Benefits of Chinmaya Mudra and How to Do it By Dr. Himani Bisht

Introduction

The practice of yoga is believed to create a perfect balance of the body, mind, and nature. Western cultures are adopting yoga more frequently as a form of exercise. Yoga is made up of pranayama (breathing exercises), asana (postures) and mudra (gestures).

Mudras are gestures performed using the movement of hands, eyes, and the body. They are said to guide the flow of energy through our body. Hasta mudras are hand gestures. In Ayurveda, it is believed that our body is made up of 5 elements, i.e. air, fire, space, earth, and water. Our five fingers symbolize these five elements. The body is believed to be in a state of imbalance or illness if any of these elements are not balanced. When we perform mudras, our fingers come in contact with each other creating or completing the balance in our body.^1-3

Chinmaya mudra is one of the many types of hasta mudras. Let us discuss chinmaya mudra and all its benefits. 

In few articles that I have read, I read that Chinmaya Mudra may stimulate the process of assimilation in the body. By joining the thumb and index finger in this mudra, it is believed to activate specific energy pathways that enhance digestion and improve the absorption and utilization of nutrients from food. This can contribute to better overall digestion and nourishment of the body.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

What is Chinmaya Mudra?

Chinmaya is a Sanskrit word meaning supreme awareness, full of knowledge or pure wisdom. Hence, Chinmaya mudra is also known as ‘the gesture of awareness’.  

It is one of the most effective mudras for promoting physical and mental health. All five fingers (elements) are joined together in Chinmaya mudra. It is a hand gesture involving the thumb and the index finger joined along with the remaining three fingers curled at the base of your palm.^2,3 

How to Do It?

To get the optimal benefits of Chinmaya mudra, it is necessary to do it properly. Wear comfortable clothes while performing mudras. The steps to perform chinmaya mudra are as follows: 

• Sit in a comfortable position like vajrasana (kneeling pose) 
• Vajrasana is a pose in which you kneel on the floor with your toes and ankles aligned and sit on the back of your legs as you breathe out. 
• Keep your head, neck and spine as erect as possible. 
• Relax your shoulders. 
• Next, connect the index finger to the thumb such that the tips of your fingers are touching each other. 
• Curl the remaining three fingers towards the inside of the hand so that they touch the base of the hand. 
• Make sure the palm of your hands is facing upwards. 
• Rest your hands on the thighs. 
• Now inhale deeply till your mid-chest region. 
• Then exhale while making the vibrational sound OOO twice or thrice as long as the inhalation. 
• Perform chinmaya mudra for a total of three rounds of inhalation and exhalation.^3,4 

Based on my experience, I have observed that practising Chinmaya Mudra may improve the flow of energy in the body. This mudra involves joining the thumb and index finger while keeping the other fingers extended. By connecting these specific points, it is believed to stimulate the flow of prana (life force energy) and enhance overall vitality and well-being.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)

Do You Know?

Here are some interesting facts about Chinmaya mudra: 

• Chinmaya mudra is regarded as one of the most effective yoga mudras for raising consciousness to higher levels. 
• In a spiritual sense, the chinmaya mudra is said to heighten inner awareness and aid in our understanding of our life priorities. 
• Chinmaya mudra is practiced by joining the index finger (individual consciousness) to the thumb (universal consciousness). Hence, it is believed that by performing chinmaya mudra one connects their consciousness to the universal consciousness.^1,2,4 

Benefits of Chinmaya Mudra:

Some potential benefits of Chinmaya mudra are given below 

1. Benefits of Chinmaya Mudra for Diabetes Mellitus (Prameha)

Diabetes mellitus is a disease caused by high amounts of sugar in the blood. A study was done by Reddy et al. in 2021 to evaluate the role of mudras in prameha (diabetes mellitus). The review concluded that the practice of chinmaya mudra, along with other yoga therapies, may potentially help in managing diabetes. However, further information and studies are required to check the efficacy of chinmaya mudra in the management of diabetes mellitus. It is necessary to consult a doctor if you have diabetes mellitus.⁵ 

2. Benefits of Chinmaya Mudra for Stress Management

Stress has become an unavoidable part of the modern-day lifestyle. Especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become more important to find ways to regulate and manage stress. Jasti et al. in 2020, conducted a study on stress management during covid-19. The study showed that there was a reduction in the stress levels of volunteers who performed chinmaya mudra along with other yoga practices. Although chinmaya mudra, with other yoga practices, may be a safe and efficient way to reduce and manage stress, more research is needed. Always consult a doctor if you are having trouble coping with chronic stress.⁶ 

3. Benefits of Chinmaya Mudra for Lungs

Ingole et al. in 2014, carried out a study to find out the effect of Chinmaya mudra along with other pranayama techniques, on pulmonary functions. A training program was conducted where the respiratory rate of the volunteers was evaluated before and after the program. Respiratory rate is the number of breaths a person takes per minute. The results showed improvement in the respiratory rate of the volunteers. Chinmaya mudra and other pranayama practices may be beneficial in managing the respiratory rate, thus, improving lung functions. However, more evidence is required to prove these claims. Therefore, please see your doctor for better health outcomes.⁷ 

