A Mudra for Letting Go: Ksepana Mudra

February 7, 2021February 8, 2021Autumn Adams

Ksepana Mudra is the mudra for letting go and boy did I need it this week. After a frustrating start to my week, I knew I needed a major attitude adjustment. I knew that I needed to shake off this cloud of frustration and overwhelm ASAP, so this morning I welcomed Ksepana Mudra into my meditation and asana practice. This is probably one of my favorite mudras, simply because I experience an energetic shift immediately. It’s so much easier to work through the tough stuff when we have the tools to do so!

The Mudra for Letting Go

In Sanskrit, Ksepana means to throw (away), to let go, pour off or to cast off. Ksepana mudra is the mudra for letting go of waste known as mala in Ayurveda. This waste, or mala, can be literal physical waste, toxic relationships, negative thoughts, or old habits, samskaras, and vasanas that don’t serve your highest self. I like to use this mudra when I’m feeling heavy or down or when I’m holding to tightly to expectations or my desire to be in control. I also like to practice this mudra when I’m feeling grumpy, frustrated, or overwhelmed… it’s like a tonic for the soul! Give it a go and let me know how you feel afterward.

Ksepana Mudra and Apana Vayu

Ksepana Mudra works with apana vayu, which is the down and outward flowing energy (prana) of elimination (defecation and urination), menstruation, and child birth. In addition to elmination through the large intestine, Ksepana mudra helps us remove mala through the surface of our skin via perspiration and through our lungs via expiration (the exhale breath).

Ksepana Mudra: Elements and Chakras

Mudras are often associated with specific elements according to Ayurveda’s five element theory (earth, water, fire, air and ether). Ksepana Mudra is often associated with the air element and therefore the heart chakra. What a beautiful act of self-love to say “no more, this doesn’t serve me, I’m letting it go”. After many years of practicing Ksepana Mudra it often resonates with the second chakra and the water element. I find that the imagery of water helps calm my nervous system and clears out stagnation, stress, etc. The second chakra is also very much associated with the energy of apana vayu and the act of letting go.

Ksepana Mudra Practice:

To practice ksepana mudra interlace the fingers of both hands and then release the index fingers. The index fingers are touching one another. The thumbs are crossed and the thumb pads rest, more or less, in the crook between thumb and index finger. When seated and practicing this mudra the index fingers should point down. The index fingers should point toward your feet when practicing this mudra lying down.

You can also practice this mudra in your asana practice. A flow that I like to do in a seated posture.

Begin with the mudra at heart center. Index fingers pointing up.
On an inhale turn the index fingers to point down and slightly away, extending the arms long toward the floor.
Using the same inhale breath sweeping the arms up overhead.
Exhale index fingers come to the crown of the head, to the forehead, the nose, then the lips and back to the heart like a waterfall tumbling over smooth stones.
Each inhale envision vibrant, light energy flowing into your body and on your exhale let go of negativity in any of its forms.
Practice a total of seven times.

Benefits of Ksepana Mudra:

Ksepana mudra helps us release negativity, frustration and suffering. Practicing the mudra, especially as stated above, creates a palpable difference in our energy. I call this letting go mudra an “attitude adjustment”.

Affirmations:

“I let go of what no longer serves me.”
“Spent energy in my body, mind, and soul flows away from me, and I thankfully accept all things that refresh me,” from Gertrud Hirsch’s book Mudras: Yoga in Your Hands. Gertrud’s book has been on my bookshelf for years and is literally my go-to book for mudras.
“I surrender to the flow of the Universe.”
“I embrace uncertainty with ease.”

If you want to learn more about Mudras and powerful meditation practices that you can combine with these symbolic hand gestures, check out my book, The Little Book of Mudra Meditations. Hope to see you on your mat or cushion soon.

Love and Light,

Autumn

*Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. These earnings help make the maintenance of this blog possible. You can rest assured that I only link to products I know and love.

