Finding calm amid the holiday rush
The holiday season, intended to be one of joy, connection, and celebration, frequently results in a frenzy of stress. Whether it's the stress of Christmas shopping, hosting family gatherings, or just keeping up with the season's commitments, we've got all the advice you need to take a break and prioritise your well-being.
In Ayurveda, one of the greatest ways to do this is to learn how to use your mudras.
So, what are mudras?
Mudras, or ancient hand gestures from yoga and meditation, are a simple yet effective way to reduce stress and anxiety. These mindful movements will help you transfer your energy, calm your nervous system, and recover equilibrium, allowing you to cope with the hectic season more effectively.
Let's look at how we can use our mudras to help deal with seasonal stress and anxiety.
The Science and Symbolism
In Sanskrit, the term "mudra" implies "seal" or "gesture". These symbolic hand postures are utilised in yoga and meditation to direct energy throughout the body, impact our mental and emotional states, and enhance overall well-being. Mudras stimulate certain places on the hands that correlate to energy routes, which calms the nervous system and promotes a deep sense of tranquillity.
When practiced with intention, mudras are an effective technique for stress management and attaining calmness, particularly during times of high strain, such as the holidays.
“The mind & body are not separate entities. The gross form of the mind is the body & the subtle form of the body is the mind."
The power of mudras
For Stress & Anxiety During the Festive Season:
Each one aims to provide a distinct advantage, such as increasing attention or relaxing the mind. Discover these essential mudras and how to apply them in your daily life, especially around the festive period...
1: Gyan Mudra
- How to do it: Sit comfortably with your spine upright. To produce a gentle circle, gently press the tip of your index finger on the tip of your thumb. Keep your middle, ring, and tiny fingers stretched yet relaxed.
- Benefits: Gyan Mudra helps to sharpen attention, boost memory, and stabilise emotions by reducing stress, anger, and bad mood. It promotes deeper awareness and inner peace, and may also aid with sleep problems, headaches, and maintaining a steady flow of prana.
- When to Practice: Gyan Mudra can be used in the morning to improve attention and memory, in the evening to promote calm and sleep, or whenever you need to relieve tension and maintain balanced emotions.
2: Prana Mudra
- How to do it: Sit comfortably with a straight, relaxed back, place your hands on your knees, palms up, and softly touch the tips of your thumb, ring finger, and little finger together while maintaining your index and middle fingers stretched and relaxed.
- Benefits: It is thought to increase energy, enhance immunity, improve vision, relax the mind, reduce restlessness, promote better sleep, and promote healthy circulation.
- When to Practice: Reach for this mudra when you are tired, unable to sleep, tense or restless, or wish to boost your immunity and general balance. It's especially handy on days when you're feeling exhausted and need a fast recharge.
3: Shuni Mudra
- How to do it: Rest your hand on your knee or hold it in front of you, palm up. Gently bring the tip of your middle finger to the tip of your thumb. Keep your index, ring, and little fingers stretched yet relaxed.
- Benefits: It calms your thinking, reducing stress and promoting a clearer, more grounded perspective. This motion is also associated with improved intuition and the capacity to transform unpleasant or overpowering ideas into something more productive.
- When to Practice: Shuni Mudra is useful when you need greater attention, patience, or a clearer mind. It's perfect for when your mind is racing and you need to swiftly regain control.
4: Lotus Mudra
- How to do it: Sit comfortably with your spine upright. Bring your hands to your heart in a praying pose. Form the "bud" by keeping the base of your palms, the tips of your thumbs, and the tips of your little fingers in contact. As you inhale, slowly open your index, middle, and ring fingers to form a cup shape resembling a flower opening. Hold the gesture at your heart for a few steady breaths, focussing on warmth, compassion, and openness.
- Benefits: Opening and balancing the heart chakra can help cultivate compassion, love, and genuine kindness, making it easier to connect with yourself and others in a grounded, open-hearted way.
- When to Practice: Especially useful when you want to lift your mood, reconnect with compassion, or approach a situation with a clearer, kinder head.
5: Apana Mudra
- How to do it: Sit comfortably, hands resting on your thighs or lap. Press the tips of your middle and ring fingers to the tip of your thumb with both hands. Hold your index and little fingers extended.
- Benefits: This mudra promotes both physical and emotional release, allowing you to let go of stress, stagnant energy, and whatever else you've been hanging onto. It's an effective approach to restore balance when life becomes crowded.
- When to Practice: It works well during moments when you feel ungrounded and want to restore a sense of stability and inner balance.
Why Mudras Are So Effective for Stress Relief:
Mudras engage the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you achieve a state of calm and relaxation while lowering anxiety and tension.
Encourage Presence: These simple gestures shift your focus away from mental chatter and back to the present moment, making room for tranquilly and awareness.
Mudras work to harmonise the body's five elements - earth, water, fire, air, and ether - helping to restore balance and relieve emotional, physical, and mental stress.
Read about other ways to reduce stress here
Let mudras be your gentle guide
The holidays may be stressful, but you don't have to go through them alone. This season, embrace the calming power of mudras to help you feel better mentally and emotionally. Simply adopting these gestures into your everyday routine will help you create a deeper feeling of serenity, balance, and awareness, no matter how hectic your days are.
Take a moment for yourself, breathe deeply, and let these ancient techniques bring peace and clarity into this festive season. After all, the genuine spirit of the holidays lies not in the chaos, but in the tranquilly and connection we foster within ourselves.
