What Does It Mean?

You all know what a lotus flower is right?

The beautiful fully-petaled flower that grows out muddy water?

It’s more commonly found in Asia, but most know that this flower is deeply symbolic.

The spiritual meaning of the lotus is a symbol of light and beauty coming out of the darkness.

This flower represents purity and shares the message of staying connected to your roots and opening your heart to the light within.

Lotus Mudra Benefits

Lotus or “Padma” mudra in Sanskrit opens the heart chakra or Anahata chakra and represents feeling the joys of life.

Some of the benefits of this type of mudra or hand gesture include opening up all your chakras, releasing tension and helping you to feel more positive in the present moment.

Since the lotus grows out of muddy water, you can relate it to grow out of fear, attachment or any other disturbances keeping you out of balance. It also balances your body and the left and right hemispheres of your brain, activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

This mudra connects you to the qualities of loving-kindness, compassion, and flow.

It would be impossible to stay angry or in a negative mood while performing this mudra since you literally feel your heart blossoming open.

Did you know that we had chakras in the palms of our hands?

You can think of our hands as being an extension of our heart—so whenever you touch someone or shake hands with another person you are sharing with them a seed of light and love.

When you are doing this mudra by yourself in a calm, meditative state it can lead you into a state of spiritual awakening or feelings of oneness with all of creation.

How to Do This Mudra

Ready for a mudra meditation to invoke the feelings of love and kindness?

Sit in a cross-legged or comfortable position and bring your palms together. Notice your breath—is it deep or shallow?

Close your eyes and place your hands together in front of your chest, preparing your mind for meditation. Bring your thumb and pinky fingers together, and spread your fingers out like an open flower.

Connect to the energies of compassion and love as you imagine roots going into the ground.

Feel your heartbeat and imagine the petals of your lotus flower unfurling.

Take deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth to increase your prana. You can even place your hands at the top of your head. You may even see a light or opening at the top of your crown chakra.

Invoke the feeling of deep gratitude and feel yourself connecting to all the elements of earth, water, fire, and air.

Seal this gesture with a prayer to manifest all of your heart’s deepest desires.

You can end by bringing your hands together in Anjali mudra and bowing your head down to the earth. A beautiful mantra to chant with this mudra is “YAM,” the beej mantra for the Anahata chakra.

“Be like a lotus. Let the beauty of your heart speak. Be grateful to the mud, water, air, and the light.”