The Science of Mudras

Ahymsin
Association of Himalayan Yoga Meditation Societies International
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The Science of Mudras
One evening last March, Swami Veda hosted a
lecture by Acharya Sunderlal Dabral at SRSG. The
information in the following article is taken from that
lecture. Please see information about the upcoming
Dec’08 Mudra seminar with Acharya Dabral later in
this newsletter.
Mudra is a Sanskrit word meaning a “seal.” Mudras
are formed by joining or placing the fingers and hands
in various positions to produce certain results. The
ancient vedic texts define mudra as “that which
pleases the deities and divinities, which melts our
accumulated samskaras, and which fulfills our inner
desires.” Mudras serve as a link to help us rise from
our lower worldly consciousness to a higher supreme
consciousness.
There are three kinds of mudras. (1) Mudras used in
yoga and meditation. Exterior mudras are seen in
physical postures such as the yoga mudra asana.
SRSG Statue of Sankaracharya
Interior mudras are linked to the process of
Bestowing blessing in Abhaya Mudra
concentration and meditation. (2) There are mudras
(Freedom from fear)
or seals in our bodies such as the lines of the
forehead, forms of the face, the balance and
proportion of the body, and the lines of the
palms and feet. Sumudraka Shastra is the
science of reading an individual’s character
through such configurations of the body. (3)
Mudras of the hand which are used for
triggering certain energies. The fingers are
related to different types of energies, and
when they are brought together in specific
ways, they produce subtle effects.
According to the ancient vedic texts, the
human body is made up of five basic
elements, the Pancha Tattwas. Each of the
Acharya Sundarlal Dabralji showing
Nirvana Mudra
five fingers of the hand corresponds to one of these vital elements in the body. The thumb is
agni (fire), the forefinger is vaya (air), the middle finger is akash (ether or space), the ring
finger is prithvi (earth) and the little finger is jal (water). There is a tremendous flow of energy
in the hands and by joining different tattwas (fingers) different mudras are created. Mudras
are formed by placing the hands and fists in certain positions. The forming of specific mudras
helps to balance the elements and when combined with visualization and affirmation may be
used to promote healing and good health.
One familiar mudra is the Jnana (Gyan) mudra. It is formed by touching the tips of the
forefinger and thumb together, creating a union of the fire and air elements. When used in a
meditation asana, this mudra is sometimes referred to as the “finger lock” and serves to
close the circuit of energy in the body. It is called the mudra of knowledge and is said to help
sharpen the memory, enhance mental concentration and increase the capacity to learn. The
Bhagavad Gita states Krishna was in this pose while imparting knowledge to Arjuna. Other
mudras a practitioner of yoga may be familiar with is the namaskara mudra (1 st and 12th
positions of Sun Salutation) and the Vishnu mudra, used for alternately closing nostrils while
performing nadi shodhanam.
Mudras are used in worship and rituals whether Hindu, Bhuddhist or Christian. In the Hindu
tradition there are ten mudras for invoking the presence of the deity in the image or object of
the worship. It is through the combination of mudra, mantra and bhavana that the desired
effect is produced. Mudra is the physical expression, mantra is the thought, and bhavana is
the feeling or sentiment. The physical gesture alone will not be successful without mantra
and bhavana.
Children’s Fish Rhyme ( with Matshya Mudra )
m;%lI j;l k:I hE r;n;I , j;Iv;n; Ws;k:; hE p;;n;I =
h;q; lg;;a;e #r j;;y;eg;I , b;;hr in;k:;l;e m;r j;;Ag;I ==
Machali Jalki He Rani, Jeevan Ushka He Pani
Hath Lagao Dar Jayegi, Bahar Nikalo Marjayegi
Meaning :
Fish is the queen of Water. Water is it’s life. If you touch it, it will become frightened. If
you take it away from water it will die.
Mudra Workshop 8th to 14th DECEMBER
with Acharya Dabral
In sadhana there is a special place for mudras and
their practices. Mudras are a powerful method for
making spiritual advancement. The human body is
full of many deep mysteries and potentials that
can be expressed through the language of mudra.
With the practice of mudra one can achieve great
results in sadhana and at the same time help one
to attain physical well-being.
In yogic practices or spiritual sadhana, the asanas,
pranayama and mudras should be taught by a
competent teacher. Mantra represents jnana
shakti (power of wisdom) and mudra represents
kriya shakti (power of action). Mudra is a ritual practice that evokes deep feelings and
emotions (bhavana). By practicing mudras one receives the blessings of the gods and one’s
negative tendencies are diminished.
To learn the practice of mudras systematically, a week long programme has been specifically
designed which will include the understanding and practice of mudra shastra. The
programme will consist of seven consecutive evening lectures by Acharya Sunderlal Dabral
and assisted by Swami Veda Bharati.
Overview of 7 day Programme
Day 1: Introduction & Overview of the meaning and practices of mudras, and mudra shastra.
Day 2: Demonstration and practices of some exclusive mudras (Gyan, Tattva, Vairagya,
Dhyana) and their meaning, benefits, and relationship to yogic practices.