A Mudra for Trust: Vajrapradama Mudra

November 14, 2017June 1, 2020Autumn Adams

Vajrapradama mudra has been resonating with me deeply. Each time I practice vajrapradama a whole bunch of emotions well up from within. I’m currently in a bit of a life and business transition and there are many unknowns. It’s sometimes hard for me to admit that I don’t know what the next step is or that I don’t know if I’m doing things right. I’m not going to lie… I’ve been experiencing a lot of fear recently and my self-confidence has been lagging. I don’t consider myself to be that fearful when it comes to big leaps of faith or pushing up to my edges, but unfortunately I’ve also built a wall around my heart; a wall that I’ve been mindfully dismantling piece by piece. And it’s not always pretty!

I practice the mudra for unshakeable trust in my heart meditations, in my asana classes and even when I have something important and/or heartfelt to say. Sometimes vajrapradama feels like the only thing tethering my mind to my heart and right now I need it. Vajrapradama mudra builds unshakeable trust, courage, and self confidence… we can always use more of these three qualities, especially when they are grounded in the heart.

In Sanskrit vajra means diamond and thunderbolt. The diamond represents indestructibility and the thunderbolt represents unstoppable force. When you have unshakeable trust in your True Self (the one that is aligned with the divine) you become a force to be reckoned with and obstacles are overcome with ease.

I’ve also found Ganesha mudra helpful lately. Ganesha mudra is the hand mudra for confidence, courage, compassion and openness. Are you noticing a theme here? Abhaya Hridaya is another potent mudra; it’s a mudra for fearless love.

How to Practice Vajrapradama Mudra

Practicing vajrapradama, the mudra for trust, is very simple: interlace your fingers, keep your palms open and rest your hands on your heart. Close your eyes and feel your breath and your heartbeat beneath your hands. You can use this mudra as often as you would like. Like I said, I’m currently using it all the time.

Positive Affirmations for Vajrapradama Mudra

I recommend using a positive affirmation that resonates with you. Here are some examples:

I am open to receiving divine guidance. I trust that I am exactly where I need to be right now.
“I open my heart to the Universe. I trust the wisdom of a power greater than my own and accept its healing.” From SpiritVoyage.com
“I am a creation of the greatest omnipotence, whose strength and power lovingly support me at all times.” From Gertrud Hirschi’s Mudras Yoga in Your Hands.
“I am confident because I trust in myself. I am fully supported.” From Anita Goa.

How to Teach Crow Pose

April 28, 2017April 29, 2017Autumn Adams

Are you finding it difficult to teach crow pose effectively? When my yoga practice began arm balances were rarely taught in group yoga classes. I struggled with the posture myself for a really long time. But from that struggle I’ve learned nearly every tip in the book for crow pose and here I will share them. We will cover tips for teaching crow pose or bakasana (for all of you Sanskrit junkies), different ways to prep for it, and how to use props to assist entry into the posture.

I joke that it took me seven years to get crow pose. Maybe it wasn’t quite seven years, but it took me longer than average. Eventually, once I stopped freaking out about falling on my face or injuring my wrists, shoulders, etc. it happened. I nailed. The funny thing is before I mastered crow pose I was already practicing other arm balances. I guess with bakasana you risk falling flat on your face and I have a deep fear of falling… somewhere in my psyche I have linked falling and failing together into one big massive knot of fear and in crow pose you literally have to face your fears head on.

Learn to effectively teach your students to face their fears head on with Bakasana/Crow Pose.

Teach Crow Pose Effectively With These Alignment Tips

Hands are shoulder width distance
Fingers are spread wide
Press down through the base knuckles of the fingers, especially through your index finger and thumb
Dig fingertips into your mat
Use hasta bandha
Make sure the elbows are above the wrist and not “winging out to the side”
the eye gaze, or drishti, is slightly forward toward the top of the mat (not back at your feet)
Bring the knees as high up on the triceps as possible
Squeeze knees and triceps into one another
Engage mulabandha and uddiyana bandha as the hips lift high
Tip forward slightly
Guide the big toes toward one another
Lift heels up toward your hips
And breathe…

Prep Poses for Crow Pose

Remember to warm up before practicing crow pose. Before you teach Crow Pose prepare by teaching a few or all of the following postures.

