Wisdom Mudra Deconstructed:

Jnana Mudra

Gyana/Jnana Mudra is a gestural representation of Yoga. It also represents the highest state of discernment and therefore, is called wisdom seal.

To practice this mudra, bring the thumb pad close to the index finger pad. The other fingers are kept extended, yet relaxed. One practices this gesture for and during meditation with palms facing down as if cupping the knee.

Let us decode the symbology:

- The thumb represents consciousness or Purusha
- The Index finger represents mind and matter or Prakriti
-The three fingers extended represent that in such a state of Yoga, one is beyond the bondage of the three:

Tri Guna: Sattva, Rajas, Tamas
Tri Avastha: Awake, Dream, Deep Sleep
Tri Kala: Past, Present, Future
Tri Dosha: Vata, Pitta, Kapha

When we bring them together in the Mudra, the duality becomes singularity and the hollow represents both the state of union yet filled nothingness- this is the state of YOGA.

The moment we release the lock of thumb and index finger, it becomes an open hand/palm and the unity becomes plurality and multiplicity of FIVE:

- The Five Elements
- The Five Pranas
- Five Sensory Organs
- Five Motor Organs
- The Five Tanmatras
- The Five Sheaths

The unity with discernment is Yoga. The practice of Gyana Mudra in meditation inspires the meditator to wake up to Yoga. The meditator, by practicing this Mudra, is also communicating nonverbally that this is the state I wish to be in.

Let the practice not be copy-paste but filled with awareness, insight, and inspiration.

Want to know more about Mudras?

1) Explore history, philosophy, and technique in Mudra: The Sacred Secret.

2) Listen to my recent interview on the Let’s Talk Yoga Podcast: Mudras Masterclass—Everything You Need to Know