SACRED HANDS: EXPLORING MUDRAS IN THE DHARMA LIFE

The hands are incredibly sensitive because they have some of the most densely packed areas of nerve endings in the human body. Through our hands we interact with the world in a myriad of ways that are so automatic and habitual that we often give them little thought.

Mudras are symbolic ritual gestures made with the hands and fingers which originate from ancient cultures and spiritual traditions. Mudras are used in yoga, Buddhist, Hindu and Jain practices. They are an expression of devotion, faith and respect, and said to aid the balance and flow of energy in the body helping to calm the mind and enhance concentration.

In Buddhism, mudras point to what is beyond words and concepts towards the qualities of the enlightened mind itself. Through exploration of symbolic gestures we can move into a closer deeper relationship with the Buddha and Bodhisattvas that is beyond words.

Kayāmokshinī will share how developing awareness of the hands and holding them in symbolic forms has inspired and enriched her Dharma practice both during meditation and in daily life, and she will invite us to try out some mudras for ourselves.