Day 3: Demonstration of the Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana and Samana mudras and their
practices.
Day 4: The 24 mudras to be performed prior to the the practice of Gayatri mantra.
Explanation and practices.
Day 5: After Gayatri practices there follow eight mudras. Practice and explanation of Surbhi
(Dhenu), Jnana, Varaigya, Yoni, Shankha, Linga and Nirvana mudras.
Day 6: The practice of mudras in shakti sadhana (Sri Vidya) specifically Yoni mudra,
Trikhanda mudra, etc., explanation and practice
Day 7: Some special mudras which will enhance your practice of sadhana such as
Shanjeevani mudra, Shankha mudra, Linga mudra and Nirvana mudras.
Are you a leader and/or teacher in your yoga community? Would you
Attention
like to visit the source of yoga wisdom? Would you like to share it with
Group Leaders
your friends and students? Bring a group of 10 or more friends, family
and/or students to Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama and have your stay free
of cost. A 25% discount is available to the group participants.
For more information write to: [email protected]
Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama
A seat of the Himalayan Tradition located in the land of the Gods
Pain Management through Meditation Practices
Swami Veda Bharati will host a “Pain
Management through Meditation
Practices” Conference at Swami Rama
Sadhaka Grama from 24th February
through 28th February 2009. All who
wish to attend are invited. Those who
have ever had any kind of pain, those
who treat or know people who
experience pain, those who have
already risen above all pains and wish
to help their fellow humans – all will be
welcome!
The fee for the conference and the
daily schedule have not been finalized
yet, but it is not too early to set aside
this time as a time to come to SRSG to
study and explore meditation and pain
management.
This conference will deal with the
treatment of pain from a meditational
point of view. Areas of treatment
known to medical practitioners and
other therapists will be recognized.
The spiritual philosophy of pain will be
summarized as it applies to therapy.
What is the current research available
on the activation of pleasure centres of the brain and related hormonal and physiological
changes produced through meditation and through altruistic personal philosophies and
practices? Relevant meditation practices not yet known to researchers and their application
to treatment of pain will be explored.
What are the philosophical-spiritual, the psychological, and the neuro-physiological
definitions of pain? And what are the pain mechanisms associated with each of these
definitions? How are these three levels of pain integrated into a single mixture, and how are
their separate facts separated so one can tell where one level ends and another begins?
An antidote to pain can be found in pleasure. Pleasure can serve as a distraction from pain,
and with concentration, can replace pain. Pleasure can take the form of the physical, the
social and loving, the creative, the philosophical, and the spiritually experiential.
What are the chemical-hormonal paths that pain takes? These waves may be diverted,
reducing the strength and frequency of pain by replacing them with the opening of electrical
and chemical-hormonal channels of pleasure through love, creativity, philosophical analysis
and meditation experience. How meditation activates the pleasure centres of the brain and
why this is the best antidote to pain will be addressed as will methods to train patients to
replace the intensity and frequency of pain through devices like all-absorbing creativity,
philosophical analysis, and meditational experience.
Points to be considered include:
1. One is having a heart attack. Part of the problem is the actual physical heart attack,
and rest is the anxiety one is suffering, causing increased stress and potentially
adding to the strength of the attack. How may a meditation practitioner reduce the
levels of stress and anxiety,
reducing the risks and
improving outcomes in
cardiovascular disease and
events such as heart
attacks?
2. Meditators have lived with
chronic pain and yet remain
creative and happy and
continue to serve others.
What are their mental and
neuro-physiological
processes? How do their
personal philosophies help
them?
3. Some meditators have
chosen to undergo surgery
without anaesthesia.
Swamiji can speak experientially
about his own experiences of pain
management through meditation practices and reminds us, “Pain and suffering are two
different things. . . There could be an objective measurement for pain, but there cannot be
an objective measurement for suffering. For the same amount of pain, one person cries and
wails and keeps the whole hospital awake all night. And the next person, who has pain all
over his body, is suffering from metastasized cancer and has the quiet mind. Whose
suffering is greater? One has learned to suffer less. One has learned to suffer less from the
same amount of pain which others suffer more. That is where the spiritual strength comes
in.”
Swamiji has given the impetus and direction for the “Pain Management through Meditation
Practices” Conference, and Veena Maitra, an AHYMSIN Board member, heads the
conference planning committee of volunteers, which would be interested in hearing of any
personal experiences of meditation practices having helped someone manage pain. These
personal experiences can be sent to [email protected].
Remembering Swami Hari
Swami Hariharananda Bharati, beloved teacher and guide, left his
body on June 29, 2008 in India. Swami Hari, affectionately known
as the "Laughing Swami", would bring a smile to everyone's face
with his infectious laugh and selfless humility. He was a living
example of the joy that blossoms from devoting your mind and
heart to God. Over the past decade he traveled the world gracing
countless students with his practical teachings about Yoga and
Meditation shared in the stream of his joyful love. Before leaving his
body, Swami Hari fulfilled his Gurudeva Swami Rama's mission to
create vocational training, a public school (K-12), and an herbal
plantation for education and training in the cultivation and
processing of herbal plants for the underprivileged and underserved
people in the remote foothills of the Himalayas: Swami Rama Institute of Vocational Education and Research at village Malethi
(SRIVERM).
