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Mudras & Hand Symbolism: What Are Mudras? Part 1-2
[Note: This paper contains images which may be seen as
originally published at our website]
When we study Eastern philosophies, beliefs, culture, and the pragmatic yogic
methods of Hinduism and Buddhism, we often come across practices of systematic
hand gestures. The rites, rituals, initiations, dances, and spiritual
disciplines of these Oriental religions and traditions are replete with
multifold forms of hand gestures with symbolic meanings and empowering virtues.
In Sanskrit these gestures are called mudra. Mudra means "seal," or
"symbol." The word has various connotations or definitions in Yogic
and Tantric philosophies. In Hatha yoga, mudras are special physical asanas, or
body-postures; they are also certain exercises or processes that arouse into
activity one's innate energies. The ancient yogic text, the "Gheranda-Samhita,"
describes twenty-five of these mudras among which are: ashvini-mudra,
bhujangini-mudra, kaki-mudra, khecari-mudra, maha-mudra, manduki-mudra,
matangi-mudra, nabho-mudra, pashini-mudra, sahajoli-mudra, shakti-calani-mudra,
shambhavi-mudra, tadagi-mudra, vajroli-mudra, viparita-karani-mudra, yoni-mudra,
etc.
The above yogic manual advises us that these mudras are to be kept secret with
great care and not to be conveyed to anyone unfit for their reception as these
mudras could confer tremendous power and psychic abilities called siddhis. Those
without the right spiritual qualifications could cause untold harm to themselves
and others should they engage in these exercises and be successful in unfolding
occult faculties. The psychic powers acquired therefrom would be misapplied,
misused and abused for egoistic purposes--and this is potentially fatal for
one's evolutionary growth. These mudras were therefore esoteric in nature and
reserved for the chosen few--the true spiritual aspirants, and not for the
worldly-minded or the overly spiritually ambitious. This doctrine "for the
few" was observed carefully by mostly all spiritual traditions. In one
ritualistic text of the Vajrayana Tantra concerning an initiatory teaching, the
chela or student is enjoined to,
" . . . spread this teaching with great caution. It should be kept secret
from both sinful and Dam Med (oath-breakers) persons; from sophisticated and
foulmouthed persons. This teaching should not be given to skeptical and
defamatory persons; it should not be bestowed upon heretical and insincere
persons. It should not be given to the thief of Dharma [spiritual doctrines] or
to those who do not observe the precepts. Keep this sacred teaching from such
persons is a rule you should observe."
In his manual on yoga, which consists of 195 Sutras, Patanjali never once
mentioned mudras, nor the serpent force, or kundalini for that matter. Perhaps
he considered these teachings esoteric and not meant for general circulation.
Aside from the possible acquisition of paranormal powers as one result of the
awakening of the kundalinic force lying latent at the base of the spine, the
mudras described by the Gheranda-Samhita also results in rejuvenation, and the
sought for liberation from the mortal, human condition. Intense and constant
practice of these mudras in conjunction with other spiritual exercises is said
to have the power to transform man into a living god. Hand mudras, we believe,
do have this kind of effect.
Hindu Tantrism has a different understanding of mudras. To the practitioners of
Tantra, the term refers to a shakti, a human female participant in the maithuna,
or sexual rites; or even to the parched grain as one of the five ingredients
used in the panca-tattva rite because of its physical resemblance to the yoni,
the female genitalia. Shaktis are called "mudras" because in the
process of ritualistic and yogic coitus they have an effect similar to body and
hand mudras. Mudras awaken dormant psycho-physical centers and purifies certain
subtle channels allowing for the circulation of energies to take place; Mudras
facilitates concentration, and are a powerful means of communing with the forces
and divinities lying within man's inner nature; women have a great access to
psychic energies; thus, the sexual yogic act, when properly conducted, does the
same thing. Being highly respected, a woman proficient in the Tantric arts is
referred to as a "mudra," or to be more specific, "Karma mudra,"
of which there are five kinds, categorized according to various psycho-physical
characteristics.
In another sense, "closed electrical-circuits" of the subtle channels
in the physical and etheric bodies are also known as "seals," or
mudras.
In passing, we should mention that the large earrings worn by members of the
Kanphata Order in India are likewise called "mudra."
The Kagyu sect of Vajrayana Buddhism uses the suffix "maha" meaning
"great" in association with the term "mudra." Thus, the
conjoined word mahamudra means "the Great Seal," or "the Great
Symbol." In this context, the word refers to a state of direct realization
and experience of the ultimate nature of the Mind or Reality where all dualities
and sense of separateness from All that Is are transcended.
