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The Sanskrit word Mudra comes from the root Mud, which means “to commune or to bring together”. It literally means “joining (of the Lower Self with the Higher Self)”, and is represented in a facet of yoga, called Mudra Yoga.
In simple terms, the word mudra is translated to mean “gesture” or “seal”. Though these “gestures” are mainly thought of as specific hand positions, they can take form using many body parts and positions. A mudra can represent a gesture of the fingers, the hands, the neck and throat, within the oral cavity, the anus, or the entire body. Thus, mudra would not be traditionally considered a branch of yoga itself, but rather a class of practices which would be seen as a key component of the Hatha Yoga
tradition.
These gestures are at once energetically as well as physiologically relevant. From an energetic perspective, mudras help to create or accentuate particular pranic currents through the body during the practice of asanas and pranayama
. In general, we could say that mudras are performed in order to both close body apertures, as well as to complete subtle circuits of energy flow, in order to contain and to direct the flow of energy in desired ways. As a yoga practice becomes more advanced, mudras become increasingly important for controlling and guiding the pranic energy which is being absorbed by the body during the physical techniques.
Physiologically, mudras can affect nerve impulses and blood flow, as well as stimulate glandular activity, and are also used to intensify the effects of different pranayamas.
Source: International Yogalayam, http://www.intl-yoga.com
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