पद्म मुद्रा
Padma (पद्म) means 'lotus' - symbol of purity rising from muddy waters
The hands have a disproportionately large area of representation in the brain's sensory and motor cortices, a concept visualized by the cortical homunculus.
A mudra holds the fingers in a specific, sustained posture, creating a stable and precise pattern of neural input from the hand to the brain.
This focused neural circuit influences brainwave activity and helps regulate the autonomic nervous system, allowing you to consciously shift your psychological and energetic state towards a desired quality like calmness or focus.
Base of palms and outer fingers touching, middle fingers spread like lotus petals
10-15 minutes for heart opening
Beginner
Highlighted fingers indicate active contact points
HAND(LEFT) PALM(INWARD) WRIST(STRAIGHT) T: STRAIGHT, TOUCH(RIGHT.T) 1: RELAXED 2: RELAXED 3: RELAXED 4: STRAIGHT, TOUCH(RIGHT.4) FINGERS(SPREAD) HAND(RIGHT) PALM(INWARD) WRIST(STRAIGHT) T: STRAIGHT, TOUCH(LEFT.T) 1: RELAXED 2: RELAXED 3: RELAXED 4: STRAIGHT, TOUCH(LEFT.4) FINGERS(SPREAD) # Base of palms and outer fingers touch, middle fingers spread like petals
This heart-opening gesture activates compassion through lotus-like hand positioning. Research on heart-opening practices shows benefits for emotional regulation and social connection through vagal tone activation (Porges, 2011). Formation: Connect palm bases and little finger tips while spreading other fingers like lotus petals. Hold at heart center with gentle contact - never force positioning. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Those with recent trauma or severe emotional overwhelm should practice with prof...
Traditional texts describe this as "activating heart chakra" and "helping overcome negativity by cultivating inner beauty and resilience" — their terms for how the lotus-opening hand position activates the parasympathetic nervous system's heart-centering functions. Ancient practitioners observed that slowly opening the fingers like flower petals creates what they called "blooming consciousness" —
Cup both hands in lotus formation at heart center, fingertips touching lightly to create flower-like opening. This heart-opening gesture activates compassion and emotional healing through gentle proprioceptive feedback (Porges, 2011). SAFETY: Those with recent emotional trauma should practice with professional support. Approach gently if experiencing overwhelming emotions. Feel how this lotus formation naturally opens the heart space and promotes emotional flow. Many practitioners notice enhanced capacity for self-compassion and loving connection within minutes. Practice 10-20 minutes for heart healing. APPLICATIONS: During grief processing, when needing self-compassion, or for opening to love and emotional connection after periods of heart closure. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Those with severe depression or recent loss should practice with therapeutic guidance. Avoid if heart-opening feels unsafe without support.
Traditional Sanskrit philosophy describes 'Namaste' as meaning 'the divine in me honors the divine in you' - recognizing that beneath all surface differences lies the same universal consciousness. Ancient practitioners believed this mudra created what they called a 'unity circuit' between beings, ac