Putting aside complexities, the definition of mudra is simply "symbolic
gesture." Chogyam Trungpa in his book, "Mudra," defines the word
as,
"a symbol in the wider sense of gesture or action. It is the inspiring
color of phenomena. Also it is a symbol expressed with the hands to state for
oneself and others the quality of different moments of meditation, such as
touching the earth with the right hand as a witness to Buddha's freedom from
emotional and mental frivolousness."
Yoga teachings in general explain that mudras denote the hand gestures and
movements used in the performance of dances, rituals, rites, and while engaging
in spiritual exercises such as meditation. Mudras symbolically express inner
feelings and inner psychological states; they also generate various qualities
such as fearlessness, power, charity, and peace in the practitioner and to
on-lookers.
In another ancient text called Soma-Shambhu-Paddhati, a great number of these
hand mudras are described. Perhaps the best known by yogic practitioners and
students are abhaya-mudra, anjali-mudra, cin-mudra, dhyana-mudra, and
jnana-mudra. Some of these mudras are known by other names, especially in other
cultures and spiritual traditions. It is this latter understanding of mudra that
we shall be dealing with in this series of articles.
To sum up, we present Nik Douglas' definition of "mudra" to be found
in the glossary of his book, Sexual Secrets:
(Mudras are) "mystic hand gestures used to focus subtle energy, transmit
teachings through symbols and confer psychic protection. As an aid to Tantric
meditation, mudra can also mean woman in her role as Yogini. The same term
is sometimes used to refer to cereal grains used in Tantric rites. "
The Origin of Mudras
It is not quite known when or where systematized and stylized gestures
originated. Almost all ancient cultures made use of hand signs in one form or
another. Hand Signs were employed even in earliest times in religion, in the
rhetoric art, in social intercourse, in builders' and trade guilds, etc. The
operative Masons--the Comacines, the builders of Europe's finest cathedrals, and
the hoary trade guild known as the Dionysiac Artificers--who were responsible
for the construction of ancient buildings and structures--all made use of hand
signs as a system of communication and protection of their conclaves or secret
meetings against unauthorized entry.
In Hinduism, as well as Buddhism, hundreds of mudras were formed for yogic
purposes, for ceremonies, drama, and dance. Most of these were symbolic in
nature, others, however, had metaphysical virtues. There are literally hundreds
of mudra-gestures formed by the ancient yogis and sages; however, they are all
based on four basic hand positions: the open palm, the hollowed palm, the closed
fist, and the hand with fingertips together.
In the Occident, the study of hand gestures in ritual and its spontaneous
movements is called cheironomy. It particularly relates to gestures used in
esoteric symbolism and certain forms or signs used in religious ritual. In
occultism, each hand gesture has certain significance as well as embodying a
certain force. Ritual gestures were an important part of religious ceremonies in
most ancient cultures. They were said to have the power to call upon the gods,
to unfold powers, and to affect the surroundings in various ways.
The ancient Egyptians regarded the hand poses of their god-incarnate pharaohs as
highly potent, even if it is just a pictorial representation. While depicting
these pharaohs in murals or while forming statues of them, artists were careful
not to misrepresent the mudras assumed by their sovereign for fear that it would
evoke an unwanted force.
Power in the Hands
The hands when used systematically in mudra exercises result in a wealth of
benefit for the practitioner. Not only does it improve one's health, they also
generate the energies that would empower one to live a dignified life as a child
of God. Specific hand gestures assist the unfoldment of one's divine potentials,
or inner divinity lying dormant within one's being.
Mudras facilitate the awareness of our inner nature, the reality of Spirit, the
oneness of the Cosmos. It arouses the spiritual heart to expand and express
itself with effulgent radiance. Through love, selfless love, unconditional love,
divine love, it is possible to conquer all things. It is with love that we
approach God, not through fear; fear will never take us to the divine throne. To
express love is the beginning of wisdom.
By practicing hand gestures we eventually find ourselves communicating with
Nature, for some of her esoteric languages are signs and symbols. Mudras
generate structured magnetic fields with forms that resemble computer fractuals
and images. Abstract forms reach the higher planes of life where angelic forces
reside. Thus, by performing mudras we may eventually find ourselves socializing
with cherubim and seraphim.
