The word mudra can refer to a number of different physical yogic gestures made with the body, hands and even the eyes, that are symbolic of some level of spiritual consciousness. The type of mudras we will be concerning ourselves with in the 3M's article series and Sacred Sound Seminar will be those done with the hands.
While mudras are spiritually symbolic, they have the power to affect us on the physical, mental and emotional levels as well. Every area of the human hand forms a reflex zone that corresponds to the operating systems of not only the physical body, but those of the logical and empathic areas within the brain as well. This creates an almost unlimited possibility for beneficial stimulus and response.
Relief from physical pain is one area where mudras can be particularly useful. I personally suffer from chronic lower back pain, the result of years of sports related injuries and several bulging discs. That is to say, I suffer from chronic pain whenever I'm not holding the 'back mudra'. For me, I have only to connect my fingers in the appropriate way, and within 30 seconds I begin to feel some relief.
Other mudras related to physical health include gestures for asthma, constipation, improved hearing, high blood pressure, impotence and the 'life saver mudra' which has been proven to increase the chances of surviving cardiac arrest.
There are also numerous mudras that can be used to help achieve altered states of consciousness. Some spiritually significant mudras like the dharmachakra gesture (the mudra symbolic of turning the wheel of law) are practiced in todays modern Buddhism, exactly as they were in ancient times by Buddha Gautama himself.
Mudras, however, are not limited only to the realms of science and medicine. Mudras can be used to invoke the powerful energies of Gods and Goddesses like Ganesha, Garuda & Kubera. Also, they can be used like talismans of protection, expelling negative energies.
In certain schools of feng shui, mudras, along with mantras and visualization, are used to empower and activate specific cures. While in yoga ashrams they are employed to activate the body's subtle energies, spinning the chakras, and encouraging the flow of shakti (power or energy) to stimulate the kundalini serpent energy.
In the final installment of the 3M's article series, we will explore the use of one of the last known energy based languages and marry the use of mudras and the mala prayer beads to the power of Sanskrit mantra for a body of knowledge that can be truly life-changing.
