Meditation 4: Ring Finger Energy

The ring finger is associated with Apollo, the sun god, and the root chakra,
which rules the pelvic floor. This force gives stamina, staying power, and
the power to be assertive. The Chinese have classified this finger with the
deep meridian of the liver. The power of the liver gives a person patience,
serenity, hope, and vision for the future. The "triple warmer" also begins
in the tip of the ring finger. This meridian rules all protective functions in
the body and is responsible for body temperature, which in turn regulates
cell function. If it works in an optimal manner, it gives the ability to maintain
our equilibrium in stressful situations, which is also the precondition
for a well-functioning immune system. The force that dominates this finger
provides stability, is penetrating, and strives upward.

Exercise
Sit or lie down. Now encircle your left ring finger with the four fingers of
your right hand, with the right thumb extending to the middle of your left
hand. Close your eyes.
Imagine bare earth and crushed rock in all its forms—as deserts,
mountains, and islands. What happens when masses of earth begin
to move? When the earth dries out? When the earth is completely
exposed to the sun? Now imagine fertile earth. Slowly let the vegetation
be created—little plants, big plants, much green. Now focus
on one single seed resting deep within the earth. With every breath,
something moves inside until the seed bursts and a shoot stretches in the direction of the light. At the same time, it sprouts roots deep into
the earth. It becomes a tree that grows very slowly. You wait
patiently and watch how the plant develops into its full size. Time
has no significance. Only the constant growth counts. The tree
blooms anew every year, and bears fruit. Like the tree, we also do
not know why this is. Like the tree, we want to give ourselves completely
to life, and know this has its purpose, even if we will probably
never be able to completely fathom the great mystery. As the tree
changes every year, our inner development also continues. We decisively
influence whether it is joyful or sorrowful.
Keep holding your finger for a while and feel the flowing warmth. Then
encircle your right ring finger and hold it for the same amount of time.

Using Yoga Mudras to heal physical complaints

Mudras used against a great variety of health disorders are primarily found in Chinese medicine. These usually have their origin in the Five Element Theory , the principles of which are still unknown in the West. However, the Indian yoga master and healer Keshav Dev, who intensively researched the effect of the mudras many years ago, can also confirm the healing power of the mudras. He says: "Your destiny lies in your hands, and this should be taken quite literally. Not only because the hand lines show the past and future of a person, but above all because each finger has its very own functions and power within the organism. If you know how to use this power, you can maintain your physical health and mental peace. When I tell patients about the mudras, their first reaction is skepticism. They ask me, 'How can my illness be improved if I do nothing more than just press together a few of my fingers?' But as soon as they begin to trust and have carried out the exercises, they feel the effect and their skepticism changes into astonishment. Then I explain to them that these techniques, which look so simple, are extremely valuable gifts that were given to us from the most enlightened yoga masters of ancient times."

Everyone who has been involved with the healing effect of the rnudras emphasizes that a sensible lifestyle and diet must absolutely be taken into consideration. An unhealthy lifestyle usually consists of inferior diet, lack of exercise, and too little fresh air, rest, and relaxation—coupled with too much stress, worry, negative thoughts, and negative feelings. Practicing the mudras, together with a healthy diet, routine rest periods, adequate exercise (yoga, jogging, hiking, biking, etc.) will naturally lead to an optimal lifestyle. And this is the basis for health. (
When mudras are used to support the healing of chronic health disorders,
they should be routinely employed as a course of treatment over a period of several weeks or months. A chronic disease has already had its beginnings within a person many years before it actually becomes evident. Consequently, a certain amount of time is required in order to dissolve the waste materials that have deposited themselves in the arteries, organs, individual
cells, and energy fields.

Some mudras can also be used as help in an emergency (for example: lumbago, dizziness, nausea, or heart attack). Practice these when they are necessary and only as long as they are necessary. Sudden complaints are not a coincidence, but are the explosion of an imbalanced state that has already flared up within us for a longer period of time. This is why a mudra shouldn't just be used like a fast-acting medication to subdue symptoms. Get to the bottom of the matter. Meditate- ask inside yourself what this physical attack means for you. Ask persistently and honestly, for then you will also receive an honest answer. Perhaps it won't be comfortable, but it
will have a healing effect in the long run.

Yoga - mudras and music

Some clinics and rehabilitation centers use music as a component of routine therapy. We all know the healing effect of music, as a number of books have been published on the subject. But music is also good for healthy people who are occasionally plagued by weakness or physical imbalances. Since the music used for therapy plays anywhere from three to twelve minutes, and this amount of time corresponds to how long one holds a mudra, it is obvious that mudras and music can have a wonderful influence on each other.

