This entry was posted on Might 20, 2025 by Charlotte Bell.
There’s energy in your arms, greater than you would possibly suppose. I used to be first uncovered handy mudras throughout iRest (Yoga Nidra) coaching with Richard Miller, PhD, many years in the past. Whereas I knew our arms are extremely enervated, and command a number of actual property within the mind’s physique maps, I had no concept how simply completely different hand positions translated to results in the remainder of the physique. In Miller’s coaching, I realized mudras for pranayama, meditation, and positions supposed to “gentle up” every chakra. Nonetheless, we didn’t follow Hakini Mudra.
Typically referred to as “Mind Energy Mudra” or “Mudra for the Thoughts,” Hakini Mudra is alleged to reinforce mind energy. In line with the yoga custom, working towards this mudra improves focus, reminiscence and focus. I realized Hakini Mudra from yoga instructor Jenny Otto, as a place that may give us entry to completely different areas of our “respiration area.”
Why Develop Your Respiration House?
In line with an article in Therapeutic massage & Bodywork Journal, “The Science of Mouth vs. Nostril Respiration” by John Douillard, the ribcage turns into a literal cage for our lungs and diaphragm over time. Extreme sitting, shallow respiration and sedentary life all contribute to this drawback. When the ribcage turns into inflexible, the diaphragm can not totally contract after we inhale. Consequently, our respiration turns into shallower.
Right here’s how Douillard explains it:
”When the diaphragm contracts, it attracts oxygen into the lungs, forcing the ribcage to increase. Over time, because the ribcage turns into extra rigicl, the diaphragm weakens and can’t totally contract on inhalation and loosen up on exhalation. This implies the breath sample turns into shallow. Over time, we’re more likely to change into shallow breathers, partaking in what known as over respiration.
“Throughout shallow respiration, 75 p.c of the oxygen we inhale is exhaled unused. Shallow respiration additionally forces us to breathe out extreme carbon dioxide. On this shallow respiration state, the oxygen ranges within the blood keep excessive whereas CO2 ranges plummet. That is the proper storm for anxiousness, which is why when of us have a panic assault, they attempt to enhance carbon dioxide ranges by respiration right into a paper bag. Whereas persistent blood ranges of extra oxygen and low-carbon dioxide improve the physique’s srress response, rising blood ranges of carbon dioxide even have a sedation impact on the physique.“
I extremely advocate you learn all the article (linked above). It offers important details about the significance of diaphragmatic respiration. It’s a should for yoga lecturers!
How you can Observe Hakini Mudra to Develop the Breath
Hakini Mudra may give us entry to the decrease, center and higher respiration areas, just by how we contact our fingertips.
- Start by discovering a cushty seated place. Be sure you have sufficient assist beneath your hips in order that your backbone can relaxation in its pure curves. Right here’s an article with strategies for figuring out the most effective meditation cushion on your physique. You can too follow in a chair if sitting on the ground doesn’t work on your physique.
- Place your fingertips collectively. Contact evenly; be certain that your fingers are usually not urgent laborious. On the identical time, your fingers ought to join solidly—not too laborious, not too smooth.
- Take 5 or extra deep breaths, adjusting your posture to accommodate deep respiration. Be sure that your ribcage and stomach are increasing outward as you inhale, and contracting inward as you exhale. Inhale totally, however with out pressure. Exhale fully, with out pressure.
- Now press your pinky and ring fingers collectively barely extra firmly than the opposite fingers. Proceed to breathe, and spot the place you are feeling the “middle” of your breath inside your torso. Take 5 to 10 deep breaths.
- Let go of the pinky and ring fingers, touching them evenly once more. Then press the center fingers collectively barely extra firmly than the others. Take 5 to 10 deep breaths, noticing the place you are feeling the middle of your breath.
- Let go of the center fingers, touching them evenly once more. No press the thumbs and index fingers collectively a bit extra firmly than the others. Take 5 to 10 deep breaths, noticing the place you are feeling the middle of the breath.
- Now contact the fingers evenly, evenly, and take just a few extra breaths earlier than returning to common respiration.
Whilst you’re working towards, be happy to change backwards and forwards between steps 4-6 that can assist you really feel variations in how the finger contact influences your respiration. Observe this any time to assist maintain your ribcage and diaphragm supple, and your breath free and simple.
About Charlotte Bell
Charlotte Bell found yoga in 1982 and started instructing in 1986. Charlotte is the creator of Conscious Yoga, Conscious Life: A Information for On a regular basis Observe and Yoga for Meditators, each printed by Rodmell Press. Her third e-book is titled Hip-Wholesome Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Information to Defending the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Ache (Shambhala Publications). She writes a month-to-month column for CATALYST Journal and serves as editor for Yoga U On-line. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte performs oboe and English horn within the Salt Lake Symphony and folks sextet Crimson Rock Rondo, whose DVD received two Emmy awards.
