Hridaya Mudra
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Hridaya Mudra
Hridaya Mudra is the mudra that connect us to our hearts and more specifically our spiritual hearts. To practice this mudra, curl the index finger into the base of thumb, by the lower thumb joint i.e. metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint of the thumb. Next connect the middle and ring fingers to the thumb tips. Lastly extend the pinky fingers and join them together at the pinky fingertips. Bring your awareness to your heart center or the hridayam marma (energy center) which is located on the sternum at the level of the third intercostal space. Let your eyes close and breath purposefully, but gently. Observe the breath moving in and out of the nostrils. Allow the breath to fill the heart center as you breathe.
Hridaya means “heart” in sanskrit so hridaya mudra is especially beneficial to us when we need to release pent up emotions in our heart space. The heart is the seat of worries and hurt or heartache. This mudra can help rid the mind of worry and replace it with love.
“It is compassion that removes the heavy bar, opens the door to freedom, makes the narrow heart as wide as the world. Compassion takes away from the heart the inert weight, the paralyzing heaviness; it gives wings to those who cling to the lowlands of the self. Compassion reconciles us to our own destiny by showing us the life of others, often much harder than ours.”
QOTD: “How do you work through the pain you experience? Is it difficult to allow yourself the time you need to open up your heart and feel your feelings?” (3/9/2016) As I've gotten older I seem to have an easier time moving past things. Situations that would have my stomach tied up in knots are less and less frequent. I think time and experience help us work through emotional struggles. We recognize which emotions are valid and which reactions will cause more harm than good. I've realized the importance of cultivating happiness in my life. Being happy is work. We have to stay vigilant about our own personal happiness. We have to focus on the positive and not succumb to the negative. I remember times in my life where I was down-in-the-dumps and it was easier to just stay there wallowing in sadness. It took effort and concentration to pull myself out of a funk and feel happy again. Now when sad feelings arise, I feel them, I discover where they're coming from and I work to stay positive.