Introduction

June 21 marks International Yoga Day and is celebrated as a great social movement worldwide. The ancient heritage of India (Yoga) is now a gift to the world for the well-being of people. It helps to integrate the body, mind, and soul through the practice of different Asanas and essential Yoga Mudra.

This year (AD 2024) will be the 10th anniversary of the significant day after the United Nations declared it to celebrate as ‘International Yoga Day’ in 2014. All thanks to Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India whose efforts paid off and the ancient tradition of India achieved global recognition. 

Quoting his words during the 69th United Nations General Assembly Session when he proposed the resolution to declare Yoga as an International Day:

Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition. Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action ... a holistic approach [that] is valuable to our health and well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world, and nature.

What Is Yoga?

‘Yoga’ is a Sanskrit origin word derived from  ‘Yuj’, which means ‘to join’ or ‘to yoke’ or ‘to unite’. The essence of the word reflects a great unity between mind and body. The practice of Yoga helps in balancing between them.  However, It is a complex activity that exposes us to the extremely subtle science of the body beyond the Physical and spiritual experiences. 

Who Is Yogi Or Yogini?

Yogic practices help recognize the existence of that subtle body inside the gross physical body. This is the Hindu Philosophy according to which Yoga is the only medium to identify the “True You / I”. Once you identify your subtle body and unite it with your gross physical body through Yoga, you attain enlightenment or self-realization and are termed as ‘Yogi’ (Masculine Version), the feminine version of which is termed as Yogini.

Lord Buddha and Lord Mahavira are the key people who attained enlightenment through yogic practices. Lord Shiva is referred to as ‘AdiYogi (The First Yogi)” in the Yogic culture. 

Types Of Yoga

In the Bhagavad Gita, there is a brief lecture on Yoga by Lord Krishna to Arjun. The holy book (Bhagavad Gita) contains many Slokas that highlight the three significant types of Yogas with deep understanding:

Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action)

Karma is the Sanskrit origin word for 'Action'. Therefore, Karma Yoga is called the Yoga of Action. Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita teaches Arjun to perform his duty(action) without expecting any reward in return. This is the core idea of Karma Yoga that leads to the path of selfless service. Practising Karma Yoga, cleanses your heart and helps you to overcome ego and jealousy. 

Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Devotion)

'Bhakti' is the Sanskrit Originin word for 'Devotion'. The core concept of Bhakti Yoga is to surrender yourself. In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna orders Arjuna to surrender himself to the Supreme God (Lord Krishna), because it is the only way to attain Moksha (Liberation) in the spiritual path. Practicing Bhakti Yoga gives the right direction to all your emotions and connects you with the supreme deity. 

Jnana yoga (Yoga of Knowledge)

'Jnana' is the Sanskrit origin word for 'Knowledge'. The core concept of Jnana Yoga is to accumulate knowledge through the right inquiry and analysis. In the Bhagavad Gita, when the Arjuna shows disinterest in fighting with their relatives, Lord Krishna refers to it as the act of his knowledge blindness. Lord Krishna then introduces Arjuna to Brahma-Jnana, removes his spiritual and knowledge blindness, and prepares him to fight instead of surrendering. 

5 Essential Yoga Mudra To Enlighten Your Soul

Yoga Mudra is a special kind of hand gesture that has been practiced in Hinduism for ages. The Hindu Deities are usually depicted posing yoga mudras. Learn about some of the essential yoga mudras practices widely in yogic culture:

Abhaymudra

'Abhay' is a Sanskrit origin word that means 'without fear' or 'having no fear'. As the name reflects. the characteristics of this Yoga Mudra helps to become fearless. The Abhay Mudra is formed with the right hand, which is kept upright, facing the palm outwards. It is one of the earliest depicted gestures for protection, peace, and fearlessness.

Varadamudra

'Varada' is the Sanskrit origin word derived from 'Varadan (Blessings)'. It is a significant gesture for providing boons and granting wishes. To form this gesture, the hand is held out with the palm uppermost and fingers pointing downwards.

Dhyan Mudra

'Dhyan' is a Sanskrit origin word used in the sense of 'Meditation'. It is composed of 'Dhi' and 'Yaan', which refers to intellect or deep meditation. The element 'Dhi' is used as a prefix or Suffix with various other words yielding the same meaning as Dhyan. Take for example - Buddhi (Budh + Dhi), and Samadhi (Sama + Dhi).

