Añjali Mudrā
Encyclopedia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. It is used as a sign of respect and a greeting in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and amongst yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
practitioners and adherents of similar traditions. The gesture is incorporated into many yoga asanas.
Etymology
Anjali is SanskritSanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
for "offering", "a gesture of reverence", "benediction", "salutation", and is derived from anj, meaning "to honour or celebrate".
Mudra
Mudra
A mudrā is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism. While some mudrās involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers...
means "seal" or "sign". The meaning of the phrase is thus "salutation seal".
The gesture is also known as hrdayanjali mudra meaning "reverence to the heart seal" (from hrd, meaning "heart") and atmanjali mudra meaning "reverence to the self seal" (from atman, meaning "self").
The gesture first appears c.4000 years ago on the clay seals of the Indus Valley Civilization
Indus Valley Civilization
The Indus Valley Civilization was a Bronze Age civilization that was located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, consisting of what is now mainly modern-day Pakistan and northwest India...
http://www.khandro.net/mysterious_naga.htm.
Description
In the most common form of anjali mudra, the hands are held at the heart chakra
Anahata
Anahata is the fourth primary chakra according to the Hindu Yogic and Tantric traditions.In Sanskrit the word anahata - means unhurt, un-struck and unbeaten...
with thumbs resting lightly against the sternum. The gesture may also be performed at the Ajna
Ajna
Ajna is the sixth primary chakra according to Hindu tradition.-Location:The Ajna chakra is positioned in the brain, directly behind the eyebrow centre, while its ksehtram or superficial activation site is at the eyebrow region, in the position of the 'third eye'.-Appearance:Ajna is white in...
or brow chakra with thumb tips resting against the "third eye" or at the crown chakra
Sahasrara
Sahasrara/ Sahastrara is the seventh primary chakra according to Hindu tradition.-Location:Sahasrara is either located at the top of the head in that one area, or a little way above it .-Appearance:Sahasrara is described with 1,000 multi-coloured petals which are arranged in 20 layers each of them...
(above the head). In some yoga postures, the hands are placed in anjali mudra position to one side of the body or behind the back.
Anjali mudra is normally accompanied by a slight bowing of the head.
Symbolic meaning
Anjali mudra has the same meaning as the Sanskrit greeting NamasteNamaste
Namaste is a common spoken valediction or salutation originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is a customary greeting when individuals meet, and a valediction upon their parting. A non-contact form of salutation is traditionally preferred in India and Namaste is the most common form of such a...
and can be performed while saying Namaste or Pranam, or in place of vocalizing the word.
The gesture is used for both greetings and farewells, but carries a deeper significance than a simple "hello" or "goodbye". The joining together of the palms is said to provide connection between the right and left hemispheres of the brain and represents unification or "yoking". This yoking is symbolic of the practitioner's connection with the divine in all things. Hence, performing anjali mudra is an honouring of both the self and the other as the gesture acknowledges the divinity of both practitioner and recipient.
Physical benefits
Anjali mudra is performed as part of a physical yoga practice with an aim to achieving several benefits. It is a centering pose which helps to alleviate mental stress and anxiety and is therefore used to assist the practitioner in achieving focus and coming into a meditative state.The physical execution of the pose helps to promote flexibility in the hands, wrists, fingers and arms.
Use in full body asanas
While anjali mudra may be performed by itself from any seated or standing posture, the gesture is also incorporated into physical yoga practice as part of many full-body asanas including:- anjaneyasana (lunge) - with arms overhead
- hanumanasanaHanumanasanaHanumanasana, or Monkey Pose is an asana.- Etymology :The name comes from the Sanskrit words Hanuman and asana , and commemorates the giant leap made by Hanuman to reach the Lankan islands from the mainland of India.- Description :The yogi pushes one leg forward and one leg backwards until they...
(monkey pose) - malasanaGarland PoseGarland Pose, Malasana , or Yoga Squat is an asana.- Etymology :The name comes from the Sanskrit words mala meaning "garland" and asana meaning "posture" or "seat".- Description :...
(garland pose) - matsyasanaMatsyasanaMatsyasana or Fish Pose is an asana.It is commonly considered a counter-pose to Sarvangasana, or shoulder stand, specifically within the context of the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Primary Series.-Etymology:...
(fish pose) - an advanced variant - prasarita padottanasana (wide-legged forward bend) - an advanced variant with hands behind the back
- tadasanaTadasana- Etymology :The name comes from the Sanskrit words tada meaning "mountain" and asana meaning "posture" or "seat".- Description :It is a very basic standing posture with feet together and hands at the sides of the body. Yoga practitioners consider it a pose that promotes confidence and happiness...
/samasthiti (mountain pose) - a variant of the pose used during sun salutation sequences - urdhva hastasanaUrdhva Hastasana-Etymology:The name comes from the Sanskrit words urdhva meaning "upward", and hasta meaning "hand", and asana meaning "posture" or "seat".-Contraindications and cautions:...
(upward salute/extended mountain pose) - arms overhead - virabhadrasana I (warrior I) - arms overhead
- vrksasanaVrksasanaVriksasana or tree pose is a asana.- Etymology :The name comes from the Sanskrit words vriksa or vriksha meaning "tree", and asana meaning "posture" or "seat".- Description :...
(tree pose)
See also
- List of mudras
- Gassho
- NamasteNamasteNamaste is a common spoken valediction or salutation originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is a customary greeting when individuals meet, and a valediction upon their parting. A non-contact form of salutation is traditionally preferred in India and Namaste is the most common form of such a...
- SampeahSampeahThe Sampeah is a Cambodian greeting or a way of showing respect. It is very similar to the Thai wai and the Indian Añjali Mudrā/namasté. While performing the sampeah, the person places his palms together in a prayer-like fashion while bowing slightly...
- WaiThai greetingThe Thai greeting referred to as the wai consists of a slight bow, with the palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion. It has its origin in the Indic Añjali Mudrā, like the Indian namasté and the Cambodian sampeah...