Hand Postitions

There are various hand positions used in both kung fu and in yoga. The hands in kung fu often form shapes that are representational of animals. The tigers claw, the snakes head or the cranes beak are all traditional shaolin hand positions. In yoga the hand gestures are called mudras. A mudra sometimes is a symbolic shape similar to the ones in kung fu, yet more often they are energetic connections being made in the nadis or meridians. By connecting fingers, or pointing certain directions we direct energy and link up specific channels to generate a particular set of internal resonances. The hands are vitally important to the brain. There is an equal amount of cortical tissue dedicated to the hand as there is to the whole rest of the body. By engaging our hands, our breath, our bodies, our focus we awaken our inner sense of awareness and unify ourselves.

Mudras

Shaolin Hands