Jnana Mudra
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Jnana Mudra
Jnana Mudra is the mudra of knowledge. This mudra symbolizes the connected nature of human consciousness and the 3 extended fingers represent the 3 gunas of tamas, rajas, and sattva. The closed circle of the thumb and index finger represents the unification of Atman, the individual soul with Brahman, the world soul. Jnana mudra is distinguished from chin mudra, by pointing your fingers toward the sky. Chin mudra is practiced the same way by joining the index finger and thumb, but the extended fingers point toward the earth.
Jnana Mudra is the mudra of connectedness and consciousness. This mudra can improve the mind/body connection and ease negative emotions stored in the mano vaha srotas or the channel of the mind. Jnana mudra can be practiced before bed to help calm and clear the mind and prepare the body/mind for rest. It also has an effect on the majja vaha srotas and can be used to promote better memory and greater concentration. This mudra also works well combined with other mudras. You can practice jnana mudra with your right hand and another mudra with your left or you can practice jnana mudra before or after another mudra practice to enhance the other mudra.
(9/21/2016)
Today's been tough. I wanted to meditate earlier but was mired in emotions and was finding it too difficult to sit in silence with my thoughts. The last few days I have spent my morning watching videos about the horrific atrocities that happened in Tulsa and Charlotte. On top of that I had my own personal issues to contend with. I had a pretty big release of emotions though and thankfully an incredible friend to talk things through.
Ayurveda looks at tears as a waste product of the body. I could feel that today as I cried these very deep seated, guttural tears. I let the cries wail and the tears fall. There's something very cathartic in viewing tears as an emotional release rather than a emotional upset. I needed to get it out and now that it's out I can move on. Throughout the day, this thing my mom always chants to me kept popping in my head: "give nothing or no one the power to disturb your peace." Damn! Do I need to repeat this to myself everyday so that I can finally absorb, digest and assimilate its meaning. I give so many things and definitely so many people the power to disturb my peace. My husband told me today that I give people "walk through walls" power to disturb my peace. He's so right. I internalize so much. I blame myself first instead of recognizing that maybe that's just that person's own stuff their dealing with.
When I meditate I give myself the space to contemplate these ideas and begin to reprogram inhibiting thought patterns. I used to try so so hard to empty my mind of thoughts but I realize that's not possible. I remember attending a meditation session at the ashram and the swami saying how our minds will never be empty of thoughts, if that's so then we're probably dead. We all laughed not only because of the humor of what he said but also because he freed us from striving for the unattainable. We were now able to mediate from a place of freedom over constraint. Our minds aren't a land to be conquered but a valley to explore.
“Divine knowledge makes my life richer and easier; divine wisdom gladens my heart and shows me the path.”
