In the dawn of our days before man received the gift of speech hand gestures were the primary form of communication. The language of hand movements is the oldest in the world. Hand gestures express moods and communicate ideas. Today gestures are used when language will not serve. Sign language is one example. Even our imagery speaks of the Hand of God. Each area of the hand is connected to an area of the brain and gives clear messages to that brain center. The hands are like a keyboard connected to our internal computer.  

Mudras are sacred ritual gestures or hand positions. When used in religious dance they become an elaborate hand language. The Sanskrit word Mudra means seal. In the most antiquated times mudra was used with mantra and sealed the pattern of energy. The earliest mudra was the Sanskrit symbol. From this primordial.system of mudra grew a secret language that became as diverse as the country it was practiced in. Mudra is likewise used for the purpose of prayer.  

 In yoga these sacred hand positions relate to the energy flow of a particular meditation. They enhance the asana (posture) and sound current (mantra). Mudras in yoga are symbolic of mantras and send signals to the glands and to a specific part of the brain depending on the purpose of the meditation or yoga set.

Lets look at some of the basic mudras of kundalini yoga.