Tension—either physical or mental-emotional— can be relieved by listening to the right kind of music. The right kind of music has a calming and relaxing effect, possibly even taking a person into a state of deep relaxation. Stress and tension can also lead to an acute or a chronic state of exhaustion that can be positively influenced by music.

If you pay attention to the following points, you can get a lot from using music with your mudras:

• Consider your own taste in music;
• Determine how long the playing time should be;
• Listen to the same piece at the same time for at least three days
in row;
• Listen consciously, and immediately let go of any thoughts
that may arise.


Which music pieces are best suited for this purpose? Helen Bonny, who developed GIM (Guided Imagery Music), writes: "Tranquilizing and relaxing music is oriented to the human heart, on a calm and relaxed pulse. Overall, tranquilizing music is distinctly calm and more harmonious, with
lightly flowing melodies. A person doesn't have to immediately fall asleep to it, but this music promotes specific feelings, such as an inner calm, relaxation, and contentment."7
According to the opinion of the GIM trainer, classical music is particularly
suited for healing and relaxing, and solo concerts have a stronger
effect than symphonies. There is a special power in slow movements—
andante, adagio, and largo. For a relaxation effect, the most suitable instrument
is the oboe, followed by the piano, the cello, the violin, the clarinet,
and the organ. Vocals are less suited for promoting relaxation. The following
keys are the most effective: C major, D major, B major, and F
major. In summary, it can be said that many low and few high frequencies
lead to relaxation. High frequency, "airy" music tends to be more suited for
a light, elevating mood. With these guidelines, you can now put together
your own appropriate and individual music pharmacy.
It is worthwhile to find out which music especially appeals to you so
you can become more conscious of your own individuality in this respect.
For example, some relaxation music has precisely the opposite effect on
me—it gets on my nerves, and even makes me feel aggressive.
Incidentally, if you have trouble taking the time to do chores around
the house, try playing some snappy marches or hot rock music, or even
techno, to bring fresh momentum into this bothersome situation!

BREATHING, VISUALIZATION, AND AFFIRMATIONS TO ENHANCE THE MUDRAS

The effect of a mudra can be immensely intensified with the breath. This is why it is very important to know what breathing does. When you understand the following principles, then you
can influence the effect of a mudra according to your own needs.

• Pay attention to a symmetrical posture and hold your arms about one inch away from your body. Even this position alone brings a sense of inner equilibrium and harmony as it regulates
the activity of the nervous system and hormonal glands.


• In addition to carbon dioxide, we also discharge expended energy on the subtle level when we exhale deeply. This is why you should always exhale vigorously several times at the beginning of a mudra. Make room for what you want to achieve.

• Always lengthen the little pause after inhaling and after exhaling by several seconds. This is the most important aspect of the breathing process. The inner powers are developed
during the pauses—on every level.

• When you practice a mudra to calm yourself, then slow your breathing.

• When you practice a mudra to refresh yourself, then intensify your breathing.

• The optimal quality of breathing is achieved when the breath is slow, deep, rhythmic, flowing, and fine.

At the beginning of a mudra meditation, exhale vigorously several times and then let the breath become deeper and slower. You now have three possibilities:

First: Focus on your hands and fingers, perceive the gentle pressure
where they touch each other;
Second: While inhaling, you can press the fingertips together a
bit more and let go of the pressure when exhaling;
Third: You can do it the other way around and apply a bit
more pressure while exhaling and let go of the pressure when
inhaling.

Every variation has its special effect. The first variation centers, creates inner equilibrium, and builds up strength in general. The second variation strengthens the will and refreshes. The third variation calms and relaxes. Try out these variations and feel the difference yourself! It is possible that you won't immediately feel the effect, but it is still there. The outer circumstances of our lives usually shape themselves according to our imagination and the contents of our minds. So we have the possibility of shaping our inner images in such a way that we enjoy life, experience success in our work, and have relationships on a loving and understanding basis. It is very important to create an unshakable faith and be filled with both fervor and serenity to accompany our self-made images.
We need to create little experiences of success for ourselves, since what functions in a small way will also succeed on a larger scale. We can slowly build and develop this confidence. Just imagine what would happen if a great many people would simultaneously imagine a beautiful world with
rich flora, content animals, happy human beings, and firmly believe that this is possible. Join in—then there will already be two of us!

