Vishnu mudra

 Vishnu mudra is a sacred hand gesture or "seal," used during yoga and meditation practice as a means of channeling the flow of vital life force energy called prana. Otherwise known as the "gesture of universal balance," this mudra is named in honor of Lord Vishnu, one of the principal deities of Hinduism.

For maximum benefit, Vishnu mudra should be practiced alongside nadi shodhana for a minimum of 5 to 10 minutes daily, ideally prior to meditation. It can be performed at any time of day, and is best practiced on an empty stomach.

Vishnu Mudra is only practiced with the right hand can be understood using five elements lies in our fingers and two major channels in our body.

The fingers and corresponding elements used in the Vishnu Mudra are;

• Thumb – fire element
• Ring and little finger – Earth & water element

And two major energy channels of the body are;

• Solar channel represented by right nostril – hot energy
• Lunar channel represented by left nostril – cool energy

When the thumb which has the fire element lies in it pressed against the right nostril, it’s perfectly matched with the solar channel or Pingala Nadi of the body. Same as, the combination of ring & little finger (earth & water element) harmonize the cool energy flowing in the lunar channel or Ida Nadi of the body.

In contrast Vishnu Mudra with our left hand posture, we have to shut your right nostril with left ring & little finger and left nostril with thumb. With the left hand, five elements don’t match with the corresponding energy channel perfectly so Vishnu Mudra isn’t practiced with the left hand.

Vishnu Mudra Benefits

1. Vishnu Mudra is actually a purification gesture. Adding breath retention in Vishnu Mudra pranayama purifies the Nadis and clears any impurities from it.
2. As in the Vishnu Mudra the index and middle fingers fold down towards the palm, it balances the excess of Vata Dosha which is composed of air and space element (corresponding element of the index and middle finger).
3. This mudra is helpful in curing heart diseases and its practice with pranayama has proved it beneficial in different breathing problems.
4. The practice of Nadi Shuddhi Pranayama through Vishnu Mudra decreases cardiovascular autonomic parameters which further reduces the level of perceived stress 1 in the students.
5. Its conjunction with pranayama helps in reducing anger.
6. In a yoga program, it’s found that doing Anulom Vilom with breath retention for 16 counts in Vishnu Mudra is helpful for anemic patients 2.