Adi Mudra

आदि मुद्रा

Meditation/SpiritualFire

Etymology

Adi (आदि) means 'first' or 'primordial'

Finger Position

Thumb in palm, fingers forming fist over thumb

Duration

5-15 minutes daily

Difficulty

Beginner

Associated Chakras

Ajna(Third Eye)
Sahasrara(Crown)
Bija Mantra: OM
Tarjani(Air)Madhyama(Space)Anamika(Earth)Kanishthika(Water)Angutha(Fire)

Highlighted fingers indicate active contact points

MGN Notation

HAND(RIGHT)
  PALM(UP)
  WRIST(STRAIGHT)
  SHAPE(FIST)

# Alternative detailed notation:
# T: CURLED, TOUCH(4.base)
# 1: CURLED
# 2: CURLED
# 3: CURLED
# 4: CURLED
# Thumb tucked inside palm, other fingers curl over

Instructions

This is the natural hand position of newborn babies, according to yogic developmental teachings. Gently tuck your thumb to the base of your little finger, then curl your other four fingers over the thumb to form a soft fist. Place both hands on your thighs with palms facing down (traditional texts describe this as returning to your 'original peaceful state' before mental conditioning). The enclosed thumb creates what ancient practitioners called a 'contained energy circuit' that naturally calms ...

Quick Start Checklist

  • 1Sit upright; tuck thumbs into palms and wrap fingers
  • 2Rest hands on thighs (palms down)
  • 3Breathe gently through the nose; keep jaw relaxed
  • 4Sense calm
  • 5contained energy
  • 63–10 minutes

Benefits

Physical

  • Calms nervous system
  • increases oxygen flow to brain
  • can help increase lung capacity

Mental

  • Enhances concentration
  • beneficial for third eye and crown chakras

Spiritual

Traditional texts describe this as "promoting nervous system stability and lung capacity" — their terms for how this closed-fist positioning activates the parasympathetic nervous system's grounding functions. Practitioners often report that this mudra helps develop what ancient sources called "primal stability" — a calm, centered state that can support deeper breathing and fundamental life energy

Clinical Applications

ADHD & Attention TrainingAnxiety & Stress ManagementRespiratory Therapy

Guided Practice

Touch your thumb tip to your index finger tip while keeping other fingers naturally extended. This primal gesture activates focus centers through precise proprioceptive feedback (Davidson et al., 2003). SAFETY: Those with hand arthritis should practice gently. Avoid excessive pressure at contact point. Feel how this simple contact immediately centers attention and promotes mental clarity. Many p

Symbolism

Traditional yogic texts describe this as the 'first gesture' that represents the natural hand position of newborn babies - symbolizing our original, unconditioned state of being. Ancient practitioners believed this closed-fist position represented what they called 'return to source' - the capacity t

Traditional Uses

Pranayamaenhancing lung capacityconnecting with primal energy
Source: Yogic texts