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Anjali Mudra

अञ्जलि मुद्रा

Also known as: Pranam Mudra, Namaste Mudra, Prayer Position

Meditation/SpiritualFire

Etymology

Anjali (अञ्जलि) means 'offering' or 'to honor'

Finger Position

Both palms pressed together at heart center

Duration

Hold during prayer or as needed

Difficulty

Beginner

Associated Chakras

Anahata(Heart)

Bija Mantra: YAM

Highlighted fingers indicate active contact points

MGN Notation

HAND(LEFT)
  PALM(INWARD)
  WRIST(STRAIGHT)
  T: STRAIGHT
  1: STRAIGHT
  2: STRAIGHT
  3: STRAIGHT
  4: STRAIGHT
  FINGERS(TOGETHER)

HAND(RIGHT)
  PALM(INWARD)
  WRIST(STRAIGHT)
  T: STRAIGHT
  1: STRAIGHT
  2: STRAIGHT
  3: STRAIGHT
  4: STRAIGHT
  FINGERS(TOGETHER)

# Both palms pressed together at heart center

Instructions

This is humanity's most universal gesture of reverence, appearing across cultures from Christian prayer to Buddhist namaste to Hindu anjali. Bring your palms together at heart center with fingers pointing upward. Let your thumbs lightly touch your sternum (traditional texts associate thumbs with the 'fire' element at your heart center). Keep your shoulders relaxed and feel the natural symmetry between left and right hands....

Quick Start Checklist

1Sit or stand tall; bring palms together at heart (Anjali)
2Thumbs gently touch sternum
3Relax face
4jaw
5and shoulders
6Breathe naturally through the nose
7Set a soft timer for 1–5 minutes

Benefits

Physical

•Creates flexibility in hands
•wrists
•fingers. Opens chest and expands space between shoulder blades

Mental

•Calms brain
•reduces stress and anxiety
•promotes mental peace
•cultivates reverence and gratitude

Spiritual

Traditional texts describe this as "harmonizing the nervous system" and "creating centered awareness" — their terms for how pressing palms together activates the parasympathetic nervous system's balancing functions. Practitioners often report that this universal gesture helps develop what ancient sources called "reverent consciousness" — a calm, centered state that can support genuine respect, gra

Clinical Applications

Addiction RecoveryAnxiety & Stress ManagementDepression & Mood Support

Guided Practice

Bring your palms together at heart center in prayer position, thumbs lightly touching your sternum. Keep fingers straight and naturally together, pointing upward. Let shoulders settle away from ears. Notice immediately how this simple gesture centers your attention at the heart. Feel the symmetry between right and left sides of your body. Observe how your breath naturally deepens when palms conne

Symbolism

Traditional texts describe this as representing the balance of opposites - receptive and active aspects of consciousness meeting at the heart center. Ancient practitioners used this gesture to create what they called an 'energetic balance' between the hands while centering awareness at the heart.