An Indian Art

Yoga Mudras and Healing Emotional problems

One important reason why I started with yoga was an experience I had as a young person taking asthma medication. As a result of taking medication, I could no longer grasp correlations, and my memory was impaired; I was apathetic and immensely indifferent. I thought I might be "sick in the head" and might stay that way. Since then, I have been interested in brain research and everything that keeps people mentally fit. Mudras do true wonders in this field. For a number of years now, hand exercises have been successfully used on children in special education classes. Run your thumb along your fingertips in a gentle and conscious way.

This feels wonderful! It's refreshing for your brain. The brain should be trained like a muscle every day. It has been proved that even after a few days of rest in bed (after an operation, for example), the activity of the brain is reduced. It has also been demonstrated that the brain can regenerate very quickly through the appropriate training. Practicing mudras can be called pure brain training. There is a positive influence on the brain waves, particularly when the fingertips touch each other. When we visualize inner images at the same time, this requires a great deal of ability from the brain and promotes the power of the imagination. This power is one of the reconditions for mental alertness and clear thinking.

The accompanying affirmations promote a clear manner of expression, which is also a mental power. When a mudra is done with full concentration, and a state of serenity is maintained, cerebral activity is
calmed and regenerated. In addition, many mudras synchronize the right and left hemisphere of the brain. This promotes memory, the general ability to recollect, and, miraculously, creativity as well. I will risk claiming that a trained brain remains fit up into a ripe old age. The great yogis have also demonstrated this to us with their mental alertness as seniors. I can also observe—and my surrounding world has confirmed this—that my own ability to recollect, my memory, clear thinking, and concentration have never been so pronounced as today. Colleagues who are as old as I am complain about the opposite. And I am no more talented than they are! The only difference is that I constantly train my brain. Always see the good in your fellow human beings, put the negative aspects of the past behind you, live completely in the present, and make the best you possibly can of it. Expect the best from the future and remain in constant contact with cosmic consciousness—then nothing will stand in the way of a meaningful and happy life. I can hardly describe the blessings that this kind of constructive thinking has brought me. Incidentally, this attitude in life is also the best for my health. Mudras have a wondrous effect on the emotional area of our lives, which includes the soul, our feelings, and our moods. It is no coincidence that people make fists when they are vehemently agitated, or that hands become limp and their movements flighty during depressions. If we want to change oppressive moods, we can do so by changing our breathing rhythm accordingly. The way we breathe can stimulate us, calm us, inflame us, or cool us down.

Using Yoga Mudras to heal physical complaints

Mudras used against a great variety of health disorders are primarily found in Chinese medicine. These usually have their origin in the Five Element Theory , the principles of which are still unknown in the West. However, the Indian yoga master and healer Keshav Dev, who intensively researched the effect of the mudras many years ago, can also confirm the healing power of the mudras. He says: "Your destiny lies in your hands, and this should be taken quite literally. Not only because the hand lines show the past and future of a person, but above all because each finger has its very own functions and power within the organism. If you know how to use this power, you can maintain your physical health and mental peace. When I tell patients about the mudras, their first reaction is skepticism. They ask me, 'How can my illness be improved if I do nothing more than just press together a few of my fingers?' But as soon as they begin to trust and have carried out the exercises, they feel the effect and their skepticism changes into astonishment. Then I explain to them that these techniques, which look so simple, are extremely valuable gifts that were given to us from the most enlightened yoga masters of ancient times."

Everyone who has been involved with the healing effect of the rnudras emphasizes that a sensible lifestyle and diet must absolutely be taken into consideration. An unhealthy lifestyle usually consists of inferior diet, lack of exercise, and too little fresh air, rest, and relaxation—coupled with too much stress, worry, negative thoughts, and negative feelings. Practicing the mudras, together with a healthy diet, routine rest periods, adequate exercise (yoga, jogging, hiking, biking, etc.) will naturally lead to an optimal lifestyle. And this is the basis for health. (When mudras are used to support the healing of chronic health disorders, they should be routinely employed as a course of treatment over a period of several weeks or months. A chronic disease has already had its beginnings within a person many years before it actually becomes evident. Consequently, a certain amount of time is required in order to dissolve the waste materials that have deposited themselves in the arteries, organs, individual
cells, and energy fields.