According to scientists we use about 10% of our brain potential. Mudra practices
may change all that, for the energies that it awakens clears all of the
vessels--physical and non-physical--of obstructions and blockages that prevent
the brain from being nourished and developed. New synapses between neurons are
formed when the brain receives a good supply of chi or prana. An increase in
I.Q., a strong memory retention, improved learning ability, and mental
alertness, are some of the results of cleared energy channels. When empowered
the brain forms new connections with the etheric brain. These connections
resemble and function as miniature sutratma, which is the link between the lower
quaternary of the microcosm and the higher components that we normally refer to
as "the Spirit" of man. The more links between the etheric and
physical brain, the more powerful and intelligent the brain becomes.
Mudras awaken the power of the hands to act therapeutically and magically. The
psychic centers in the palms and fingertips are activated to their optimal level
by the consistent application of mudras. This eventually facilitates the free
outflow and influx of cosmic forces that may be utilized for various occult
purposes. With such power, even a mere touch may mesmerize, enchant, fascinate,
or quicken the "dead." Hands with such power would definitely be an
asset not only to the metaphysical practitioner but also to those involved in
social and business affairs.
Part Two
The Various Traditions
In these series of articles we shope to describe the mudra practices to be found
in various religious practices, such as in Buddhism, and Hinduism; and in
various countries rich in cultural traditions as for instance, Japan, India,
China, Tibet, and Indonesia. Mudra teachings are also to be found in
Christianity and in the Egyptian tradition. Contemporary development of Runic
lore has also its own version of hand-gestures designed to offer psychic
benefits. We will describe some of these and teach how our readers may put these
mudras into practice to assist their spiritual unfoldment and the improvement of
their mundane lives.
Regrettably, there are many powerful mudras to be found in mystical schools and
traditions that we have not been able to get access to and thus present in these
articles. For instance, Chen Yen or Shingon Buddhism, which is considered as an
esoteric tradition, has a rich heritage on mudra practices. These mudras are
performed in conjunction with mantras and the visualization of mandalas.
According to their doctrines, mudras, mantras, and mandalas represent body,
speech, and mind. Chen Yen Buddhism teaches that the culture of these three
aspects of the microcosm leads the practitioner to a higher spiritual state of
being. Another Buddhist school that teaches mudras is the True Buddha School led
by the Living Buddha Lu Sheng-yen. One would have to be a follower of the Living
Buddha in order to acquire the mudra teachings.
The Spiritual Path
At the very outset of these articles we would caution our readers not to
misapply any phenomenal powers that they may acquire through the practice of the
mudras. Always aim for spirituality, not for the attainment of illusory baubles.
Do not strive for the phenomenal, the sensational; or be obsessed with spiritual
powers. The goal is soul-development, not self-aggrandizement. The spiritual
tyro should not succumb to self-deception, self-complacency, self-centeredness,
self-importance, and all egoistic tendencies. Until the false ego is subdued,
one has not reached the proper state where enlightenment may be acquired or
where spiritual forces and powers may be properly harnessed and applied; even
the so-called awakening and rising of the kundalini force will not be optimal in
its influence. There is too much deception here. Psychicism is often mistaken
for spirituality. Visions may delight the ego, seeing spirits may make one think
highly of oneself, the vain display of "supernatural" powers may leave
one too self-complacent. In the end the evolving soul gets stuck in the astral
mire, no matter how sublime visions or experiences may be. The nature and
apprehension of one's visions is related to one's evolutionary status. The
higher we are the more true our understanding and perception. Those who claim
the ability to see sublime visions while being morally bankrupt are only
perceiving the lower astral planes and the projections of their own subconscious
minds.
What true spirituality is cannot be stated too openly for the reason that it
would be falsely adopted or assumed by those pretending to be
"Masters" in order to fool an unwary and ignorant crowd. The true
Master, however, has his own criteria and is able to differentiate the false
from the real, the quacks from those who are genuine.
If the reader argues that he or she seeks powers so that they may be of help to
humanity it is time for introspection. With what you have right now, are you
helping humanity? Do you make sacrifices on behalf of humanity? Do you serve
selflessly? Please do not deceive yourself. It is always wise to first work upon
your own character before undertaking the unfoldment of powers. Without a true
Guru one could be led astray by dark forces posing as representatives of Light.
The spiritual path is filled with thorns and mirages. The closer one gets to the
goal, the more temptations, obstacles, tests, and trials one encounters. The
chelas, students of the spiritual path often succumbs to glamour and illusions,
false understanding and beliefs. Without the Guru's aid, they could fall. But
most often while bathing in the false astral light they forget the Guru and seek
instead temporary delights. Students of metaphysics should not attempt to fly
before they can run, run before they can walk, walk before they can stand, or
stand before they can crawl.
