What is a MUDRA?

When you place your hands together at your heart in yoga or meditation, you’re doing a mudra! What exactly is a mudra? And why practice mudras in yoga?

MUDRAS ARE HAND YOGA!

Mudra is a Sanskrit word meaning “sign” or “seal”. It is a symbolic or ritual gesture that is most often done with the hands. There are mudras in classical Indian and Southeast Asian dances, in religious art and … in yoga and meditation!

The mudras are hand asanas. Yup, yoga postures especially for hands and fingers!

There are many mudras. Some sources say there are more than a hundred, others say several dozens (if you count them all keep me updated!).

Each mudra is codified. Each has a meaning and a precise effect on the body and mind.

MUDRAS AFFECT BODY AND MIND

The human body has 7 main chakras.

In addition to these come many secondary chakras. Two of these secondary chakras are in the palms of your hands. You have energy centers right there in your palms! Isn’t that cool?

Also, the hands and fingers contain many nerve endings and acupuncture points. Traditional Chinese Medicine meridians such as the Heart Meridian, Pericardium Meridian or Small Intestine Meridian, also run through the hands.
You literally are holding your health in your hands!

MUDRAS AND FINGER MEANINGS

In many traditions in Asia but also elsewhere, the fingers are associated with the elements (Fire, Water etc), or the planets.

Here are the most common associations in the practice of mudras:
The Thumb is Agni, FIRE
The Index is Vayu, AIR
The Middle Finger is Akasha, ETHER, the Universe
The Ring finger is Prithvi, EARTH
The Little finger is Jala, WATER.

Of course, you’ll find variations of these associations, in Kundalini Yoga for example. I believe each person feels things differently, no matter what tradition they follow. My invitation to you: discover your way!

What happens when we place certain fingers together in a mudra? Well, we activate the body’s energy channels and connect to the natural elements (Earth, Fire, etc).

Mudras move energy around, and before you know it, “stuff’s happening” in your body and mind!

More on mudras? Check out :
– How to use mudras?
– Padma Mudra, Abhaya Mudra and Energy in your hands with a Ball of Chi! Yes Yes Yes !

3 Poses for POST-HOLIDAY ENERGY

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It’s back to work or school! Kick the post-holiday blues with these 3 energy-boosting poses and take care of the person who matters most to you: YOU!

YOGA FOR ENERGY

Need a morning boost to get you started? Or up your energy levels mid-afternoon? The answer is YOGA! Roll out your mat in the middle of the living room or in a corner of the office, and get your yoga on with this mini ENERGY sequence.

QUICK YOGA FLOW FOR ENERGY

Utkatasana, Adho Mukha Svanasana and Virabhadrasana 2 energize the torso, legs and back. Hello Body!
They also ground you down into the Earth and anchor you in your body and the present moment. Look no further for the perfect energy fix (and forget the coffee!)

Ready for a break? Flow from Chair pose to Downward Dog to Warrior 2, on the right, then on the left and be energized!

1. Utkatasana, Chair Pose

– Start in Mountain Pose, Tadasana, standing nice and tall, feet parallel.
– Bend your knees, as if you were going to sit on … a chair!
– Draw your tailbone towards the floor and lengthen the spine.
– Reach your arms out in front of you or above your head, as you wish.
– Breathe deeply.

Energy Flow Pose 1 : Utkatasana

2. Adho Mukha Svanasana, Downward Facing Dog

– From Utkatasana, place both hands on the floor and jump (or walk) back.
– Draw the torso backwards and raise your tailbone to the sky.
– Straighten your knees (all the way, or keeping them slightly bent).
– Draw the heels towards the floor. If they do not go all the way, that’s great, stay just where you are!
– Lengthen the arms, from the wrist to the shoulders.
– And breathe!

Go Deeper: Downward Facing Dog is such a classic yoga pose that it has its very own post! Check out all the alignment details of the pose, Downward Facing Dog’s benefits, contraindications, and great tips for a fierce Adho Mukha Svanasana!

Energy Flow Yoga Pose 2 : Adho Mukha Svanasana

3. Virabhadrasana 2, Warrior 2 Pose

– From Downward Facing Dog, step your right foot forward.
– Open the left foot to the left, and turn the torso to the left.
– Keep the right knee directly above your right ankle.
– Reach your arms out at shoulder height.
– Lengthen both sides of the torso.
– Turn your head to the right, and gaze at the tip of the middle finger (this is the classic Drishti) or gaze past your fingers.
– Breathe!

