Mudra

Mudra means "seal" or "gesture" in Sanskrit. Mudras are codified positions, most often of the hands and fingers, adopted during meditation, pranayama or postural practice. The yogic and Ayurvedic traditions credit them with the ability to "seal" and direct prana, the vital energy; the Ayurvedic reading even associates each finger with one of the five elements (the thumb with fire, the index finger with air, and so on).

The best known is jnana mudra (or chin mudra): the tip of the index finger touches the tip of the thumb, the other three fingers relaxed — the classic gesture of seated meditation. Also worth mentioning are anjali mudra, the palms joined at the heart of the Indian greeting, and prana mudra, traditionally associated with vitality. No solid scientific data supports specific energetic effects; on the other hand, giving the hands a precise task very concretely helps stabilise attention and signals to the body that practice has begun.

An example of use: sit for five minutes of alternate-nostril breathing, hands in jnana mudra on the knees — the gesture becomes an anchor that brings the mind back whenever it wanders. To weave mudras into a complete practice, see our guides to meditation for your dosha and pranayama for beginners.