________________
Appendix C
Mudras Relevant to Pranayama
The Sanskrit word mudra is translated as 'attitude' or 'gesture'. Attitude is something which reflects mind in body, and body in mind. With a little observation, we can learn a lot about someone's mental state by the way they walk, sit, act, and so on. A person who is frightened will walk quite differently from someone who is angry. This 'body language' is a constant communication between the annamaya kosha (physical body) and the other koshas, via the network of nadis in the pranayama kosha. Even simple hand or facial gestures will have a corresponding 'gesture' in the subtle body.
Tantra has developed this knowledge into a system of mudras which are specific attitudes of the body relating to specific attitudes of mind. The mudra may be a whole body position or a simple finger position, but the effect is transmitted through all levels of the pancha kosha, and the appropriate 'signal' transferred from gross to subtle.
This flow of information through the pranamaya kosha is a two-way process. People experiencing altered states of consciousness have been known to perform mudras spontaneously, representing a transmission from subtle to gross. Conversely, we can reverse the signal and send a message to the mind by adopting a physical attitude or mudra. The effects are very subtle. It would require great sensitivity for someone to be able to perceive a change of consciousness simply by joining the thumb and index finger together, but
308
