Varun Mudra-The Gesture of Water: Meaning, Benefits, and How To Do

The Varun Mudra is one of the most beneficial hand gestures in yoga. This comprehensive guide will teach all about its meaning and how to do it correctly.

varun mudra

What is Varun Mudra? Its Meaning, References, and Mythology

Even though our body is made up of 70% of water elements, still some so many people are chronically dehydrated. Isn’t that shocking?

Well, water constitutes a very large portion of our body but maintaining its balanced level is the key to a healthy life.

Let’s understand more about Varun Mudra.

Varun MudraThe Gesture of Water

Among different types of hand Mudras in yoga, Varun Mudra uses the tip of the little finger & thumb to unite.

“Varun” is a Sanskrit origin term which in Hinduism is referred to as “God of Water” or “God of Sea.” Mudra means Gesture or Closed seal of fingers.

Due to its ability to increase the water content in the body, Varun Mudra is also known as Jal Vardhak Mudra. Jal means water, Vardhan means to increase, and Mudra means seal.

As we all know, water is also used as a symbol of freedom & fluidity because of its flowing nature; it starts flowing till it finds a stable state. On following this quality of water, when Varun Mudra is practiced, it brings mental stability to a person. Hence it is also called the seal of mental clarity.”

Alternate names of Varun Mudra

The Gesture of Water, Jal Vardhak Mudra, A seal of mental clarity.

How to do Varun Mudra?

  • This Mudra can be practiced while holding different postures if y feel it is right for you to do so. This can be performed while dancing or into different Asanas or while practicing various forms of Meditations and Pranayamas.
  • However, to maximize the gains from this Mudra, start by sitting in any comfortable meditative posture ( You can choose Padmasana or Swastikasana). Whichever posture you find comfortable while sitting is okay. Keep your spinal health in mind.
  • Keep your neck and spine comfortably erect.
  • Rest both of your palms comfortably on your knee. Palms facing upward towards the sky.
  • Gently close your eyes.
  • Now, For both hands, join the tips of the thumb with the little finger.
  • Then, extend the other three fingers in a relaxed position. Then place your hands back in the resting position.
  • Liberate your negative thoughts, let them go, and breathe out.
  • Inhale deeply and exhale completely.
  • You can practice it with different Pranayama and various meditation techniques such as Humming Bee Pranayama (Bhamri Pranayama) & Chandra Bhedi Pranayama (Left Nostril Breathing).

Benefits of Varun Mudra

varun mudra benefits
  • It helps to prevent Dehydration. Inadequate water consumption leads to a deficiency of water in the cells, which causes dehydration in the body. Varun Mudra rehydrates tissues and cells at a cellular level and relieves various disorders like constipation, dehydration, etc.
  • Helps in Moisturization of Skin; the outermost layer of skin does not contain a much amount of water. Therefore, it becomes rough. Varun Mudra helps maintain a proper flow of water throughout the body. Thus, it removes roughness and makes skin moisturized.
  • Helps in Reducing Cholesterol; Varun Mudra directly points to making the body clean and extracting waste; thus, it helps in reducing cholesterol and stomach ulcer.
  • This Mudra Cleans Blood; mainly, the quality of blood gets deteriorates due to a shortage of water. Varun Mudra prevents the inadequate distribution of body water and maintains a good flow of water in blood vessels. Hence it helps in cleaning the blood.
  • Varun Mudra also prevents Skin Diseases; when the tip of the thumb touches ‘the little finger’s tip, it produces acupressure. This acupressure activates fluid circulation through the body. Thus, it is helpful in disorders such as anemia (low hemoglobin) and skin diseases such as petechiae (red or purple spots) and rashes.
  • It stimulates Sacral Chakra; in 7 series of Chakras, the power of the sacral chakra can be stimulated by the presence of water. As Varun Mudra is a water-rich gesture, any deficiency caused by imbalanced sacral chakra can be treated.

Precautions and Contraindications of Varun Mudra

varun mudra precautions
  • Don’t press the tips too hard. It would hurt and make you uncomfortable, and you would not be able to concentrate and relax in Mudra.
  • Touch the tips gently, not forcefully.
  • Every Mudra should be performed in a limited manner. Otherwise, it might show some side effects.
  • Water retention is caused due to an excess of fluid inside our body. As Varun Mudra increases the water level in the body, if you have problems (caused by water retention) like swelling, bloating, or puffiness, you should not practice this Mudra.
  • When you suffer from cough and cold, try to avoid this Mudra.
  • This Mudra can show ill effects on Pitta and Kapha Dosha. So, don’t do it regularly if you have Pitta or Kapha Dosha.

When and How long to do Varun Mudra?

  • As Varun Mudra recharges the water level in our body, it can be done any time when the body feels dehydrated (mainly during a sunny day).
  • Ideally, Varun Mudra should practice during or after the morning pranayama & meditation session. It moistens up Prana & thus, makes it more energetic.

The practice duration of Varun Mudra should be at least 20-30 minutes a day. Either practice it whole at once or divide it into 2-3 sessions of 10-15 minutes throughout the day.

When we practice Varun Mudra for a significantly less period (less than 5 minutes), there are no changes in energy patterns in our body. But when we hold fingers consistently for an extended period in Mudra, changes in EPI parameters (normalized area, average intensity, and entropy) are easily detectable.

So, it’s advised to practice Varun Mudra for 20-30 minutes at least.

Breathing in Varun Mudra

You can start with

  • Slow, deep and rhythmic breathing.

Visualization in Varun Mudra

The inner image of flowing, lukewarm water that washes away all obligations can be very liberating. Letting everything that burdens you go “down the drain” can give you an incredible feeling. Imagine that you are standing under a small waterfall. Let everything that sticks to you, inside and outside, be washed away by the water. Watch how the brown water flows away from you and enjoy your new clean- ness—inner freedom, and lightness.

Affirmation in Varun Mudra

I always have “possibilities”—letting go of something, searching for a solution, and changing things.

Conclusion

The Varun Mudra is a gesture of reverence and respect. It invokes the water deity Varuna’s blessings for purity and abundance. This mudra has many references in mythology and can be used to gather the power of water for healing and cleansing. If you are interested in learning more about this mudra or any other mudra, join our Certified Mudra course! This online course will teach 108 different mudras and their benefits.

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Divyansh Sharma
Divyansh is Yoga, Meditation & Kinesiology Teacher who has been practicing Yoga and Meditation Since 2011. The Idea of correlating Yoga with Modern Sciences fascinates him the most & to feed his curiosity, he keeps on exploring new things every day. He has accomplished a Master's in Yogic Sciences, E-RYT-200, and RYT-500.

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