January 14, 2015

Prayer, the Mudra of Devotion - 30 Weeks of Mudras

While in Bali earlier this year the KOOSHOO team, inspired by their surroundings, did a series of Instagram tutorials for 30 different Mudras. Once a week over the next 30 weeks we will be featuring a new mudra to add to your tool kit for well-being.

Inspired by the traditional craftsmanship of the Balinese people, we shot each mudra in front of a beautiful handcrafted Balinese door. We hope it helps transport you there.

This week’s mudra is the PRAYER (also known as ANJALI and PRANAM) MUDRA. Be sure to also check out last week's mudra, the world's 2nd most commonly known mudra: Gyan Mudra.

Description and Meaning

The Prayer (Anjali) Mudra is a simple yet powerful hand position and can be used in your practice and in daily life. Anjali itself means “offering.” The beauty of this gesture, which positions us right at the core of our being, is timeless and universal.

The joining together of the palms is said to provide connection between the right and left hemispheres of the brain and represents unification. It is used as a posture of composure, of returning to one’s heart, whether you are greeting someone or saying goodbye, initiating or completing an action. It is also often used in yoga practice, such as during Sun Salutations and Tadasana.

How to do the Prayer Mudra

Slowly draw you hands together at the heart centre as if to gather all of your resources into your heart. Rest thumbs lightly against the sternum and fingers reaching upwards. The hands are pressed together firmly and evenly.

If you are seated, remember to lengthen your spine out of your pelvis and drop the chin slightly in order to bring the spine into alignment.

The gesture may also be performed with thumb tips resting against the “third eye” (between the brows), or at the “crown chakra” (above the head). It can also be positioned behind the back as in our image.

The Prayer Mudra is normally accompanied by a slight bowing of the head.

Benefits

Bringing together the palms in this mudra connects the right and the left hemispheres of the brain and connects the practitioner with spirituality/god/divinity. It promotes respect for oneself and others.

It is considered a natural remedy for stress and anxiety and is useful for entering into a meditative state.

Contemplate your own metaphors when practicing this mudra, such as the balancing of masculine and feminine energies, logic and intuition, and strength and tenderness.

Why we Love the Prayer Mudra

We love this mudra as it unites and centres us. It neutralizes the positive (right, or male) and negative (left, or female) sides of the body. It brings us into the power of our heart center (love and compassion) where sacred transformation can occur.

What we are Wearing

Rachel is wearing the Organic Cotton Twist Headband, in Tangerine. Tangerine, 2013’s Pantone Color of the Year, continues to be one of our top selling headbands. It’s a beautiful, spiritual color often associated with monks.

Sharing

If you know of someone in your life that would benefit from use of this mudra then please share your knowledge forward. Mudras are incredible healing tools that we can all benefit from. We would appreciate if you could share this link.

Thank you.