In their ambition to attain spiritual power and personal bliss quickly, students
of metaphysics make the mistake of jumping from Guru to Guru, from teaching to
teaching, from tradition to tradition, not realizing the traps that they are
laying for themselves, and thus delaying the divine grace that the true Guru
would channel to them. They would also not experience the Guru's essence in such
a manner; nor will they receive all that the Guru would like to give. It is like
digging a well for water. We would dig 5-6 m before reaching water. If we were
to dig a meter here, a meter there, we would end up with nothing substantial.
Students would end up confused: one Guru says this, another says that, etc.
Students that follow many Gurus simultaneously are not loyal to the instructions
of any one of them. It is also unfair to the Guru as a problem might arise in
their spiritual disciplines. Who would then be responsible for that? To which
Guru should the student go to? The spiritual aspirant is unaware that certain
traditions are incompatible, that some rays do not mix well, and that by
practicing them together these might eventuate in psychic and psychological
impediments and problems.
Masters have always cautioned us to "make haste slowly." The ancient
Rishis and Yogis were well aware of this problem of the neophyte, they therefore
established Guru Puja, or the worship of the Guru. Essentially this was not for
the purpose of glorifying the Guru in any way, it was for the purpose of
assisting the chelas or students to maintain focus, to develop divine love, to
instill a sense of identification with their Guru so that they may become like
the object of their adoration.
Students would derive the utmost benefit by sticking to a single Guru. Only in
this manner would it be possible for the chela to experience "Guru Tattva,"
"Zat Guru," or the essence of the Guru where the Supreme Being
expresses and bestows through the Guru untold spiritual wealth upon the loyal
and devoted student. We may claim that we express unconditional love; and yet,
if we do not have trust and faith in our Preceptor, if we do not apply his
instructions and advice seeking pastures in other fields and hoping for a quick
attainment, and thus destroying all that the Guru wishes his disciples to
accomplish--that is, to unfold in an orderly and proper manner--then it simply
proves that our claim of unconditional love is false.
There are agents of the dark forces stomping around looking for victims. They
entrap their prey by flattery, big promises and a show of "psychic
powers" and the like. Metaphysical students should be on guard and not fall
into their clutches for their path lead downward to the abyss.
The spiritual path toward the lofty goal of Buddhahood, human perfection, or the
ascension may be compared to a ladder consisting of many rungs. Each rung should
be treaded upon. Missing a rung would only mean returning again in a later life
time to learn or experience it. Attaining nirvana, experiencing bliss, or
acquiring an expanded consciousness is all well and good but a person is no
closer to the goal than before. Prior to starting off his career as a human soul
Man was in such a divine natural state, tranquil, blissful, sans ego; and yet he
incarnated for a reason, for a spiritual purpose. Would we negate this purpose
now by ignoring it and experiencing bliss for our own sakes alone? The goal is
the Ascension and in order to do that the quaternary principles--the physical,
the etheric, the astral, and the lower mental bodies would have to be transmuted
and raised to the causal level, and this cannot be done with the false ego still
running amuck, when the sense of mortality still holds sway, when
self-centeredness is the whole purpose of existence.
The experience of bliss does not indicate a high spiritual development. There
are various levels of bliss, not all of which originate in the blissful center
of the Soul, or Higher Self. Man possesses certain components in his being that
records past feelings whether of trauma or joy. When stimulated or cleansed
these components release their contents and is experienced by the consciousness.
This experience is often mistaken for the impregnation of the Holy Spirit.
An advanced consciousness no longer judges dualistically what it perceives. It
does not differentiate between the good and the bad, the evolved and the
unevolved, the beautiful and the ugly. It is only aware of the presence of God
in all.
When we get down to spiritual basics, psychic powers mean nothing. They do not
take a person closer to God. Possessing paranormal abilities do not make a
person spiritual. Spirituality has nothing to do with what you have or what you
know. It has to do with what you are, and how well you are expressing your
Divine Self. Therefore, in conjunction to the study of mudras we would adjure
our readers to develop purity, love, affection, detachment, disinterestedness,
gentleness, harmlessness, beauty, selflessness, self-abandonment, and other
divine virtues. Also, deepen your metaphysical knowledge of Cosmic laws and
apply spiritual precepts. Do not miss a rung of the ladder leading toward the
goal of human perfection. As said before, if any rung is missed you would have
to return to start all over again in order to tread it. It is wonderful to
unfold unconditional love and to experience bliss but do no forget that Divine
Consciousness has many spiritual aspects and attributes, each one of which the
spiritual aspirant would have to personally unfold. The person with the full
unfoldment of one or two divine virtues has still a long way to go to reach
perfection compared with another who has almost unfolded all of them but
incompletely as yet. It is therefore, difficult to judge another using human
values and perception.