4. Benefits of Chinmaya Mudra for Blood Pressure

Chinmaya mudra may be potentially beneficial in managing blood pressure. In a study conducted by Ingole et al. in 2014, a pranayama training program was held for two months. The blood pressure of the volunteers was monitored. At the end of the program, there was a notable change in the blood pressure of the group. When performed regularly, Chinmaya mudra, along with other pranayama practices, may have a significant impact on blood pressure management. More research, however, is required to demonstrate the impact of Chinmaya mudra on blood pressure. Therefore, you must consult your doctor for abnormal blood pressure instead of self-medicating.⁷ 

Other Benefits of Chinmaya Mudra:

Some potential benefits of chinmaya mudra are discussed below: 

• It may be potentially beneficial for the reduction of pulse rate. This may be attributed to the significant improvement in blood pressure when chinmaya mudra is performed regularly.  
• It might be used in increasing oxygen saturation in patients suffering from covid-19. 
• It may be used for relaxing or calming patients before dental procedures like root canals as the practice of chinmaya mudra can be used for stress management.^6-9 

Yoga practice might be useful to stimulate the mind and body. That being said, it should not be used as an alternative to any medicine. One should not rely on yoga alone to treat any condition. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional who will be able to assess your condition properly. Moreover, it is important to practice and learn yoga under the supervision of a certified yoga teacher to avoid any injuries.   

Risks of Chinmaya Mudra:

There weren’t any associated risks or contraindications that have been investigated or reported to date. However, the following points need to be noted before performing chinmaya mudra: 

• You must take extra precautions if you suffer from heart disorders.  
• Pregnant and lactating mothers should take extra care.    
• If you are performing chinmaya mudra for any health problems, makes sure not to replace it with any kind of traditional care or medicine. Consult a doctor before self-medicating or replacing any kind of medication for yoga. 
• You should not practice chinmaya mudra for a long time in a single sitting, especially if you are a beginner. Kindly consult a certified yoga trainer and perform it under their guidance.  
• If you have had any surgeries recently, it is advised that you take a professional opinion before performing chinmaya mudra.¹⁰ 

With the guidance of an experienced and certified yoga instructor, we can further analyse the risk factors and continue to practice exercise with precautions. 

Conclusion

Chinmaya mudra is a type of hasta mudra practiced for the potential betterment of physical and mental health. Chinmaya mudra helps guide the flow of energy in our body. It is a gesture of awareness. It may be beneficial for the management of lung disorders, stress and blood pressure and may also be used for increasing oxygen saturation in covid-19 patients. It is recommended to always perform chinmaya mudra under professional guidance. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References:

1. Kumar, S.N. et al. “Effect of yoga mudras in improving the health of users: A precautionary measure practice in daily life for resisting the deadly COVID-19 disease.” Lessons from COVID-19 (2022): 41–59. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-99878-9.00001-7 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9347266/  

2. S, Sunitha, and , Chandra Prakash Sharma. Mudra Therapy and Its Classification – IJHSR. Jan. 2021, https://www.ijhsr.org/IJHSR_Vol.11_Issue.1_Jan2021/IJHSR16.pdf.  

3. Bhavanani AB. Yoga for dental professional: Scope and simplified practices. Journal of Scientific Dentistry. 2017;7(1):1-1 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320615682_YOGA_FOR_DENTAL_PROFESSIONAL_SCOPE_AND_SIMPLIFIED_PRACTICES  

4. Raghupathi KV. Theory and Practice of Hastha Yoga. International Journal of Science and Consciousness. 2016;2(3):33-41. https://www.scribd.com/document/488822007/fdocuments-in-theory-and-practice-of-hastha-yoga-ijsc-in-yogic-texts-hatha-yoga-pradipika#  

5. Reddy A. Prameha and role of Pathya: A Review. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences. 2021 Jul 10;6(3):126-31. https://jaims.in/jaims/article/view/1327  

6. Jasti, Nishitha et al. “Tele-yoga for stress management: Need of the hour during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond?.” Asian journal of psychiatry vol. 54 (2020): 102334. doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102334 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7396129/  

7. Ingole, A., et al. “Effect of Pranayama on Cardiopulmonary Functions and Serum MDA Levels.” Semantic Scholar, 1 June 2021, https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Effect-of-Pranayama-on-cardiopulmonary-functions-Ingole-Bahattare/502dec58ad9b9685761965d6f8e5f4cce6cf58c0 
8. Thiruvalluvan, Akshaya et al. “Effect of Pranayama Techniques with Marmanasthanam Kriya as Yogic Relaxation on Biopsychosocial Parameters Prior to Endodontic Therapy: A Cross Sectional Study Design.” International journal of yoga vol. 14,2 (2021): 146-151. doi:10.4103/ijoy.IJOY_133_20  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8191219/  

9. Bharti, Jaya, and Manini Srivastava. Yoga: A Historical Perspective with Types, Mudras, Benefits & Risk Factor. Mar. 2018, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/361316363_YOGA_A_HISTORICAL_PERSPECTIVE_WITH_TYPES_MUDRAS_BENEFITS_RISK_FACTOR 

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