Shuni Mudra: The Seal of Patience

You may be used to making sacred shapes with our bodies during an asana class but what about sacred geometry with our hands? 

‘Mudra,’ is the Sanskrit word meaning hand gestures or hand position. Mudras can enhance our practice by guiding a subtle flow of energy and ‘sealing’ or locking this energy for a certain period of time, just like we do in our yoga practice.

If you have been to a Kundalini yoga session you will have most likely used mudras throughout the class to help guide and awaken your prana (life force or kundalini energy) to your central energy channel. This facilitates a deeper sense of overall health and well being. 

There are many different types of mudras that have different functions. Today, we’re going to explore the shuni mudra — when your thumb and middle finger come together.

What Does Shuni Mudra Mean?

Shuni Mudra is most importantly a Mudra of intuition and is known as the “seal of patience.”

The History Behind the Shuni Mudra

The origins of the Shuni Mudra come from the word ‘Shuni’ in Sanskrit meaning Saturn. In Vedic Astrology, the planet Saturn represents self discipline and karmic cycles. So when we apply Shuni Mudra, we are welcoming acknowledgment and accountability for our actions while remaining patient and pure in the process.

Throughout yogic philosophy and specifically the ancient text ‘Hatha Yoga Pradipika,’ mudras are an offering to deepen the connection between body and mind. This philosophy believes that simply lightly touching the fingers or hands together in a specific gesture can shift your whole outlook and improve the entire energy map of your body.

What Are the Benefits of the Shuni Mudra?

Mudras benefit us and our yoga and meditation practice in so many subtle ways, with all mudras carrying their own unique power. Gyan Mudra, Apana Mudra, and Padma Mudra are just a few other examples.

The specific benefits of the shuni mudra all have to do with your mental energy around patience, positivity, focus, and awareness.

Struggling with some negative emotions? Shuni mudra helps us turn them into positive ones, offering relief from depression or unwanted impulses.

We all know that patience pays, right? If you’re looking for a bit of help maintaining a cooler head, this mudra will encourage patience and understanding in times of chaos.

The benefits of Shuni continue … In Ayurveda, yoga’s sister science, each finger represents an element. In this case, we’re working with the thumb and middle finger, leaving the other three fingers relaxed. The thumb represents fire, meaning that  energetically, this Mudra will help strengthen the solar plexus chakra, our seat of identity, discipline and insight.

The middle finger represents the element space, helping us clear any blocks we may be experiencing from the heart chakra upwards. 

In Summary shuni mudra will help us:

• Increase positive thoughts.
• Have more understanding and patience.
• Direct energy flow to enhance focus and discipline.
• Open and clear the higher chakras, leading to more awareness and clarity.

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How to Do the Shuni Mudra

To practice shuni mudra, simply press the thumb and middle finger together while leaving the index finger, ring finger and pinky finger relaxed.

To do shuni mudra :

• Place your hands on your knees with palms facing up. Take any comfortable seat and relax the body.
• Connect the middle finger and tip of your thumb. Apply just enough pressure between the two fingers to feel a flow of energy, but not too much that it causes any tension.
• Relax the remaining three fingers. No need to force the fingers straight here, let them fall naturally.

Allow this ‘seal of patience’ to welcome your divine nature of calm and peace within.