If we can clearly express what we do not want and definitively formulate our wishes and needs, this can already be the beginning of a new order in life. For many years now, I have worked with affirmations— sometimes more, sometimes less. Time and time again, their astounding effects have astonished me. For example, my kitten disappeared one day. I repeated the same sentence over and over the entire day: "With divine strength and power, I find my kitten again." Toward evening, I simply knew where my kitten was. The woman was completely perplexed when I claimed that my cat was in her garage, but it was true. It is so simple, and some people even find it a bit naive. But things that are particularly simple and naive usually have the greatest effective power. The same principle applies to affirmations as it does to visualizations. Say them full of faith, fervor, and serenity. You can say them one to three times, during or after the meditation. You can also pause for a moment during the day and speak your affirmation in a quiet or a loud voice. Make use of this wonderful possibility and talk yourself into what you really want—what is good for you. If you want to get rid of something stubborn, a negation can also be helpful. Speak it at the beginning, while you are vigorously exhaling. For example, "This hatred (or resentment, feeling of guilt, pain, fear, desire to smoke, etc.) will immediately disappear and dissolve itself"

How Long is a Yoga Mudra Held?

The great masters do not agree on the length of time to practice a mudra position. The Indian mudra researcher Keshav Dev recommends holding one mudra per day for 45 minutes; chronic complaints can be eliminated in this way.6 If it isn't possible to do this, these 45 minutes can be divided into three time periods of 15 minutes each. The kinesiologist Kim da Silva, who has tested the effect of mudras over longer periods of time, recommends an individually, precisely determined time for holding each mudra. If you use a mudra as support for some type of therapy or to heal a chronic complaint, then I think it is beneficial to use it routinely, like a medication: every day at the same time and for the same length of time. Mudras that are used for acute complaints—such as respiratory and circulation problems, flatulence, exhaustion, or inner restlessness—should be discontinued when the appropriate effect is achieved. Other mudras can be practiced for 3 to 30 minutes, two to four times a day. Using a stopwatch is the ideal way to time them. The time specifications that I have assigned to the individual mudras are meant to be an orientation aid, but not a dogma. You will also notice that your hands, especially the fingers, will become increasingly sensitive and respond to the mudras much more quickly after they have been given some training. If you need 5 minutes at the start to feel the effect of a mudra, in time you will only need 10 breaths. This is a wonderful experience! However, if you are confined to your bed, then you have enough time and should permit yourself to make good use of it. Also let the visualizations and affirmations continue to have their lasting effect afterward. You can use this time for your own benefit, for the healing of the body, mind, and soul.

The effect of a mudra may be perceived immediately or only after a certain amount of time. You start to feel warm, the sense of unwellness and pain fade away, your mood improves, and your mind is refreshed. But exactly the opposite may occur at the start. You become tired, or start to feel cold and shiver. This is also a positive sign of the effect.

Where and When Can You Practice Yoga Mudras?

You can actually practice the mudras at any time and in any place. Modern authors take the view that mudras can even be done while stuck in traffic, watching television, or when you have to wait for someone or something. However, my opinion differs somewhat from this perspective for the following reasons: mudras should be done in a meditative, harmonious mood. Can you guarantee that while stuck in traffic you won't be stressed and fuming with annoyance because you aren't getting to where you want to go, or that you sit in front of the television because you are "relaxing" by watching a hard-core thriller or vehement political debate on taxes? I invite you to do an interesting test: place your thumb and index finger together and think about something wonderful for a few minutes while you do this (an experience in nature, winning at sports, sex, etc.)—it doesn't matter what it is, as long as it lets you float on pink clouds. Now
try to feel the energy that flows from the index finger to the thumb. Finished! Now do the same thing again, but this time imagine something terribly sad. Once again, feel the energy of the fingers. Do you notice a difference? You will certainly have discovered how dull the flow of energy felt the second time.
This little experiment shows me how important it is to practice mudras while in a good mood and in a positive atmosphere. Feelings and thoughts influence the energy fields and the flow of energy in a negative or positive manner, even if we don't notice it. This is no joking matter. As I will explain later, we want to engage these energy fields in a positive sense. This is why the basic tone of our momentary mood and situation is so important. However, there are also mudras and breathing techniques for serenity, patience, and composure. These can be used to initially get into the right mood. For example, when stuck in traffic, standing in line, or sitting on a
train, we can first calm down and then begin practicing the actual mudra. When holding a mudra while watching television or listening to the radio, one further factor should be taken into consideration—the time we spend on a mudra should always be a time of self-communion as well. The only exceptions are special programs or music with a much more calming
than stimulating effect on the nerves. If we have planned our days so poorly
that we don't have three peaceful minutes, if we let ourselves constantly
be exposed to the radio or television from our first waking moments until
we fall asleep at night, then mudras actually have no place in our lives.
Mudras can truly be practiced almost anywhere and at any time, but
only when we can also withdraw within ourselves almost anywhere and at
any time. This really isn't all that difficult and can be learned, like everything
else. It concerns our health—we need a few silent minutes now and
then every day. These silent moments can be the most precious to us; and
like the salt in the dough that gives the bread its good taste, silence adds the
right spice to our lives. "
A good time to practice mudras is a few minutes before getting up
and a few minutes before falling asleep, before or after meals, when you
walk somewhere (we all need to walk a certain distance every day), while
on public transportation, or during breaks at work. However, don't just try out a number of mudras in a row at random.
Specifically select just one or two. Practice these according to a time plan.
Decide when, how long, and how often you want to do them every day. Or
plan to fill both the usual and unpredictable times with them when you
have to wait. Practice only these mudras over the next few days. The effects may occur immediately, especially if you have acute complaints or mood swings. But it may also be that the effects you hope for only occur after several days. For chronic complaints, it usually takes several weeks or even months before an improvement takes place. Only patience can help
here. Moreover, it is always worth it since many new perceptions can be
gained and wonderful moments experienced, in addition to the desired
healing. You should also know that when something changes within, there
is a corresponding change in your surrounding world. Every healing within also brings healing into your world. An illness in the body is always connected with thoughts and feelings that make people sick. A certain amount of time is required before healing takes place on every level. So allow yourself the time—practice ardently and remain completely serene and confident while doing so. Then the chances of healing will be the greatest.