Mudras are tools to spiritual development. They should be used in conjunction
with other metaphysical disciplines and not applied as a sole sadhana or
spiritual practice. There is no one method or technique that is superior to
another. They all have their place in a disciple's daily work-out, and each have
their own purpose and effect. Thus, while engaging in mudras, one should not
give up one's daily prayers, meditations, occult disciplines and other yogic
practices.
Chelas should not be attached to the sensations that mudras give--their purpose
is not to offer personal delight; rather chelas should be focused more on the
goal of human existence.
Purpose of These Series of Articles
All that we need to progress spiritually may be found within us. We were told by
the Master Jesus that heaven is within us, within our beings; it is not a place
that we go to when we pass away, or after the last angelic trumpet call during
the last days of the Apocalypse. We do not deny that in some scriptures heaven
is said to be a place. There is some truth in this belief, in this context we
may equate heaven to the various dimensions, planes of existences, or realities.
However, the heaven referred to by Master Jesus is quite different. It is more
of a state of being, a level of awareness, a spiritual attitude.
The more we depend upon our inner being, our own Self, our own resources for our
own evolvement, the more quickly we will reach the goal of human existence.
Excessive dependence upon external agencies simply prolongs our state of
ignorance and our human, mortal condition. This is one of the reasons why in
Holy Scriptures we are warned not to visit street fortunetellers, paranormals
and such, for they frequently instill in us a false sense of self-assurance and
complacency, or conversely--needless fear. They misdirect our attention to
things of no eternal worth. They are part of that materialistic scheme of the
Dark Ones that hope to delay and if possible, thwart humanity's soul progress.
Salvation does not come from without, it comes from within. The savior of
humanity lies within our own hearts. We have to find him there. This is a simple
message that all mystics and saints have been telling us. We may disregard it at
our own peril.
The purpose of these articles is to assist the raising of the awareness and the
expansion of the consciousness of our readers who apply the teachings of the
mudras. They are keys to personal development and spiritual unfoldment. By
practicing the mudras consistently, the practitioner would in time realize the
following:
The existence of unseen forces and Intelligence
The omnipresence, omnipotence and omniscience of Energy
The existence of other dimensions and realities
The oneness of all life
The errors of dualistic perception
The blissful nature of the Spirit, or the Self
The various powers of the Soul
The illusions of time and space
The birthrights of the Soul such as health, tranquility, prosperity, joy, etc.
The powerful nature of Divine Love
The ephemeral nature of physical life
Morality as a soul necessity
The sacredness of all sentient life
The reality of the Soul
. . . and many other things that cannot be put into print or understood
intellectually. Mudras may take us to spiritual heights that we have not reached
heretofore. It initiates us into the world of pragmatic mysticism. All that a
true spiritual Guru may do is to offer keys, guidance, advice, and teachings. He
or she is unable to force any chela to comply or to obey because of the Law of
Free Choice. It is up to the disciple to trust, have faith in and to open-up to
the Teacher.
One of our intentions in the writing of these articles is to help preserve an
important aspect of the cultural heritage of humanity. Here and there in these
works are to be found spiritual gems and seeds that may not be recognized as
such. In any case, we believe that they will eventually take root in the fertile
grounds of our reader's mind and sprout in an active enhancement of the human
condition disregarding commercialism and all partisanship and fanaticism of
race, religion, color, gender, tribal affiliation, etc.
Although these series of articles are incomplete and have their shortcomings,
the author feels that it would still fill the void in most people's awareness
concerning esoteric methods of spiritual development. There are many occult
techniques, systems, and traditions at our disposal, we only need to search for
the tools that work for us. An open mind, fearlessness, and humility are all
necessary qualities that would help us in our search for the keys to spiritual
knowledge and unfoldment.
We reiterate: everything that we need to evolve and grow spiritually we already
possess within us. We just need to be shown and given the keys that opens the
right portals. These articles, it is hope, would offer a bunch of these keys
that would unveil for the reader a greater world of understanding and
experience. This is what the writer wills.
Copyright © 2006 Luxamore
Bio: Leonard Lee aka Luxamore Metaphysical teacher, counseler, healer and
merchant of occult/magickal items of Indonesia. www.indotalisman.com
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