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Order VI · Seals of Health and Restoration
Asthma Mudra
Σφραγὶς τοῦ Ἄσθματος
64
The middle fingers bend and press nail to nail while all other fingers stand. The seal that calms the breath.
- Meaning
- Seal of the Breath
- Tradition
- Yoga
- Hands
- Both hands, joined at the middle fingernails
- Placement
- Before the chest.
- Associations
- Bronchial tubes, lungs; adrenal glands.
- Level
- Beginner
Formation
- Bend the middle fingers of both hands.
- Press the fingernails of the two middle fingers together.
- Keep all the other fingers extended.
Example Meditation
Form the seal before the chest. Breathe slowly and calmly and let the exhalation lengthen without strain. The seal eases the breathing and counters hurry.
Effects
PhysicalΣῶμα
- Breathing. It calms breathing in acute asthma and serves long-term treatment.
EmotionalΘυμός
- Against hurry. Haste is to be avoided: stress activates the adrenals and adrenaline constricts the bronchial tubes.
IntellectualΝοῦς
- Boundaries. People with breathing difficulties often cannot set boundaries.
SoulΨυχή
- Inner loneliness. The seal is joined to the work of ending inner loneliness.
AscentἈνάβασις
- The breath restored. The ascent is made on the breath. What constricts it is undone first.
Finger Key
| Finger | Element | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thumb | Fire | relaxed | relaxed |
| Index | Air | extended | extended |
| Middle | Aether | bent; its nail pressed against the left middle fingernail | bent; its nail pressed against the right middle fingernail |
| Ring | Earth | extended | extended |
| Little | Water | extended | extended |
Cautions and Variants
Caution. An acute asthma attack requires its prescribed treatment; the seal is practised alongside it. Never breathe through the mouth in cold weather.
Recommended for Every Zevist Library
Gertrud Hirschi, Mudras: Yoga in Your Hands
The standard practical manual of the hand seals, with their indications and meditations. The Temple of Zeus recommends it as a purchase for every Zevist library, personal or communal.