How Are Mudras Practiced?

Quite simply: Form your hands and place the fingers as they are shown in
the various illustrations. When you do this, the pressure of the fingers should
be very light and fine, and your hands should be relaxed. But perhaps you may
notice that this isn't all that simple! The fingers are rebellious, too inflexible,
and the hands slip away or tire quickly. The flexibility of the hands has
a direct relationship to the flexibility of the entire body. If we are tense at a
certain place in the body, this tension will be expressed at a corresponding area in the hands. Even a person's age can be determined on the basis of the
spread fingers—at least this is what the Chinese healing practitioners claim.

My body and my hands have become very flexible through many
years of yoga practice. Yet, I can only do the mudra against backaches,
which I need the most, with one hand because I have to use the other to
hold the fingers in position. At the beginning, you may perhaps also have
problems in doing some of the mudras with both hands because you will
first have to arrange and hold the fingers of one hand with the other. If this
is the case, just do the mudra with the one hand for the time being. If the
fingers that should actually be stretched curl on their own again, simply
press them onto your thigh or some other place where you can rest them.
With time, the tensions will dissolve in the fingers or hand, as well as in the
corresponding area of the body.
Do the mudra as well as possible and the effect will appear in any
case. In the beginning, it may be difficult to keep the fingers extended.
When the fingers get tired, they give in. With time, I am certain that you
will gain more strength in your hands, become more flexible, and will be
able to use both hands. You will also feel more refreshed and flexible. It is
also possible that you will feel somewhat younger.
Even when you have become stronger and more flexible, always treat
your fingers in a careful and loving way. It doesn't matter why you are
doing the mudra, it should not only be a healing gesture, but also a holy
gesture.
Mudras can be done while seated, lying down, standing, and walking.
Be sure that your body posture is symmetrical and centered, and that
you are as relaxed and loose as possible. If you sit on a chair while doing
them, your back should be straight and your feet should have good contact
with the floor. If you do them while lying down, resting on your back is
naturally the most suitable position. If you stay in this position for a long
period of time, put a small pillow beneath the back of your head to take the
strain off the neck. To relieve your back, you can put a cushion under the hollow of the knee or thigh. It
is important to remain comfortable and relaxed, for any tension will also hinder the inner flow of energy and we want something new to flow with the mudras. If you do them while walking, make sure you move in an even, calm, and rhythmic way. If you stand while doing them,
keep your legs shoulder distance apart. The knees should be relaxed, and the tips of the toes must point forward. If you have a bit more time, you can also do the mudras in a seated
meditation position—this will turn them into a longer period of meditation.
When you do this, take into consideration the following basic principles
of meditation technique:

• Sit with an upright pelvis and a straight spinal column on a
stable cushion. Both knees should be flat on the ground or at
the same height (if necessary, support the lower knee with a
cushion until it is at the same height as the other knee).
• Let the hands relax on the thighs.
• Let the shoulders fall back and down in a relaxed way; your
chest should be open and free.
• Pull the chin back a bit, and let the neck be long and relaxed.
• Breathe in an even, slow, flowing, and gentle way.
• Never end the meditation suddenly. Always vigorously
stretch your arms and legs.

You can also form a mudra and think of something else at the same time.
However, I have found that the effect is accelerated and intensified when
you simultaneously assume a meditative position, focus on your hands, and
observe your breathing. Observing the normal flow of the breath or influencing
and directing the breath is a very important way of supporting the
mudra. How to do this is explained for the individual mudras.
Corresponding visualizations and affirmations can be used so that this
never becomes just a routine matter. These also intensify the effects of the
mudras. For some exercises, I am no longer certain what has the greatest
effect—the mudra, the breathing technique, the visualized image, or the
spoken word. But who cares? It fulfills its purpose, lets you feel good, and
makes you happy!