ॐ Mudra
A mudra (Sanskrit: मुद्रा, "seal", "mark", or "gesture"; Tibetan: chakgya,) is a symbolic or ritual gesture or pose in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. Murdas are spiritual gestures employed in the iconography and spiritual practice to communicate non-verbally, as well as control energies, and have meaning in many forms of Indian dance, and yoga. Most mudras are performed with hands and fingers, while some involve the entire body.
In Hatha yoga, mudras are used in conjunction with pranayama (yogic breathing exercises), generally while in a seated posture, to stimulate different parts of the body involved with breathing, and to affect the flow of prana, bindu, citta, amrita in the body. In Hatha yoga mudras are generally internal actions, involving the pelvic floor, diaphragm, throat, eyes, tongue, abdomen, genitals, and other parts of the body.
Examples of this diversity of mudras are Mula Bandha, Mahamudra, Viparita Karani, Khecarī mudrā, and Vajroli mudra. These expanded in number from 3 in the Amritasiddhi, to 25 in the Gheranda Samhita, with a classical set of ten arising in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.
The Hatha Yoga Pradipika states the importance of mudras in yoga practice:
"Therefore the [Kundalini] goddess sleeping at the entrance of Brahma's door [at the base of the spine] should be constantly aroused with all effort, by performing mudra thoroughly."
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