Learn about the Prana Mudra (hand) in yogic terms. It is a hand gesture known as a powerful tool for meditation.
What is Prana Mudra? Its Meaning, References, and Mythology
Prana, or life force, is an English term for vital energy. This Mudra assists in harnessing subtle vital energy and increasing one’s vitality.
Prana, our only source of vitality, is also known as the life-force. It is a simple gesture to invoke this vital energy, is a hand gesture that combines energy from the little and ring fingers with the fire energy of the thumb.
This Mudra can be very helpful if you feel low energy or excessive yawning. It will Reduce your Stress and Fatigue and Increase your productivity during work hours.
Prana can be activated by holding your fingers in the Prana Mudra position. Prana will begin to flow smoothly, and your body will feel instantly energetic.
For a healthy body, it is important to have a balanced mix of five elements. This mudra combines water, earth, and fire to activate pranic shakti.
The fluidity is represented by the little finger, which represents the water element.
The earth element is represented by the ring finger. It shows stability. Thumb represents the fire element and is characterized by vigor. It has the power to transform.
This mudra is a combination of earth, water, and fire elements. It gives rise to prana shakti when they combine. Prana shakti is the combination of fire, water, and earth. It results in better circulation, structure, and vitality.
How To do Prana Mudra?
- Although you can practice this while practicing, any comfortable posture doesn’t matter if it is sitting, standing, or supine lying posture.
- However, to achieve the maximum result and proper concentration, we should practice it in a comfortable meditative posture.
- We will start by sitting in any comfortable meditative posture, for example, Vajrasana (Thunderbolt Pose), Lotus Pose (Padmasana), & Auspicious Pose (Swastikasana).
- The neck and spine should be comfortably erect.
- Entire awareness should be focused on the breath.
- Place your hands comfortably on your knees.
- Keep your palms facing upward towards the sky.
- Next, use both your hands to join the ends and little fingers of the ring to your thumb tips.
- Relax the other fingers.
- Slowly & comfortably close your eyes.
- Bring your awareness to the breath and breath as deeply as you can
- Now, if you feel comfortable, you can add om mantra chanting for deeper concentration or practice various Pranayamas and meditations with it.
Benefits of Prana Mudra
- It Activates pranic Energy. Prana Mudra is used to invoking the pranic energy and awaken the dormant Prana Shakti (breathing force) of an individual. Prana Mudra should be practiced to reduce your blood pressure.
- The earth’s element lake in our bodies can cause hair roots to weaken. Prana Mudra balances the insufficiency and strengthens hair roots.
- It is related to breathing exercises, is an aid to improve the efficiency of the lungs.
- This Mudra will help you overcome tuberculosis.
- Prana Mudra is an excellent option if you yawn excessively due to a lack of energy or deficiency in oxygen.
- This Mudra is directly linked to activating Mooladhara and can help alleviate feelings of low energy.
- This Mudra helps maintain a healthy metabolism and can be used to treat thyroid problems.
- This mudra is a way to boost your immune system. This is responsible for fighting off diseases, infections, and pathogens.
Precautions and Contraindications of Prana Mudra
- This mudra is good in every way, but excessive practice and the wrong time can have these effects.
- Prana Mudra Causes obesity– Ayurveda explains three Prakritis – Vatta (Pita) and Kapha. It increases Kapha and slows down fire elements, increasing body weight when practiced for prolonged periods.
- Do not practice this mudra after sunset. Practicing Prana Mudra at night can cause sleep deprivation. It triggers all metabolic activities, and at night is when the body shuts down. It is best to avoid this mudra at night.
When and How long to do Prana Mudra?
- In the sequence of asana–pranayama-meditation, it should be practiced after completing asana and pranayama. Prana Mudra must be done just before you sit down to ensure that Prana is balanced throughout the meditation.
- Prana Mudra should be practiced to reduce your blood pressure.
At sunrise, face the sun.
Prana Mudra may be done for as little as 15 minutes or as long as 45 minutes. There is no limit to how long you can practice a Mudra.
You can do it daily, and you will get the best results if you do it in conjunction with other yogic practices.
Breathing in Prana Mudra
- This Mudra can be practiced with different Pranayamas or can be practiced right after the Pranayamas.
Visualization in Prana Mudra
Visualize yourself as a tree. If you find this difficult, imagine yourself as a tree. Inhale while observing how energy flows into the roots. The roots will become thicker and longer. Inhale and let the strength flow into your trunk. It then travels to the crown and into the sky, reaching the sun. The crown will grow the more significant the rootstock gets. The same applies to us. It is how we act and what we have that matters.
Affirmation in Prana Mudra
I am a big fan of small and big adventures in life. I take pleasure in the challenges and feel joy.
Conclusion
Prana Mudra is one of the most popular hand gestures. It has a lot of meaning and references behind it. The mythology associated with this mudra is also fascinating. If you are interested in learning more about Prana Mudra or other mudras, we suggest taking our mudra certification course. This course will teach you everything you need to know about 108 mudras and how to use them for your practice.