Some mudras can also be used as help in an emergency (for example: lumbago, dizziness, nausea, or heart attack). Practice these when they are necessary and only as long as they are necessary. Sudden complaints are not a coincidence, but are the explosion of an imbalanced state that has already flared up within us for a longer period of time. This is why a mudra shouldn't just be used like a fast-acting medication to subdue symptoms. Get to the bottom of the matter. Meditate- ask inside yourself what this physical attack means for you. Ask persistently and honestly, for then you will also receive an honest answer. Perhaps it won't be comfortable, but it will have a healing effect in the long run.

Yoga- mudras and colors

Colors influence our minds and our lives on every level. In colortherapy, various shades of color are specifically applied to regener- ate the organs and glands, as well as to activate the processes of
elimination, respiration, and circulation. Colors also influence our moods and every type of mental activity.

• Red stimulates the circulation, makes us alert, warms and relaxes, but can also bring out aggression;

• Orange improves the mood, promotes lightness, stimulates sexuality, but can also stimulate superficiality;

• Yellow stimulates digestion, makes us mentally alert, and lets life appear in a bright light, but it can also be obtrusive;

• Green is generally calming; it regenerates on every level, and gives us the desire to start something new;

• Blue is also calming, but this calmness goes deeper and pro- vides a sense of security; it conveys protection, and symbolizes t the silent yearning for the incomprehensible;

• Violet is the color of transformation, change, and spirituality;

• Brown is the color of stability and connection to the earth, but too much can lead to stagnation;

• White bears the entire spectrum of the other colors within itself, containing birth as well as death;

• Black is the color of protection, of gathering strength, of retreat, and of the emptiness that already bears abundance within itself. Many teenagers like to wear black because they stand at the gateway of a new period of their lives. However, too much black weakens the organism, puts us in a sad mood,
and promotes pessimism.

There are basically no "bad" colors, but it is important to use the right pro- portions. Every color can also be seen in our aura or energy body. When a color gains dominance or is not in its right place, it will initially have an effect on the general feeling of well-being. With time, a health disorder may develop as a result. However, the course of an illness can also be reversed with the help of colors. It would go beyond the scope of this book to discuss the entire spectrum of colors used in healing. The following suggestions can help you have some good and beautiful experiences using color meditations. If you prefer a certain color, it may well be that you need the corresponding qualities. However, if you give too much preference to one color, this can develop into an addiction and the color may harm you.

While holding a mudra, you can either visualize a color or concentrate on the color of an object. The first approach is better because the color will then come to life, which means you can imagine the color as dark or light, dull or bright, connected to forms, or flowing, etc. For example, you feel the need to go into the forest because you can best regenerate yourself there but don't have the time to do so. You can imagine a very green forest, and in your thoughts, you can totally luxuriate in the green of the leaves. This will refresh you inwardly. Such visualizations have long been used successfully, and pictures of lush landscapes are specifically installed in many hospitals to support the healing process. Try it out!

Yoga - mudras and music

Some clinics and rehabilitation centers use music as a component of routine therapy. We all know the healing effect of music, as a number of books have been published on the subject. But music is also good for healthy people who are occasionally plagued by weakness or physical imbalances. Since the music used for therapy plays anywhere from three to twelve minutes, and this amount of time corresponds to how long one holds a mudra, it is obvious that mudras and music can have a wonderful influence on each other.

Tension—either physical or mental-emotional— can be relieved by listening to the right kind of music. The right kind of music has a calming and relaxing effect, possibly even taking a person into a state of deep relaxation. Stress and tension can also lead to an acute or a chronic state of exhaustion that can be positively influenced by music.

If you pay attention to the following points, you can get a lot from using music with your mudras:

• Consider your own taste in music;

• Determine how long the playing time should be;

• Listen to the same piece at the same time for at least three days in row;

• Listen consciously, and immediately let go of any thoughts that may arise.

