Before that, let’s understand the importance of yoga mudras as healing agents.
Significance Of Yoga Mudras
Yoga mudras are an independent branch of yoga, apart from asanas and breathing techniques. Mudra means gesture or attitude, and it connects one body part to another. A mudra might involve your entire body or just your hand. There are five kinds of yoga mudras – Hasta (hand) mudras, Mana (head) mudras, Kaya (posture) mudras, Bandha (lock) mudras, and Adhara (perineal) mudras. These mudras initiate currents through the body, balancing the body’s elements and restoring them. Yoga mudras balance the five life-sustaining elements (fire, water, wind, sky, and earth) in your body and cure diseases caused as a result of an imbalance in these five elements. Hasta mudras are more familiar than the others, and your fingers in the hand mudras represent the five life-sustaining energies in the body. They serve as electrical connections to the body, and their placement adjusts the flow of energy, invoking the five life energies to carry out their specific functions accurately.
Hasta Yoga Mudras For Asthma
There are a set of 16 hand mudras that help in healing various ailments of your body. These mudras can be practiced while sitting, standing or even walking. You need to ensure the mudras are symmetrical and your body is relaxed. Some of the hasta mudras effectively regulate oxygen intake, clear the bronchial tubes, and ease breathing. Those hand mudras are mentioned below, and regularly practicing them will give relief from asthma.
Asthma Curing Hasta Mudras
1. Asthma Mudra
Benefits: Asthma Mudra relieves and prevents asthma attacks. Procedure: Bring your palms together. Bend the middle fingers of both the hands in such a manner that the upper halves of both the fingers are lowered, and the nails of the bent middle fingers are pressed against each other. The other fingers are kept at a distance from each other, and the palms are slightly apart. Practice the mudra for 7-10 minutes every day.
2. Bronchial Mudra
Benefits: This mudra helps you get rid of chest congestion and bronchitis and is life-saving during an asthma attack. Procedure: Open up your palm. Place your little finger at the base of your thumb and your ring finger at the upper thumb joint. Then, put your middle finger on the thumb’s pad. Leave the index finger extended outwards. Practice this mudra for about 5 minutes every day.
3. Prithvi Mudra
Benefits: This mudra increases the earth element in your body and boosts your immune system. Procedure: Sit comfortably either in the Padmasana or Vajrasana or on a chair. Let the tip of your ring finger touch the tip of your thumb. Apply gentle pressure while doing so. The other fingers have to be kept straight and taut. Practicing this mudra for 30-45 minutes every day is good.
4. Linga Mudra
Benefits: This mudra keeps your respiratory system intact and clears phlegm from your windpipe. Procedure: Sit or stand comfortably. Clasp your hands in such a manner that your fingers are intertwined. Place it near your chest. Point your left thumb upward and encircle your left thumb with the right thumb and right index finger. Maintain the mudra intact for 15 minutes while breathing normally.
5. Surya Mudra
Benefits: This mudra is useful to cure severe cold and nose blockage. Procedure: Sit or stand in a comfortable position. Bring your hands in front of your chest. Keep your palms open and facing outward. Now, keep the tip of your index fingers of both the hands at the base of your thumbs and place the thumbs on top of the index fingers. Make sure the other fingers are straight and kept together. Retain the mudra for about 15 minutes. Do it thrice a day.
Now, let’s answer some queries regarding yoga mudras and asthma. Can you die from an asthma attack? Yes, it is possible to die from an asthma attack when proper care is not taken and when one is not vigilant to worsening symptoms. What first aid to follow during an asthma attack? When you get an asthma attack, try to sit upright immediately, loosen your clothes and use your inhaler. Can asthma be completely cured? Though asthma cannot be completely cured, it is possible to treat and control the symptoms. This will save the patient from regular bouts of coughing and breathing difficulties. What are the common triggers of an asthma attack? Common triggers of asthma are breathing polluted air, exposure to cold weather, stress, and medications among others. Who is more prone to asthma? People in developed and industrialized countries are more prone to asthma than the developing nations. The number of boys with asthma is more than the number of girls in the age group 0-12 years, and the number of women who have asthma increases with age. Why is asthma worse at night? When you lie down to sleep, it is easier for your nasal secretions to accumulate in your air pipes and make it difficult for you to breathe. Can I exercise or play sports when I have asthma? Yes, people with asthma can exercise and play sports. These activities help strengthen the chest and make the lungs work better. The yogic science is vast, and there is nothing it cannot cure. Hasta mudras seem like simple hand gestures, but their healing effects are immense and can save you from chronic diseases. Scores of people across the world suffer from asthma, and these hand gestures are the need of the hour to control asthma and eventually cure it. Give them a shot!
