The ancient Vedic science of Yoga and Ayurveda contains a treasure of practical knowledge and techniques to live a long, happy and healthy life, that today’s modern world has only just begun to rediscover. One of these treasures is the knowledge of Mudra therapy, or ‘therapeutic and healing Mudras’. These different postures of the hands and fingers – most of which are relatively simple – can have profound and instant effects on our physical, mental and emotional state of being.

In his Yoga Sutras, Maharishi Patañjali mentions that the practice of Yoga, which includes practices such as Pranayama and meditation, allows one to ‘prevent the sorrow even before it arises:’ heyam duhkham anagatam. Ayurveda also teaches us that any health problems or imbalances on the physical, mental or emotional level are caused by certain Nadis or ‘subtle life-force energy channels’ being blocked, not allowing the Prana Shakti to flow freely and properly. By removing these blockages, balance is restored and health is regained,and Pranayama or ‘breathing techniques’ is one of the easiest ways to increase the Prana Shakti and improve its flow through the Nadis. Another easy way to cause the Prana Shakti to flow in a certain way, or to direct it to specific organs or parts of the body, is by the use of specific Mudras or ‘hand postures.