PRANAYAMA POSTURES AND MUDRAS

GENERAL POSTURE NOTES:

 Always have your spine straight, no matter how you choose to sit
 Imagine a thread pulling you up from your sitting bones through the crown of your head
 Do not stick your chest out or arch your lower back
 Make sure your head is evenly stacked over your shoulder, not jutting forward or tilting back
 Roll your shoulders back and down. No slumping or rounding allowed!
 If you have tight hips
 The goal is to sit in a position that is comfortable enough for you to hold for a long time, so that you can focus
solely on your breath for the duration of your practice

Lower Back Too Arched Shoulders Rounded

YES!! :D

Head evenly stacked on top of spine

Shoulder blades down and back

Straight spine

Sitting bones grounded into the floor

PRANAYAMA POSTURES AND MUDRAS
PRANAYAMA POSTURES:

Sukhasana (Easy Pose) Ardha Padmasana (Half Lotus Pose)

 Cross legged position  Bring on foot under the opposite thigh
 Feet under opposite thighs  Bring the other foot on top of the first thigh

Padmasana (Lotus Pose) Swastikasana (Auspicious Pose)

 Bring one foot on top of the opposite thigh  Bring one foot to the inside of the opposite thigh
 Cross the other foot over the first leg and place it  Bring the other foot over to the inside of the first
on top of the thigh thigh
PRANAYAMA POSTURES AND MUDRAS
MUDRAS:

 The Sanskrit word mudra means “gesture” or “attitude”

 Each mudra affects the flow of energy through the body in a unique way

Jnana Mudra (gesture of knowledge)

 Curl your index finger and bring it to touch the inside of your
thumb
 Slightly straighten the other three fingers and slightly
separate them
 Rest your hands on your knees palms facing down
 This is a grounding mudra

Chin Mudra (gesture of consciousness)

 Curl your index finger and bring it to touch the inside of your
thumb
 Slightly straighten the other three fingers and slightly
separate them
 Rest your hands on your knees palms facing up
 This is an energizing mudra

Pranav Mudra (Nasagra Mudra – nosetip position)

 Bring your right index and middle fingers together and place them on your eyebrow
center
 Your thumb should be above your right nostril and your ring finger and pinky together
above your left nostril
 This is used in pranayama techniques in which a nostril must be closed

Left Nostril Closed