The Power of The Hakini Mudra
Hello, you enriched divine being frolicking about on this rock besotted with this gift we call life, have you used your superpowers today? Oh yes, my dear one, you have superpowers. It may not be the superpowers we yearn for on the big screen [or on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, etc.], but did you know you have an innate superpower that can transcend the moments we feel bogged down, blocked, stuck, clueless, scattered brain? That superpower is awareness, moksha - liberation, fluidity, poise, and to contain an abundance of strength. You can't have one without the other.
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the mudra of Containment and Brain Power - Hakini.
The brainpower we speak of gives way to the breathing mechanics and the flow of the breath. Be mindful of your thought patterns, your blood pressure, draw yourself back into the space of clarity by applying the Hakini mudra. Have you ever noticed any speakers when they are on stage? I would imagine some incorporate the gesture while others may subconsciously do it without looking further into the meaning. Why would they do it? Well, to keep them present!
How to do it - Imagine you are about to open a lid to a jar. With your finger splayed out, gently press the finger pads together. Visualize the eight digits are a representation of your rib cage, and the two thumbs representing your navel. Your navel is called a Hara, and in that Hara is an ocean of energy, it is power.
By bringing this gesture into fruition, it is a subtle reminder to be aware, aware of your brainpower. If you pay close attention, you will notice the expansion of the breath with the visual of the rib cage. It's profound when you feel the breath and imaging holding it!
Perhaps it could be a placebo effect of the Hakini Mudra, but we do have energy at the tips of our fingers. We are miracles as humans, and we do things as a practice to bring us back into the centered awareness, to bring us back to our divine essence. With the power of perception, don't you think it could help to sharpen our memory? It also balances both the left and right hemispheres of the brain. The Hakini mudra is a part of the human conglomerate that supports our inner 'well' being.
It is also one of many mudras out there, enabling us to process our thoughts and perceptions by being tactile in such a gesture. Ladies have that little black dress, men may have that excellent pair of shoes, a watch, or tie as their go-to, knowing it works every time. In my practice, the Hakini mudra is the go-to little black dress. When I feel I need a moment to collect my thoughts, to breath, to stay focused, to be in the moment regardless if it's teaching, speaking, listening, being tested, stressed out, sensing something has gone awry, I refer to that mudra - the 'little black dress.'
I invite you try it in your daily practice. Whether you're at work, preparing to speak, overwhelmed, caught in the middle of a thought process, etc. I invite you to try it out for a few moments. As a yoga facilitator and therapist, I cannot explain how many times I share this with the students and the feedback the mudra has garnered from their personal experiences. One student who works under a dentist says she goes into the break room and sits with the mudra for a few minutes to center herself. One other client said the Hakini mudra helps right before a big speech in front of a large crowd. Recently, during a mentoring session, I led a grounding practice incorporating the mudra as we prepared to step up our brainpower in cognitive thinking and all the complexities. The feedback was not only humbling, but it also reinforced my conviction.
Thank you for spending a few minutes of your time reading this blog. If this doesn't connect with you, that is ok! Find something that does and implement it into your practice. The power of yoga is finding what works and brining about your purest intentions in all that you do.