Mudras For Weight Loss

The word ‘mudra’ means ‘seal’ in Sanskrit. The yoga mudras help to seal or affirm an intention or idea. Mudras have been practiced since the beginning of Hindu and Buddhist traditions and they have long been used to treat various physical and mental health problems. Hand mudras, especially gyan mudra and varada mudra, are often seen in the statues of different Hindu deities. A form of energy or prana force is generated when the fingers and hands are positioned together in a pre-defined manner. Prana helps to relieve several health issues including obesity and excess body weight problems. Read on to know about the most effective mudras for weight loss.

The five fingers are associated with the five elements, i.e. thumb is associated with agni or fire, index finger with vaayu or air, middle finger with aakasha or sky, ring finger with prithvi or earth, and small finger with jala or water. So, practicing hand gestures or yoga mudras regularly can help one reap several health benefits, with weight loss being one of them. In yogic philosophy, specific internal organs are assigned to each of the fingers and when one holds the fingers in a specific way, the corresponding internal organ gets activated and its related problems get cured. Blood pressure can be normalized, heart health can be improved, and even body fat can be reduced effectively by practicing hand mudras every day.

Five different types of yoga mudras promote weight loss by activating the corresponding organs in the body. These are:

Surya mudra is also known as Agni Vardhak mudra, since it increases the agni element and simultaneously decreases the prithvi element in the body. Excess of earth element or prithvi can lead to accumulation of excess fat in the body and overweight issues. By practicing Surya mudra regularly, one can decrease the earth element in their body and increase the fire element to improve the digestive power, and thus treat obesity problem, naturally. To perform surya mudra, the practitioner should place the tip of their ring finger on the base of their thumb and then apply gentle pressure on the ring finger with their thumb. When the ring finger is put below the thumb, it reduces the earth element which corresponds to fat and increases the fire element which improves digestion. Thus, by doing this single mudra, the individual can enjoy double benefits including weight loss.

Linga is the Sanskrit term for phallus or the male genital organ. Linga mudra helps trigger weight loss by reinforcing the Agni and pitta elements to increase bodily heat. In this mudra, the performer needs to interlock both their palms and keep their left thumb erected upwards and outwards to form the phallus. Since the thumb represents the fire element, practicing this mudra regularly helps to increase the agni in the body and thus enhance the digestive power. Proper digestion helps to prevent the formation of toxins like Ama and promotes the burning stored fat by the body leading to weight loss.

Kapha-nashak or Pitta-kaarak mudra is a combination of water and fire elements i.e. jal and agni. This yoga mudra aids in decreasing the kapha humor and increasing the pitta humor simultaneously within the body to improve digestion and reduce body fat resulting in weight loss. It is, however, advisable that people with excess pitta in their body, practice this mudra in moderation and only when necessary. This mudra is performed by placing the ring and little fingers on the base of the thumb and then applying gentle pressure on these fingers.

The Vaayan mudra boosts vata humor in the body and so is also called Vata-Kaarak mudra. To perform vaayan mudra mudra for weight loss, the practitioner needs to place the tips of their index and middle finger on the tip of their thumb and then apply gentle pressure. This mudra helps to control the nervous system and many other bodily movements. Some other popular health benefits of Vaayan mudra are resolution of problems like frequent urination, loose motion, excessive menstrual bleeding, greasy skin and hair problems. Vaayan mudra helps to reduce excessive body weight and keeps the nervous system healthy as well. Vaayan mudra also aids in getting over lethargy, laziness, drowsiness, excessive sleep, sweating and thirst.

Although, not directly associated with weight loss, Gyan mudra does aid in relieving mental stress, which is linked to overeating and indirectly Gyan mudra helps with weight loss. Thus, by practicing this gyan mudra regularly, one can relax the body and keep their weight in control too. Not only does Gyan mudra aid in weight loss, but also improves concentration levels and promotes a peaceful lifestyle. Gyan mudra is usually performed along with yoga asanas or meditation. To perform Gyan mudra, the practitioner requires to sit in vajrasana or diamond pose; sukhasana or the easy pose; or in Padmasana or the lotus pose, according to their comfort. They need to keep their back straight, and hold up their chest and head high. Both their hands should rest on their respective knees with their palms facing upwards. They then need to touch the tip of their thumb and index finger, while the remaining fingers stay straight and parallel to each other. Gentle pressure should be applied on both the thumb and index finger to generate the energy which helps to reduce stress and promote relaxation in the body which aids in weight loss. The mantra ‘aum’ can also be chanted while inhaling and exhaling.

All the above mentioned Yoga hand mudras for weight loss have proven very effective in getting rid of those extra pounds. These mudras are considered safe and do not have any side effects on the body. Hand mudras can be practised along with other weight loss programs and diet. So people battling obesity and weight problems should start practicing mudras right away!

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