaths. To aid you, try visualising a square. Do not worry if you get off course. Simply start over.
You are welcome to continue the aforementioned breath exercises or include a chant. I've discovered that my meditation needs to be simple when I'm feeling stressed and tense. When something is difficult, I can't stop wondering if I'm doing it correctly. So "I am" is the slogan I like to repeat. I and am are both inhaled. Sanskrit for this phrase is "So hum." breathe in "so". Hum your way out. You should select the one that is most comfortable for you. I prefer to use the Sanskrit version since I can hear the sound in my breath. For five to ten minutes, softly repeat the mantra to yourself.
Calming Kalesvara Mudra
I have a special attraction for mudras like Kalesvara's that awaken our heart core and essence. Even when I'm overtaken with sadness or stress from dissatisfaction, the gentle pressure of the thumbs against the sternum helps me re-establish this essence. In addition to bringing our awareness to the divine's residence in our hearts, this mudra also takes the form of a heart and a temple. Just how ideal is that?
advantages of the Kalesvara Mudra
- soothes the mind
- Because of its cooling impact, it can calm tension.
- Reduces anxiety and tension and gives us room to think so we can respond rather than react. It may also help with addiction rehabilitation.
- can aid in the evolution or modification of habits
- Can assist us control our thoughts and the continual barrage of thoughts that surround us.
- Bring your hands in front of your heart while sitting comfortably.
- Your thumbs should meet the pads of your middle fingers.
- The second knuckles of your little, ring, and index fingers should touch. A heart will appear.
- The shape of a temple can be seen when the middle fingers are extended.
- Bring your thumbs up to your sternum gently.
- Every day, for 10 to 20 minutes, maintain the mudra. This can be divided into a few smaller procedures. Mudra and meditation are most effective at sunrise and sunset.
The awareness gesture is known as the chinmaya mudra. It is a tool to help us access the profound insight of the divine and is translated as supreme wisdom or awareness. When I am aware that I am ruminating—perhaps because I made a mistake or because I am stuck and consumed by it—I like to do the Chinmaya mudra.
- aids in treating insomnia
- makes one feel rooted and supported
- encourages faith in our inner guidance and intuition
- reduces ruminating
- Releases weight gain, lethargy, and stagnation
- As you would when practising the chin mudra, touch the thumb and index fingers together.
- After that, tuck your little, ring, and middle fingers inside of your palm.
- You can practise with your palms up or down, whether you're sitting or lying down. I discover that turning the palms downward offers a more rooted feeling.
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