Quick Energy Yoga pose 3 : Warrior 2

Now complete the Energy Mini-Flow to the LEFT:
– From Warrior 2, change sides! come back to center, then do Virabhadrasana 2 on the other side.
– From Virabhadrasana 2, place your hands on the floor and step back into Downward Facing Dog.
– Then jump or walk forward, and sink your hips down into Utkatasana.
– Come back to Tadasana, Mountain Pose.
– Notice the energy pulsing through you, filing your body, mind and breath with beautiful luminous waves! You are ready to make your biggest dreams come true!

Go deeper with:
– The story behind Virabha, the warrior honored by Warrior 2 Pose and check out how to harness all your power in Virabhadrasana 2.

– For more flow in your life, ease into the Happiness Meditation. Tune in to your happiest holiday memories and let post-holiday stress melt away.

Wishing you joy and energy!

live fearlessly with abhaya mudra yes yoga be well

Be FEARLESS with ABHAYA MUDRA

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Do you raise your palms outwards to stop someone? Or to show your good intentions? That’s Abhaya Mudra!
What is Abhaya Mudra ? How can you use Abhaya Mudra in your yoga practice?

Abhaya Mudra, the Fearless Mudra

“Abhaya” is a Sanskrit word meaning “peace, protection, fearlessness”.

A mudra is a symbolic or ritual gesture that is most often done with the hands.

Abhaya Mudra is the “Mudra of Fearlessness”.

In religious art in Asia, but also elsewhere in the world, we often see figures doing Abhaya Mudra with one hand and sometimes with both.

How to do Abhaya Mudra?

Bend your elbow, raise your hand shoulder height, and turn the palm to the front. That’s it! Abhaya Mudra!

Live Fearlessly with Abhaya Mudra!

What does Abhaya Mudra mean?

Farewell Fear with Abhaya Mudra! We offer peace, protection and kindness.

From a spiritual point of view, Abhaya Mudra helps us walk in life without fear.
Yup, because fear limits our growth. So dispel it with this mudra, live fearlessly and step into your light!

With Abhaya Mudra, we also seek protection from what is not light, and we offer this protection to others, by turning our palm towards them.

When to use Abhaya Mudra?

Most often, the Fearless Mudra is used in meditation or pranayama.

Do this mudra in seated postures such as Sukhasana (sitting cross-legged), Virasana (Hero’s Pose), or Padmasana (Lotus Pose). Set your intention to overcome your limiting fears and offer peace, protection and benevolence to a situation that’s troubling you, and to the world. And … breathe!

Not a sitting person? With the same intentions, try Abhaya Mudra in standing asana such as Tadasana (Mountain Pose).

My favorite posture with Abhaya Mudra is Utkata Konasana (Wide-Legged Squat), also called Goddess Pose. I love this powerful pose that ignites the thighs and torso. Add the power of the Fearless Mudra and RAAAAAH! Hear the goddess roar!

Utkata Konasana Goddess Pose for Power Energy Fearlessness

Hear the Goddess roar! RAAAAAAA!

Go deeper:
More about mudras in What’s a mudra? And How to use Mudras in your Practice?
Check out other Mudras, such as Padma Mudra (Lotus Mudra), Ganesha Mudra, and Create a Ball of Chi in your Hands! (all coming!)

JUICE to your HEALTH with ABC JUICE

Know your ABC’s? As in “ABC juice”?
Drink up to your health is as easy as ABC with Apple-Beetroot-Carrot juice!

WHAT IS ABC JUICE?

For the longest time, I stayed away from this suspicious juice. Drink beetroot? Say my ABCs?
But then I finally relented, stalked by Singapore’s incessant heat. And it was grace at first taste!

How not to fall in love with its beautiful red-purple color and sweet tangy taste? Not only that, ABC juice is packed with vitamins A, C and K, antioxidants, beta-carotenes … Beetroot lowers blood pressure (sip slowly if you have a naturally low blood pressure!), and helps detox the liver (thanks to its purple pigment, betalain).

Beautiful and healthy! What more can a girl want?
Well, the ABC juice recipe of course!

The Happiness Juice recipe

For a tall glass:
A- One Apple (I like green apples’ tangy and tart taste. Use the apples you love!)
B- One small Beetroot
C- One big Carrot (or 2 small)
+ 50 to 100ml water or apple juice, as needed

Method:
– Peel, seed and cut the fruit and vegetables into cubes.
– Put in a blender (a word of caution: not all blenders can puree RAW vegetables. Make sure yours can!). Or use a juicer (lucky you if you have one!)
– Add 50 to 70 ml of water or juice (unfiltered apple juice is yummy)
– Mix, add more water or juice if necessary.
– Filter the pulp with a fine strainer if necessary.
– Put in the fridge or add ice cubes if you want to drink cold juice ASAP.
– Enjoy!

