One of the most common questions directed my way by Sydneysiders via my Online Yoga Classes in Sydney is – how to achieve blissful sleep without relying on addictive pills.
Sweet Sydneysiders you are not alone in this predicament. Half the world is looking for answers to a peaceful nights rest.
Imagine using some simple hand gestures which would enable one to calm the mind and prepare the body for restful sleep, from which we would wake up feeling rejuvenated , energised, enthusiastic and eager to take on the day! Intrigued? Well, I discovered this treasure-nugget in yoga and I am sharing here the secret of overcoming that elusive sleep.
The remedy is ‘mudras’ – a millennia-old practice that has stood the test of time.
Be advised though that common sense entails living a balanced life with sensible habits and then over and above that use ‘Mudras’ to further bolster deep restful sleep.
What prevents us from sinking into that restful state of sleep is essentially, stress, incorrect diet and lack of physical exercise for the body. We must keep working diligently in these three areas and in addition use ‘Yoga Mudras’ to stimulate and direct our vital energy flow in a way conducive to deep restful sleep.
Use these three ‘Mudras’ to lay the foundation for soft serene sleep to come to us.
Prana Mudra (Mudra of Life) – ‘Prana’ is the Sanskrit term meaning ‘life force’, Prana Mudra is a powerful gesture that activates latent energy within our body. To perform this mudra, we touch the tips of our ring and little finger to the tip of our thumb while keeping the other two fingers straight. This induces balancing of the Earth, Water and Fire elements within us. If the energy within us is scattered and not flowing in balance, we will feel disconnected and sleep will elude us. This mudra revitalizes us by channelling the panic energy flow in a steady strong stream, centering us and eliminating feelings of stress.
Prithvi Mudra (Earth Mudra) – This Mudra grounds and stabilises us. The Earth element within us is represented by our solid structures; our musculature and our skeletal framework. When the Earth element within us is in balance we are able to approach the sleep state from a place of security. Sleep becomes easier to access. This Mudra is formed by joining the tip of the thumb and the ring finger together, while keeping the other other three fingers extended out straight. Do this mudra on a regular basis to remain steady and grounded.
Adi Mudra (Primordial Mudra) – This mudra is formed by bending the thumb into the palm and folding the other fingers over it. Essentially the hand is in a fist with the thumb curled inside. We can hold our hands in this position while lying down to sleep and take ten slow deep breaths. This Mudra induces deep restfulness and is conducive to falling asleep. Little babies can be seen sleeping with their hands in this position, due to which this Mudra is also called the ‘baby’s gesture’
Conclusion
Sign up for Online Yoga Classes in Perth at Yoga with Sapna and learn more about Mudras and all other yoga practices. In my experience people who do a strong regular yoga practice are fast asleep as soon as their head touches the pillow! Perform Mudras correctly and take a proactive step to further bolster sound regular sleep and bid farewell to any form of sleeplessness.