Chandra Mudra
A soft, enclosed fist — the thumb tucked in and the fingers folded gently over it, the same shape the body finds on its own in deep rest. Guruji gives this to students who run hot, sleep badly, or need to come down from an agitated day rather than go further up.
Meaning of the name
The seal of the moon. Where Surya Mudra calls on solar heat, Chandra Mudra calls on its opposite — the cool, receptive, reflective quality the moon has stood for since long before anyone wrote it down.
How to practise
- 1
Sit or lie down comfortably, shoulders released.
- 2
Tuck the thumb into the palm.
- 3
Fold the four fingers gently over the thumb, making a soft, loose fist — never clenched.
- 4
Rest both fists on the thighs or beside the body, palms down.
- 5
Breathe slowly, and let the breath lengthen on its own over ten to fifteen minutes.
Benefits
- Cools an over-heated body and an over-stimulated mind
- Eases insomnia when practised in the last half hour before bed
- Calms irritability and the short temper that comes with heat or exhaustion
- Balances the activating effect of Surya Mudra when the two are alternated through the day
- Provides a settling shape for the hands during evening meditation
What happens in the nervous system
The enclosed-thumb shape is the same one the body adopts under deep relaxation and sleep, discussed at greater length under Adi Mudra. Whatever the exact causal direction, holding the shape deliberately is consistently reported to lower measured heart rate within a few minutes.
