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Order I · Seals of Gnosis and Ascent
Bhairava Mudra
भैरव मुद्रा · bhairava mudrā · Σφραγὶς τοῦ Φοβεροῦ
Also: Bhairavi Mudra (left hand on top)
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The right hand rests on the left in the lap. The two channels of breath are laid together and the individual rests in the supreme consciousness.
- Meaning
- Seal of Bhairava, the Fierce Form of Shiva
- Tradition
- Hatha Yoga; Bihar School of Yoga (Satyananda, Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha)
- Hands
- Both hands, stacked
- Placement
- In the lap, during pranayama and meditation.
- Associations
- Ida and pingala; the lap.
- Level
- Advanced
Formation
- Turn both palms upward.
- Place the right hand on top of the left hand.
- Let both hands rest in the lap, fingers extended and relaxed.
- With the left hand on top the same seal is called Bhairavi Mudra.
Example Meditation
Rest the right hand on the left in the lap and sit still. Practise the Sun/Moon Breath, then let the breath return to its own rhythm. The stacked hands bring the two channels of the breath together and settle the mind into one-pointed rest.
Effects
PhysicalΣῶμα
- Rest. A fully supported resting position for long pranayama and meditation.
EmotionalΘυμός
- Composure. Fierceness held at rest: the power of Bhairava folded into stillness.
IntellectualΝοῦς
- One-pointedness. The stacked hands remove every task from the hands and leave the attention free.
SoulΨυχή
- Ida and pingala. The Bihar School explains the two hands as the ida and pingala nadis, the lunar and solar channels.
AscentἈνάβασις
- Union with the supreme. The same source names its meaning: the union of the individual with the supreme consciousness.
Finger Key
| Finger | Element | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thumb | Fire | relaxed; rests on the left thumb | relaxed, beneath the right thumb |
| Index | Air | extended, lying in the left hand | extended, beneath the right hand |
| Middle | Aether | extended, lying in the left hand | extended, beneath the right hand |
| Ring | Earth | extended, lying in the left hand | extended, beneath the right hand |
| Little | Water | extended, lying in the left hand | extended, beneath the right hand |
Cautions and Variants
Variants. Bhairavi Mudra (left hand on top) accentuates the feminine aspect.
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.