The mudras are the gestures that are made with the hands, and it means concentration of energy that we use for a specific purpose. In the fingers we have nerve endings and the beginning of some acupuncture meridians that when joining certain fingers is like making an electromagnetic short circuit in your brain.
There is a mudra for anxiety, panic attacks, fear and anger. It is called Durga Mudra and is named after the goddess of light and protection.
What is Durga Mudra?
The Durga Mudra is named after the Hindu Goddess Durga who represents the power of the feminine, the mother who grants protection and support and undoes the darkness with her light. This Goddess is a manifestation of the mother of the entire Universe who is always represented on a tiger and in each of her numerous hands she holds a weapon that she wields with terrifying effects, since she eliminates her enemies or forces them to to flee. Her greatest virtue is female force and his calm state.
In the month of October in India the festival of Navaratri is celebrated, “the nine nights of the goddess”. For nine days and nights, the victory of the Goddess Durga over the demon Mahisa (symbol of our demons, anger, envy, laziness, evil towards others, and also anxiety, discomfort, etc…) is celebrated. . Hindus turn to her when they are confused, lost and have no guidance in life from her. She is in charge of providing them with clarity and alleviating discomfort so that they can think serenely. That is why she is a relaxation mudra.
According to Hindu mythology, we are all Gods and demons at the same time, and the fight between these mythological beings is none other than our inner struggle to overcome ourselves and overcome our most negative habits and tendencies.
How is the mudra performed to eliminate anxiety?
You probably know this gesture. To do so, you have to think of yourself as a warrior or warrior who can face obstacles, anxiety, dizziness, nerves, panic attacks, insecurities, etc.
- Situate yourself in a calm, quiet and peaceful place. It must be a nice place for you.
- You have to breathe slowly and deeply, if you breathe in briefly and the exhalation time is increased.
- The next thing you have to take into account is the posture. A good posture is the lotus posture. Although it will be enough for you to sit in a comfortable chair with a straight back and your legs slightly apart.
- Then do the mudra, insert your thumb between your index finger, at the level of your heart, so that you can see the tip of your thumb sticking out.
- The rest of the fingers squeeze them as if they were all forming a fist. In this closure you must show strength and security, but do not push too hard.
Ideally, you should do it with both hands at the same time and for 5 minutes. Then rest and do it again. The practice of it is very simple, you can also accompany it with the mantra: “OM DUM DURGA JAY NAMAH”.
In case of panic attacks
It is important to reduce the inhalation and make the exhalation more intense and long. Stand with your knees slightly bent, do the mudra with both hands, and visualize yourself as Durga, invincible. Make the mudra and hold it while breathing very slowly, lengthening the exhalation until you reach double the time of inhalation. Keep it for about five minutes or until the attack has stopped.
Doing the Durga Mudra is like a good handshake, it should be strong, but not too strong.
Benefits of Durga Mudra
In addition to being the perfect mudra to calm anxiety and combat panic attacks, the Durga Mudra has more benefits:
- It is the mudra for bruxism, especially if you do it before bed.
- Reduces the stress of day to day.
- Calms the nerves and eliminates fears.
- Helps clarify ideas.
- It will improve your self-esteem.
- It will be easier for you to make decisions if you are an indecisive person.
- Restore internal order.
In general, the mudra against anxiety is the mudra against any element that destabilizes our tranquility. But if you want to focus on reducing your anxiety if you don’t already, you can exercise, walk and/or run.