Which music pieces are best suited for this purpose? Helen Bonny, who developed GIM (Guided Imagery Music), writes: "Tranquilizing and relaxing music is oriented to the human heart, on a calm and relaxed pulse. Overall, tranquilizing music is distinctly calm and more harmonious, with lightly flowing melodies. A person doesn't have to immediately fall asleep to it, but this music promotes specific feelings, such as an inner calm, relaxation, and contentment."7 According to the opinion of the GIM trainer, classical music is particularly suited for healing and relaxing, and solo concerts have a stronger
effect than symphonies. There is a special power in slow movements— andante, adagio, and largo. For a relaxation effect, the most suitable instrument is the oboe, followed by the piano, the cello, the violin, the clarinet, and the organ. Vocals are less suited for promoting relaxation. The following keys are the most effective: C major, D major, B major, and F major. In summary, it can be said that many low and few high frequencies lead to relaxation. High frequency, "airy" music tends to be more suited for
a light, elevating mood. With these guidelines, you can now put together your own appropriate and individual music pharmacy. It is worthwhile to find out which music especially appeals to you so
you can become more conscious of your own individuality in this respect. For example, some relaxation music has precisely the opposite effect on me—it gets on my nerves, and even makes me feel aggressive.

Incidentally, if you have trouble taking the time to do chores around the house, try playing some snappy marches or hot rock music, or even techno, to bring fresh momentum into this bothersome situation!

BREATHING, VISUALIZATION, AND AFFIRMATIONS TO ENHANCE THE MUDRAS

The effect of a mudra can be immensely intensified with the breath. This is why it is very important to know what breathing does. When you understand the following principles, then you
can influence the effect of a mudra according to your own needs.

• Pay attention to a symmetrical posture and hold your arms about one inch away from your body. Even this position alone brings a sense of inner equilibrium and harmony as it regulates
the activity of the nervous system and hormonal glands.

• In addition to carbon dioxide, we also discharge expended energy on the subtle level when we exhale deeply. This is why you should always exhale vigorously several times at the beginning of a mudra. Make room for what you want to achieve.

• Always lengthen the little pause after inhaling and after exhaling by several seconds. This is the most important aspect of the breathing process. The inner powers are developed
during the pauses—on every level.

• When you practice a mudra to calm yourself, then slow your breathing.

• When you practice a mudra to refresh yourself, then intensify your breathing.

• The optimal quality of breathing is achieved when the breath is slow, deep, rhythmic, flowing, and fine.

At the beginning of a mudra meditation, exhale vigorously several times and then let the breath become deeper and slower. You now have three possibilities:

First: Focus on your hands and fingers, perceive the gentle pressure where they touch each other;

Second: While inhaling, you can press the fingertips together a bit more and let go of the pressure when exhaling; Third: You can do it the other way around and apply a bit more pressure while exhaling and let go of the pressure when inhaling.

Every variation has its special effect. The first variation centers, creates inner equilibrium, and builds up strength in general. The second variation strengthens the will and refreshes. The third variation calms and relaxes. Try out these variations and feel the difference yourself! It is possible that you won't immediately feel the effect, but it is still there. The outer circumstances of our lives usually shape themselves according to our imagination and the contents of our minds. So we have the possibility of shaping our inner images in such a way that we enjoy life, experience success in our work, and have relationships on a loving and understanding basis. It is very important to create an unshakable faith and be filled with both fervor and serenity to accompany our self-made images. We need to create little experiences of success for ourselves, since what functions in a small way will also succeed on a larger scale. We can slowly build and develop this confidence. Just imagine what would happen if a great many people would simultaneously imagine a beautiful world with rich flora, content animals, happy human beings, and firmly believe that this is possible. Join in—then there will already be two of us!

If we can clearly express what we do not want and definitively formulate our wishes and needs, this can already be the beginning of a new order in life. For many years now, I have worked with affirmations— sometimes more, sometimes less. Time and time again, their astounding effects have astonished me. For example, my kitten disappeared one day. I repeated the same sentence over and over the entire day: "With divine strength and power, I find my kitten again." Toward evening, I simply knew where my kitten was. The woman was completely perplexed when I claimed that my cat was in her garage, but it was true. It is so simple, and some people even find it a bit naive. But things that are particularly simple and naive usually have the greatest effective power. The same principle applies to affirmations as it does to visualizations. Say them full of faith, fervor, and serenity. You can say them one to three times, during or after the meditation. You can also pause for a moment during the day and speak your affirmation in a quiet or a loud voice. Make use of this wonderful possibility and talk yourself into what you really want—what is good for you. If you want to get rid of something stubborn, a negation can also be helpful. Speak it at the beginning, while you are vigorously exhaling. For example, "This hatred (or resentment, feeling of guilt, pain, fear, desire to smoke, etc.) will immediately disappear and dissolve itself"