Mudras: Yoga in Your Hands [Paperback]

Hirsch clearly lays out a wide variety of hand positions, along with accompanying affirmations and herbal remedies, that can be used for a wide variety of purposes. The illustrations are focused directly on the hands, to show the correct positioning of each finger to make the mudras successful. The text very accurately describes both the position itself, the uses of the mudra, and when or how it should be performed.

Since purchasing the book, I have tried several of the mudras, with varying degrees of success. Overall, this book is an excellent introduction to this age-old method, and is recommended for anyone with an interest in the subject.

In Buddhism and Hinduism, mudras are a ritual of symbolic gestures, postures and body movements designed to aid one in preventing physical and emotional illness and in promoting spiritual development. It is believed to lock intensive and dense psychic energy into the body by engaging certain areas of the brain to exercise an influence on it. Our body language clearly reveals our attitudes and moods; whether we are slouching in defeat or head held high in victory. If that is so, then why not reverse the procedure and use these gestures to promote fearlessness, energy, sexuality and serenity? That is the theory and the effectiveness of this work. Just as athletes visualize their games in their minds before they play, so Hirschi will show you how to perform even greater miracles with your mind and body. Furthermore, you can perform these anywhere: at a stressful business meeting, sitting in a sauna, or commuting on a bus or train. (No, you can't drive a car, talk on your cell phone and do mudras at the same time.)

Gertrud Hirschi includes herbal and nutritional suggestions in appendices, and even suggestions for creating your own mudras for whatever purposes you desire.