Add these simple yoga mudras to your practice to focus & energize your mind!

Mudras can be a powerful addition to your yoga practice as you progress in your yoga journey. Mudras are gestures that are typically practiced during meditation to focus the mind and channel your energy. They are also regularly used in some yoga poses and practices, especially in specific traditions such as Kundalini yoga.

These hand positions have been used by yogis for centuries as a tool of empowerment, and there are currently more than 100 different known mudras. However, some mudras are practiced more commonly than others, and below are 5 of the most common yoga mudras that you may find in modern yoga classes. These mudras are designed to help improve your mental clarity and focus and recharge your energy. You can add them to your next yoga or meditation practice to help uplift and recharge your body and mind!

1.) Gyan

This is probably the most familiar mudra in mainstream society. Meditators are often seen pairing this mudra with their practice. The intention of the Gyan mudra is to improve your concentration and sharpen your memory. This is a great mudra to use when seeking to gain knowledge. Try holding this mudra while meditating for insight into your life or a specific issue.

Method: This mudra is performed by touching your index fingertip to the tip of your thumb, while holding your other three fingers straight.

2.) Buddhi

This mudra is used for mental clarity. You perform this gesture when you need to understand intuitive messages from your subconscious (i.e., dreams or meditations that puzzle you). One of the most powerful benefits of this mudra can be found in the improvement of communication, such as improving internal and external dialogue.

Method: This mudra is performed by touching your thumb to your pinky finger, while holding your other three fingers straight.

3.) Shuni

This gesture is used to improve intuition, alertness, and sensory powers. It also purifies your emotions and thoughts.

Method: This mudra is performed by touching the tip of the middle finger to the thumb tip, while keeping the other three fingers straight and relaxed.

4.) Prana

The Prana mudra is said to be one of the most important mudras due to its ability to activate dormant energy in your body. Prana is the vital life force within all living things. This mudra will help awaken and enliven your personal prana, and put you more in tune with the prana around you.

Method: Perform this mudra by touching your ring and pinky fingers to the tip of your thumb, while keeping the other two fingers straight.

5.) Dhyana

The Dhyana mudra is shared across several eastern meditation disciplines. The Buddha is often pictured doing this gesture. The significance of this mudra is to bring you into deeper, more profound concentration. This gesture can also help bring you tranquility and inner peace.

Method: To do the Dhyana mudra, simply sit with your hands facing upward, right hand resting on top of your left palm. The right hand, representing enlightenment and higher spiritual faculties, rests over the left hand, representing the world of maya, or illusion.

Read more & see demonstrations at Chopra.com…