Happy Baby
Cat/Cow
Lizard Pose
Seated or Reclined Crow Pose
Malasana- Yoga Squat
Chaturanga Dandasana
Boat Pose & Half Boat
Wrist therapy

Brushing up on crow pose basics on retreat in Nicaragua.

Props and Modifications for Crow Pose

For students with shoulder or wrist injuries offer seated crow pose or malasana.

In seated crow emphasize squeezing upper arms and knees squeezing in toward one another, the engagement of the pelvic floor and lower abdomen and rounding the upper back.

Offer malasana with or without a block underneath the pelvis. Encourage students to lift through mula bandha, press down through the feet, and squeeze upper arms and inner thighs/knees into one another.

For a student afraid of falling on their face offer a blanket or block underneath their forehead when you teach crow pose.

For a student struggling to find the engagement and balance in bakasana bring them over to the wall.

Set them up in malasana about a foot and one half away from the wall. Get them set up to come into the posture and have them press the top of their head into the wall as they work on lifting the feet off the ground.

For students struggling to lift their hips high in crow pose suggest a block under their feet. Lifting the hips up high can bring up a fear of falling for some students. If this is the case offer verbal encouragement. You may choose to provide a hands-on assist.

Advanced Variations for Crow Pose

For advanced students offer variations to challenge their strength and focus.

Teach crow pose to tripod headstand back to crow pose.

From crow pose teach a jump/float back to chaturanga and then forward to crow pose.

Offer up a bakasana fusion pose like: half tittibasana and half crow pose or half lolasana and half crow pose.

For students that have the strength and would like a challenge offer Eka Pada Bakasana (one legged crow pose).

Autumn is available for yoga instructors seeking mentorship. Have questions? Reach out and connect.

Demystifying Meditation: Nine Different Meditation Practices

January 16, 2017September 21, 2020Autumn Adams

There are many, many different types of meditation practices. When you google “types of meditation” the results can be pretty overwhelming, especially when you’re not sure what you’re looking for or what you like. This is a paired down list of popular meditation practices. The most popular type of meditation in recent history is mindfulness meditation with it’s many health benefits and abundant research.

Nine Meditation Types For Beginners

Mindfulness Meditation

Since mindfulness meditation is the most popular meditation practice today I’ve put it in the number one spot. You’ve probably heard of it before, but may not know what it is or how it is different from other meditation practices. Mindfulness meditation is simply paying attention to the present moment and being aware of all the sensations, thoughts, etc. that arise without judgement or attachment. Here is a cool video from Jon Kabat Zinn about how a mindfulness meditation practice lights up different parts of the brain and here is a link to get you started with a mindfulness practice.

2. Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental meditation doesn’t seem to be as popular today as it was in the past, but there is still a substantial community worldwide. Transcendental meditation (TM) was made popular by the Beatles who learned the technique from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It has it’s roots in religion and involves mantra (sound) repetition for 15-20 minutes twice daily. Transcendental meditation teachers are required to undergo a certified training before they can teach and share the practice and students are initiated into the practice.

Much research has been done on the technique, but the research has been poorly conducted and unfortunately is of little scientific value. But honestly, any form of meditation is likely to create positive changes in your life, so why not try TM.

3. One of my favorite meditation practices: Mantra or Japa

Similar to Transcendental Meditation, mantra and japa meditation involve the repetition of a mantra, sound or divine name. This type of meditation practice is often practiced with a mala. A mala is a necklace, similar to a rosary, with 108 beads on it. The mantra is repeated 108 times either softly spoken or internally repeated. This type of ancient meditation practice is used in many different religious traditions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. You could even say it is similar to praying with a rosary.

A handmade green sandalwood meditation mala.

4. Guided Meditation: Chakras, Third Eye, Breath, Journey & More

Guided meditations are wonderful for those who need a bit more guidance and whose minds tend to wander off. Guided meditations can focus on visuals, energetics, sounds, the breath, emotional states and much more. There are many apps you can use on your phone or ipad. Choose your length of practice, the teacher, the focus and get started.

