Forget stress with this pose

Anjali Mudra, Namaskar Mudra or the hands folded pose is a simple position in which the folded hands are touching each other (in Namaste). This is a prayer pose.

CHENNAI: Anjali Mudra, Namaskar Mudra or the hands folded pose is a simple position in which the folded hands are touching each other (in Namaste). This is a prayer pose.

Steps

Stand upright with your feet together. Align your body so that your buttocks are directly above the heels. Tighten your kneecaps and allow your thighs to rotate inwards. Next allow your hip joint to rotate outward. Keep your abdomen slightly in, your spine upright. Relax your shoulders and gently push them back. Make sure your neck is straight and your head balanced on your neck.

Alignment is important to make this standing pose effortless. Next bring your hands together near the heart and join them in Namaskar mudra or Anjali mudra. Your thumbs may touch the sternum or the clavicle. All the digits of the fingers as well as the palms are joined together. This is a humility pose in which you not only honour yourself but also the deity or person in front of you.

Benefits

This is a centering pose and allows the practitioner to balance the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This pose allows you to achieve focus and a meditative state. It also helps alleviate mental stress and anxiety.

AnshuVyas Seetharaman is a yoga and fitness trainer at Sri Aurobindo Society, Bengaluru.