Personal Practice notes: This week I have been mainly practicing... Kali Mudra.
Kali Mudra is a mudra for focus, intention, and getting stuff done. It's a great mudra to bring into your yoga practice or just your life for areas that need a bit more 'oomph'. That could be physically, mentally or energetically. Kali mudra can provide power and sense of direction wherever you need it.
Hang on a minute... what's a mudra?
Mudra in yoga is usually translated as 'seal' (as in seal of a bottle or on an official document, not the blubbery sea creatures ðŸ¦) but I usually think of it as 'gesture'.
Mudras are usually made with the hands, although there are some that you can make with your face or with the whole body- but those are less commonly found in yoga class.
Mudras you may have already used are Chin Mudra (connect the tip of your first finger thumb on one hand, then flex the other three fingers with the palm facing up) or Namaskar Mudra (bring the palms together and place your thumbs at your breastbone), both of which ARE commonly found in yoga class.
Mudras help us to connect and connect in to different energy channels running through the body, many of which run through the fingertips which is why mudras focus on the hands.
I find it helpful to think of mudra as a way that the position of your body helps you to pay attention to something specific when you need it. Perhaps you have your own mudras that you intuitively already use in particular circumstances or situations?
What is Kali Mudra?
Kali Mudra is a symbol of power and of directing your intention and attention in an unwavering manner.
Kali is a fierce Hindu goddess of destruction who removes evil and darkness from the world in order to make room for light. It's good to remember that we can embody these qualities too when we overcome challenges and make changes in many walks of life.
This mudra is named after Kali as it shares the qualities of removing unwanted energy (tension, stress etc) whilst empowering your 'light' or desired energy (which may be focus, determination, endurance, inner strength and so on).
What are the benefits of practicing Kali Mudra?
Kali Mudra gives us a reminder and perhaps an immediate sense of our own strength and power (I, for one, immediately feel the power of this mudra when practicing it, so would definitely encourage you to try it out for yourself!).
You point the fingers towards where you need to go in life or perhaps in a particular situation (often forwards, or upwards) which means that a benefit of practice may be to 'unstick' yourself, your thoughts, your actions, and know that you are capable of change.
As a result, Kali Mudra is a great way of focusing yourself amidst uncertainty- whether that's a change in circumstances, if you're feeling anxious or have nerves about exams or interviews, or if you feel stressed about a particular situation.
I find that Kali Mudra is also brilliant if you're feeling inertia about getting on with or getting started on a particular task or project (where my fellow procrastinators at?!). It gives you the direction and the energy to just get shit done.
How do you practice Kali Mudra?
It's really simple. Interlock the fingers and thumbs of both hands and then extend both index fingers so that they press against one another, pointing up.
You can hold Kali Mudra in any number of ways, but I usually feel most beneficial pointing the fingers either up or forwards.
For a simple mudra practice I find it very helpful to sit holding Kali Mudra for 10 minutes or so and focus on the sensation where the pointing fingers press together. After having done this for a while I always feel more focused and ready to do whatever's coming up next in life. Try it for yourself and see what you notice and how you feel afterwards.
Recently I also find myself using Kali Mudra more in my yoga asana practice. I immediately notice the benefits when practicing certain movements and postures- such as Setu Bandhasana or bridge pose, using Kali Mudra instead of just pressing my palms together under my back, or in Virabhadrasana I (warrior I) where I experience the sense of height and expansion in the posture more fully by using Kali Mudra rather than simply allowing the palms to face one another.
You can easily try this out for yourself too in your own yoga practice, wherever or whenever you feel the requirement for the qualities of the mudra. Give it a go, and see what it brings you.
Feel the power of Kali Mudra with me! I specialise in yoga practices to support stress, anxiety and mood so if this sounds like something you'd benefit from exploring, contact me for a no obligation chat about how we can work together.
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