YOGA MUDRAS FOR HEART HEALTH
Apart from some yoga asanas, here are a few mudras that make up the yoga for heart health repertoire. Take a look:
1. Surya mudra or agni mudra
Also known as the sun or fire mudra, it is one of the easiest methods of redirecting the sun’s energy. Not many know that the thyroid hormone has a great impact on your heart function, blood vessels, and cholesterol levels. But practising surya mudra stimulates the metabolic functioning of the thyroid gland. In turn, this mudra helps to lower the levels of bad cholesterol, thereby reducing the chances of heart blockage.
Here’s how you can perform the surya mudra:
- Sit in a comfortable padmasana position. Make sure you sit on a mat, not on the floor.
- Place your hand on your thighs or knees, and let them rest.
- Next, bend the ring fingers of both your hands, placing the tip at the base of the thumb. Make sure the thumb is pressing the top of the ring fingers.
- Keep the other fingers stretched outward.
- Close your eyes and hood, and practise the mudra.
- Make sure you’re applying moderate pressure on your ring finger, using your thumb.
You should perform the surya mudra before meals, twice a day for about 15-20 minutes.
2. Apana vayu mudra
Apana vayu mudra is in the category of therapeutic mudras that mainly help in healing heart-related diseases. It helps to prevent heart attacks as well as relieves heaviness in the heart. Besides, it also controls headache, anxiety, and panic, and can also improve digestive fire and lung capacity.
How to perform apana vayu mudra:
This mudra includes movement of the thumb, index, middle, and ring fingers.
- Sit in Padmasana. Make yourself relaxed and comfortable.
- Stretch your hands outward and let them rest on the thighs, palms up
- Fold your index finger in towards the center of the palm.
- Now join the tip of the middle and ring fingers with the tip of the thumb.
- Keep the little finger straight.
- Now without disturbing the finger arrangement, close your eyes and chant Om for better concentration.
There is no specific time for it. However, you can practice the mudra every day for 30 minutes in the morning or evening.
3. Rudra mudra
The mudra is a powerful healing mantra that gives a lot of energy to the body. It helps to enhance willpower and improve self-esteem. Practicing this can help to keep your cardiac health in top condition.
Here’s how you can perform the rudra mudra:
- Sit comfortably in padmasana or vajrayana position. You can also practise standing or sitting on a chair.
- Place your hands on your thighs, with both palms facing upwards.
- Fold your index and ring fingers towards the thumb, and let the tip of both fingers touch the thumb. Make sure you’re pressing the fingers with your thumb.
- Leave the remaining fingers extended.
- Close your eyes and focus on breathing.
- Now for better concentration, chant om or focus on breathing.
Rudra mudra should be done for 20 minutes. Alternatively, it can be done for 10-12 minutes, twice a day.
