Roots of Namaskara Mudra
Namaskar means salutation while mudra refers to symbolic gestures or poses mostly performed with the hands and fingers.
This is by far one of my favourite mudras to take. Often, we take this salutation gesture at the start and end of a yoga practice. I see it as a way we honour our sacred time for practice, we begin by bringing hands to the front of the chest, signifying coming back to center.
A gesture for peace & forgiveness This humble gesture also invites one to reflect inwards, signifies peace and can be used as a gesture for forgiveness and reverence.
This reminds me about the Ho'oponopono prayer, an ancient Hawaiian practice that reflects on inviting more peace while taking this mudra. Give this a go, try taking this mudra and express the Ho'oponopono prayer: Ho'oponopono prayer: “I'm sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you, I love you." With regular practice, expressing these four simple phrases helps develop compassion for yourself as well as for others while developing self love at the times when we need it the most.
It is an insightful way to approach the beautiful practice of forgiveness. Part of the reason why this traditional Hawaiian forgiveness prayer is so powerful is that it humbles the ego, we first acknowledge that wrong was done and we begin by saying sorry, which is a way of acknowledging the discomfort that comes from actions. Only when we acknowledge this and take the first step to do the inner work can we find space in our hearts to forgive someone else, or yourself. Namaskara Mudra also known as the Anjali Mudra is an insightful pose for inner reflection, I invite you to explore more on ways to embody this pose into your every day.
Roots Of Yoga 101 Series
This post is part of a weekly short post series dedicated to understanding the roots & intention behind our yoga practice.
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