Pierre Lefebvre: Coordinating Yoga training with a guitar?
This statement might sound a bit weird but this is what
has been happening for over a year as a young
musician from Quebec, Pierre Lefebvre,
enthusiastically took charge of administrating the
Himalayan Yoga Tradition-Teacher Training Program
(HYT-TTP) of the AHYMSIN (Association of Himalayan
Yoga Meditation Societies International).
Pierre was born in Alma, in the province of Quebec,
the French speaking part of Canada. By education,
training and profession, Pierre is a musician who
earned his Master’s degree (M. Mus.) in Classical
Guitar from the prestigious University of Montreal,
under the guidance of M. Peter McCutcheon. He
presented his Final Recital to the University on 29th
November 2004.
During his training in the University, he performed
guitar in Master classes for Rémi Boucher (2001),
Gruber Malkar duet (2002), William Kanengiser (2003), and Pepe Romero (2003).
Pierre was also nominated as Chairman of the Board of Director of “Ensemble de Musique
Balinaise Giri Kedaton” (Balinese gamelan ensemble in residence at the University of
Montreal), as well as performing in this Ensemble from 2000 to 2005. www.girikedaton.com
At a very young age, Pierre was also appointed Stage Manager at the “Salle Claude
Champagne” (a 1000 seat concert hall for classical and orchestral music) in Montreal from
2002 to 2005.
He has been teaching music for the last twelve years. He was Guitar teacher at the well
known Montreal International School from 2002 to 2004.
Since March 2005, Pierre has been living in Rishikesh (India) in the SRSG Campus where
he initially came to study in the Gurukulam. Swamiji asked him to shelve his studies in
Gurukulam in September 2006 and assigned him several important tasks which needed the
talents, sincerity and hard work of Pierre. These tasks included supervision of the
construction of the SRSG Manuscript Collection and help preparing for the foundation of
AHYMSIN at the February 2007 events.
Since the creation of AHYMSIN, Pierre has been administrating the TTP international office
at AHYMSIN Headquarters in the SRSG. His duties also include working with and assisting
the AHYMSIN Vice President for TTP, Dr. Mehrad Nazari, and the TTP committee to develop
and strengthen the programme.
While involving himself in the myriads of activities in the SRSG all this while he quietly found
his soul mate Meena Bhatt from Dehradun and married her on 11th February 2008.
Music does not recognize any boundaries. Following that dictum, Pierre has been learning
sitar from Shri Jagat Adhikary (one of the five original disciples of the world renowned sitar
maestro Pt. Ravi Shankar) for the past 2 ½ years.
So here is a western classical musician and a yoga aspirant all rolled in to one, our man in
the TTP. Alas, come September and Pierre is back where he came from. We are talking, of
course, of the Gurukulam of the SRSG. Hopefully, some day Pierre will help to spread the
teachings of Swami Rama and Swami Veda.
Submitted by Dr. Prakash Dixit
Swami Veda's historical event in
August'08 "A Breath of the
Himalayan Tradition" is a rare
opportunity not to miss.
This month is the last chance to become a part of this magnificent spiritual occasion held in a
breath taking environment.
Come for a Spiritual Retreat, the Teacher Training Program or to the Teacher Continuing
Education program and enjoy the beautiful settings of Rancho La Puerta in Baja California,
Mexico.
Swami Veda invites you personally. He will be present with the entire TTP faculty for the
whole month of August. .
For more information, please visit:
www.himalayanyogatradition.com
www.rancholapuerta.com
You can also write to: [email protected]
Calendar of Upcoming Events
Badrinath
Valley of flowers
Insight Seeing Tour to Joshimath, Valley of the Flowers and Badrinath.
26th September – 3rd October
For registration and cost information, please write to [email protected]
Himalayan Yoga Tradition Teacher Training Programs (HYT-TTP)
For information about all programs, see website www.himalayanyogatradition.com, or write
to [email protected]
2nd – 16th August
Teacher Training Program at Rancho La Puerta, Mexico.
2nd – 30th August
Yoga Teacher Continuing Education Program at Rancho La Puerta, Mexico
2nd – 30th August
Spiritual Retreat with Swami Veda at Rancho La Puerta, Mexico
5th – 18th October
Teacher Training Program at Sadhaka Grama in Rishikesh, India
Mudra Workshop with Acharya Sunderlal Dubral and Swami Veda
8th – 14th December
Pain Management through Meditation Practices Seminar
24th – 28th February
For information about above workshops, write to [email protected]
For information about ongoing spiritual retreats and silence programs, write to
[email protected]
Please share your news and stories with our global family. We welcome your articles,
pictures, and funny quotes to [email protected].
Copyright © 2008 Ahymsin
The Himalayan Tradition of Yoga Meditation
Purification of thoughts
dhyana
Breath awareness
Mindfulness
japa
qualified preceptor
dharana
transmission
shavasana