This mudra has a calming effect and can also invoke compassion for others and for self. To do the mudra: Curl first finger into base of thumb, bring tips of middle fingers to tip of thumb.
One of the first things I say to a new group of Beginners is that through practising yoga we’re aiming to increase our resilience to life’s ups and downs, especially the stuff that’s out of our control. Last Wednesday my Beginners had a graphic example of their Yoga Teacher being tested on this: as they walked up my garden path for their yoga class, a posse of my elderly relatives were lurching down it – zimmer frames n’all. My schedule had got uncomfortably tight.
The week was already full with several classes, struggling to understand audio file types for new yoga downloads and an upcoming meeting in London, when my Mother rang up “You’ve got to see your Auntie Gwen, because she’ll probably be dead soon”. After such a gloomy prediction I didn’t feel able to refuse. So with a heavy heart and rising anxiety, I agreed they could come for afternoon tea during a two hour window of time between classes. In the event, the Relatives arrived 40 minutes before the start of my evening class, oblivious to the fact that I would need them to leave again half an hour later. That night I dreamed that my bedroom was full of random acquaintances – a sure sign that I was feeling overwhelmed. When I went for acupuncture the next day my muscles were so tense they bent the needle!
In the calm after the chaos of last week I’m wondering if I could have organised things better or coped with things better. I posted about the tea party on Facebook and one of my students said “Heart Mudra, Amanda, Heart Mudra” and she was spot on. In the whirlwind of busy-ness I’d forgotten this valuable resource. As well as having a calming effect, Hridaya Mudra helps generate compassion for self and others. But the resources I had remembered were these:
1. I observed my breath and checked for any restriction (yes it was restricted – and so I needed to release it repeatedly) When alone I practised ujjayi as I moved from task to task.
2 When standing, I felt the contact of my feet with the ground, including the base of big toes, base of little toes and my heels. I checked to see if I was leaning forwards or backwards (I was tending to lean forwards – so I had to shift weight)
3. When sitting, I felt my sitz bones in contact with the chair to get grounded and again checked if I was leaning forward or back. (I was tending to lean forwards)
4. In my morning practice I meditated (although of course that was extra hard to do)
This quote by Marcel Morin resonates with me in the aftermath of my manic week
Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart.