5. Trataka Meditation (also spelled tratak)

Trataka is a form of meditation where one focuses the eyes on one point. Very commonly trataka is performed while gazing at a candle flame. Eventually you may want to close the eyes. When the eyes are closed envision the candle flame in all of it’s detail. Hold this vision of the flame as long as you can and when it dissipates you may end your meditation practice. Slowly open your eyes. Don’t look directly at the flame again right after your meditation. You may need eye drops if the eyes feel dry or strained.

6. Focused Attention- Zazen, Breath, Mantra, etc.

In focused attention meditation the mind is focused on one thing; that one thing could be the breath, sensation in the body, a mantra, an object, etc. The attention is held on this one thing. As thoughts come up, and they will, the mind’s focus is guided back to it’s original point of focus.

7. Metta- Loving Kindness

Metta, or loving kindness, meditation is a practice of sending love to oneself, a good friend, a neutral person, a difficult person, all four of them equally and then eventually to the entire universe. This exercise is excellent for cultivating compassion. Here is a Loving Kindness Meditation with Jack Kornfield.

Loving kindness meditation is kind of like a hug for the soul.

8. Vipassana

Vipassana often begins with awareness on the breath and then moves to a practice that includes noting external stimuli without becoming attached to the source of the stimuli. An example could be if you hear a motorcycle drive by label it “hearing”, not motorcycle or if you notice a sour taste in your mouth instead of labeling it sour note it as “taste”. Noting the sense that recognized the external stimuli. It is very common to attend vipassana retreats where one has the opportunity to delve deep into a meditation practice.

9. Yoga Nidra

I hesitate to include yoga nidra on this list because I don’t necessarily consider it a meditation practice. Yoga nidra is “yogic sleep” and it is a way to access the unconscious and subconscious mind. It is a guided practice, similar to that of a guided meditation. Yoga nidra induces a state of deep relaxation and yoga nidra has a multitude of benefits. If you’re wondering what yoga nidra is or what it is like, I have a yoga nidra script inspired by the natural world here.

Not sure where to start? Google your local community and see what’s available. You might be surprised to find local meditation groups and meditation teachers that would be more than happy to take you under their wing. Another option is to go on a yoga and meditation retreat. On retreat you’ll often practie a few different meditation practices and you’ll have an opportunity to talk to others and share experiences.

Good luck on your meditation practice. Feel free to shoot me a private message if you have any questions via our contact form.

Love and Light,

Autumn

Ushas Mudra

October 3, 2016February 20, 2019Autumn Adams

Ushas mudra is the mudra for new beginnings, alertness and the second chakra, swadisthana, at the sacrum. The second chakra is our center of sexuality and creativity. In Sanskrit, Ushas means “break of the day” or “origin of good things” hence the mudra being used for new beginnings.

To Practice Ushas Mudra

Ushas mudra can be practiced first thing in the morning to help wake the body. It is the perfect practice when you have those three “snooze button” kind of mornings. To practice ushas mudra as a female interlace your fingers placing your right thumb between the index finger and thumb of your left hand. Your left thumb gentle presses into the thumb of the right hand. Males practice ushas mudra with the fingers interlaced and the right thumb resting on top of the left thumb.

Here is my favorite way to practice the mudra: maintaining the mudra take your hands back behind your head and let the head rest heavy in the palms of the hands, then stretch the elbows out to the side. With elbows pressing back into your pillow or bed begin to deepen your breath, perhaps arch your back slightly. Take a few rounds of deep breath here and then (still maintaining the mudra) stretch your arms overhead and turn the palms away from you. Stretch the body as long as you can and point out through your toes. Take some ankle circles. Take a few rounds of breath here and when you feel energized and alert make your way out of bed.

Ushas Mudra Benefits

According to Gertrud Hirschi, “This mudra concentrates the sexual energy of our second chakra and directs it into the energy centers above it.” Ushas mudra improves mental alertness, balances our hormones and concentrates sexual energy.

Affirmation for Ushas:

I am enthusiastic about life. I enjoy life’s pleasures.

I am present and alert in all of my actions.

I embrace change and new beginnings.