It is a gesture of complete spiritual enlightenment and posing it refers to going into the stage of Samadhi or deep meditation. To form this Yoga Mudra, keep both hands upturned and relaxed overlapping each other on the lap. Ensure that the palm of the right hand is kept above the palm of the left hand with the thumbs of both hands touching each other to create a triangular shape. 

You must also learn that the process of enlightenment starts from Dhyan and ends with Samadhi. Dhyan is the initial stage while Samadhi is the final or ultimate stage in which you attain the equanimous state of intellect. 

Bhairav Mudra

'Bhairav' is termed the most fierce incarnation of Lord Shiva, the consort of whom is Kaal Bhairavi (the most fierce incarnation of Goddess Parvati). Because of its association with the fierce form of Lord Shiva, the Bhairav Mudra signifies a terrifying attitude. Posing this yoga mudra helps you destroy fear inside you and imbalance the Body's energy flow. 

You can form this mudra in the same manner as the Dhyan Mudra but with a slight difference. The difference is that, unlike Dhyan Mudra, the Thumbs of either hand do not touch each other to form a triangle. 

Bhoomisparsh Mudra 

Bhoomisparsh (Touching the Ground or Earth) Mudra is also known as Earth Witness Mudra. Posing this Yoga Mudra symbolizes that you are requesting Mother Earth to become a witness of your intellect and spiritual enlightenment.

Lord Buddha is usually depicted in this Yoga Mudra. It is believed that after getting enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, he touched Mother Earth with his Right Hand to request her to witness his enlightenment. 

In this Mudra, the left hand is upturned on the lap while the right-hand touches Mother Earth with all five fingers supporting the right knee. This way, it conveys that Mother Earth is the witness to attaining one’s enlightenment. 

Difference Between Traditional and Modern Yoga

Traditional Yoga is the ancient method of practicing yoga to attain enlightenment through traditional Yogic practices. Modern Yoga is the Western adoption of Hath Yoga (A branch of Yoga) for the well-being of the physical body. Let's have a look at some key points about both of them:

Traditional Yoga

(a) Traditional Yoga is the Indian version of Yoga which primarily focuses on Meditation.

(b) It aims to identify the subtle body inside you and establish its coordination with the Gross Physical Body.

(c) The main objective of traditional yoga is to attain enlightenment through meditation.

(d) It involves practicing different kinds of Mudras while meditating.

(e) Lord Shiva, Lord Buddha, and Lord Mahavira are some prominent figures of Traditional Yoga.

Modern Yoga

(a) Modern Yoga is the Western modulation of Yoga developed from the ancient Hath Yoga of the Indian continent.

(b) It aims to perform different Physical activities through different Asanas.

(c) Its main objective is to get relief from stress and bodily pain.

(d) Modern yoga is considered just as the medium of exercise hence the term 'Yoga as Exercise'.

(e) Swami Vivekananda and Paramhansa Yogananda, Yoga Guru Ramdev are the prominent figures of Modern Yoga.

Conclusion

Yoga is the method of harmonizing the body, mind, and soul through the scientific techniques of consciousness. The various techniques including Yoga Mudra, Dhyan, and Asana help you to become a pro at the conscious and subconscious levels. It is a timeless gift of our ancestors to us for the enlightenment of our soul and body.

FAQs

Q1. How does Yoga Mudra work?

Ans. Yoga Mudra is a special kind of hand gesture that helps to improve health by attracting positive energies towards you. There are various Yoga Mudras for different purposes that work by routing the energy flow in our body through various manners. 

Q2. What are the benefits of Yoga Mudra?

Ans. The various Yoga Mudra benefits differently. Take for example - Abhay Mudra removes your fear, Varada Mudra is for blessing, and Bhairav Mudra helps to destroy your inner fear and imbalance the energy flow in your body. 

Q3. Who is the first Yogi in Yogic culture?

Ans. Lord Shiva is considered to be the first Yogi in Yogic culture therefore he is referred to as the Adiyogi (First Yogi). He taught profound yoga knowledge to Sapt Rishi and this way the knowledge is passed to mankind.