THE CHEF’S TIPS FOR A KICKING ABC JUICE

Spice up your ABC juice with a small piece of fresh ginger (peel it, and add to the blender).
For more tang (and Vitamin C), add a few spoonfuls of lemon juice.

For more fiber, one of my friends adds chia seeds before bending. (Filtering the pulp means smoother juice, but also does remove some fiber. So Yes to Chia –and to my friend!).

How to ake ABC Juice the No-Mixer Hulk Way

I’ve never done this, but have watched in awed silence my former roommate use the strength of his own hands to extract ABC juice. Yep, you heard me right, HIS OWN TWO HANDS.
So, if your blender cannot blend raw vegetables, grate the carrots and beetroot, put all the grated veg in a (clean) cloth and … squeeze!!!

What trickles out is the tasty fruit of your hard work. AND YES, you deserve that juice!

To your good health! ABC!

OPEN and TRANSFORM with COBRA POSE, Bhujangasana

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Are you frightened or fascinated by snakes? Uncover your inner yoga snake with Bhujangasana, Cobra Pose!
What is Cobra Pose? What are its benefits and contraindications? Tips and tricks to be the Snake Queen!

WHAT IS BHUJANGASANA?

Bhujangasana comes from the Sanskrit “Bhujanga”, the Snake. Bhujangasana is often referred to as Cobra Pose, because in Asia the cobra is the Snake King!

Cobra or not, the Snake is a mighty symbol: the snake in the Garden of Eden, the magic Naga in Asian mythologies, the hooded cobra protecting the Buddha in meditation, the Kundalini serpent energy that lies coiled at the base of the spine, the Rainbow Snake of Australia, Quetzalcoatl the Aztec Feathered Serpent, and many other SSSSSS.

How can you honor the various aspects of the Snake? Well, by doing Bhujangasana, Cobra Pose!

THE BENEFITS OF BHUJANGASANA

– Stretches the front of the body: the chest, the shoulders, the belly and the groins.
– Tones the back.
– Stimulates digestion.
– Stimulates the lungs.
– Makes you positive and happy!
– Done properly, Cobra Pose lengthens and relaxes the back.
– Opens chakras 4 and 5. Tap into the energy of the Heart (Anahata Chakra) and the Throat (Vishuddha Chakra)!

Yep, all that rolled into Cobra Pose! Let’s do this!

HOW TO DO COBRA POSE?

Channel you Inner Cobra and transform with Bhujangasana!

1 – Lie belly down.

2 – Place your hands under your shoulders.

3 – Bring your elbows close to the body.

4 – Press the tops of your feet and your pubis into the floor.

5 – Press your hands down and reach your chest forward and up.

6 – Gradually straighten your arms, hug your elbows close to the body.

7 – Draw your tailbone towards your heels.

8 – Lift the sternum to lengthen the torso.

9 – Release the shoulders. Hiss! I mean … breathe!

TOP TIPS FOR BHUJANGASANA, THE COBRA

I CAN’T STRAIGHTEN MY ARMS IN COBRA!

Do not force your back into a backbend if your back is saying no!
Instead:
– Place your hands in front of you (instead of under the shoulders).
– Place your forearms on the floor, elbows bent, and do Cobra here.

MY BACK HURTS IN COBRA!

Try these tips to lengthen your back:
– Really draw the tailbone towards the heels. In other words: don’t stick your bum out (it compresses the lumbar spine). Imagine you are a big cat, and bring your tail forward between your legs.
– Keep your elbows bent (see the 2 modifications above).

If with these tips Cobra Pose is uncomfortable, stop and get advice from a teacher in person!

MY WRISTS HURT IN COBRA

Wrist strain, carpal tunnel syndrome? Try Bhujangasana with elbows on the floor.

CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR COBRA POSE

Avoid Bhujangasana if:

– You are pregnant!
– You have back issues and Cobra Pose makes the pain worse.
– In case of disk degeneration.
– If you suffer from important intestinal problems.

I feel very SSSSnaky, do you?

Go deeper:
– Flaunt your Bhujangasana in this 7 Chakra Mini-Yoga Practice! (coming)

Yes Yoga Be Well

Yoga and Energy Healing in Singapore