Welcome to Yogi Sticks!

Do you know your Gomukasana from your Adho Mukha Svanasana? Is your Vrksasana all it can be? And how do you feel about Supta Baddha Konasana? Do you know what I'm even talking about?

Sometimes the Sanskrit - however beautiful it sounds - is not very helpful. So, to encourage my students to expand their yoga practice into their home, I sketch the poses we practice during class on a chart and add the Sanskrit and common name. Hopefully, this is a useful tool to help them along in their yogic journey. I also troll the internet, books, and journals to find interesting articles about yoga and the yogic lifestyle.

A Mudra Minute

We've all used a mudra during our yoga practice, usually the "prayer" mudra at the end of class when we bow and share our "Namaste".  We also use the Wisdom Seal, or Jnana mudra (the "OK" symbol) during our "om" or even within some poses. 
Jnana mudra
Did you know that each finger has its own meaning and power, and that by bringing that finger to the thumb, a new mudra is created. Here is a list of your fingers and their symbols:
Thumb: represents the Universe or the Great Self, called "Parama-atman"
Index: represents the embodied self, called "Jiva-atman"
Middle: represents energy, called "Rajas"
Ring: represents inertia, called "Tamas"
Pinky: represents luminosity or benigness, called "sativa"

When creating the Jnana mudra, by keeping palms up, we calm our brain and soften our shoulders. If you keep palms down, our hearts open and our brains our stimulated.

For more information, check out: http://www.indotalisman.com/whtrmdra.html

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