Linga Mudra
Interlock the fingers of both hands and raise one thumb straight up, encircled by the other hand. The most warming mudra there is: it raises body heat directly and quickly.
Meaning of the name
The seal of the upright mark. The single raised thumb is the axis — the still vertical around which heat gathers.
How to practise
- 1
Bring the palms together and interlock the fingers of both hands.
- 2
Raise the left thumb straight upward, and encircle it with the index finger and thumb of the right hand.
- 3
Hold the joined hands in front of the chest, elbows away from the ribs.
- 4
Keep a light steady pressure, and breathe normally.
- 5
Drink water before and after. This mudra generates real heat and should be balanced with fluid.
Benefits
- Raises body temperature; effective against chills and cold sensitivity
- Loosens and expels mucus in colds, bronchitis and chest congestion
- Relieves persistent cough and the heaviness of a wet chest
- Assists weight loss when combined with diet and movement
- Builds resistance to seasonal infection through the cold months
What happens in the nervous system
Sustained isometric contraction of the small muscles of both hands raises core temperature measurably — the same shivering-adjacent mechanism the body uses to warm itself, recruited voluntarily. This is one of the few mudras whose primary effect is straightforwardly muscular rather than neurological.
Related practices
KSN Murty Yoga Center