Just like Christian prayer expresses itself through words and corresponding gestures, the Eastern religions also use gestures, mudras, to support the prayer. The meaning and purpose of meditation are also supported by the mudras. In this respect, the Hindus have developed a very differentiated and complete system. In fact, it is so complicated and elaborate that many believers can no longer cope with it and require the help of a priest.
Meditation, as I understand and practice it, has become an indispensable aid in my life. I use it at any time, and everywhere, for everything. As a result, I bring clarity, light, and lightness into my life. I recharge my inner batteries and solve my problems, make decisions, get advice and comfort, refine my character traits, mobilize my immune forces, develop visions for the future—and seek my connection with the Divine. We can use meditation for everything, which includes dissolving anything that bothers, burdens, or annoys us, as well as achieving inner and outer wealth—and naturally also for achieving our spiritual goals. Let's make full use of these possibilities!
Whenever you feel listless, tired, or even a bit depressed, many of the mudras can do true wonders. On the one hand, this is true because you permit yourself the well-deserved rest you need and, on the other hand, energy is built up in a very concrete way (which can even be measured).
The following mudras have an especially stimulating and restorative effect: 2, 3, 4, 6, 13, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 31, 35, 36, and 39.
If we want contentment and peace in our everyday lives, there is no way to avoid clearing out what has burdened us in the past. This doesn't mean looking at the past over and over—but the opposite. We can free ourselves from old resentments, anger, prejudices, feelings of guilt—from everything that weighs on us. The best means to achieve this is forgiveness— forgiving the other person and forgiving yourself. But perhaps we cannot do this alone. Then we can ask our inner wisdom, our higher self, or the Divine within us, for help. Forgiveness, according to Jesus and founders of other great religions, is the most difficult thing, but the best path to finding inner peace. Even if we can just manage to forgive a little, and in time to forgive a little more, then the gateway to a new, light-filled future will open for us. We have only truly forgiven our fellow human beings and ourselves when we can imagine them to be happy and wish them all good things and much love from the depths of our hearts. We must often go through a great deal of pain to achieve this goal.
Mudras 12, 32, 42, and 47 can help accelerate this process of working through and dissolving old feelings.
Our fellow human beings are our mirror! What we particularly like in others is what we also love within ourselves. What we don't like about others, we also reject within ourselves. We will encounter the same people over and over until we have learned this lesson. When we are ready, the people in our lives will change accordingly, or will disappear from our environment, and others will take their place. This may sound hard, but it is unfortunately true. Isn't it true that other people frequently live out what we don't permit ourselves to do? Some people annoy us with their behavior. Perhaps they are premature in their judgments, verbally attack others, are hurtful in their thoughtlessness, don't really listen, make us nervous with their restlessness, think they know it all better, are mistrusting—the list is almost endless. How do we act and react? For quite some time now, I have been trying to decode the messages conveyed to me through other people for myself. How am I? How do I behave? What impression do I make on others? In doing this, I get to know myself better and have the opportunity to change. Sometimes we are afraid of other people and their reactions, which is why we let ourselves be manipulated and exploited. Or, by being on “good behavior” and serving others, we want to make them love us.
Mudras 1, 12, 14, 45, and 47 can bring clarity into our relationships, take away fear, and support the work of forgiveness. However, at this point I would like to ask a great favor of you. If, with all of this selfcontemplation, you notice how you still do things “wrong” time and time again, love yourself and pamper yourself. And, in particular, laugh about yourself instead of criticizing and scolding. There is always the next time to try and “do things right.” I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
Common sense tells us that every problem contains its own solution. It is part of human nature to be repeatedly faced with challenges, situations, and problems that demand a solution. This keeps us alert, sharpens our senses, and challenges our rational mind. In the silence of meditation we can go into our depths and come into contact with the Highest. Here we can ask, and the right answer always comes in the right way through another person, a book, a voice on the radio, a feeling, or in some other way, and at the right time. I could tell you lots interesting stories on this theme that I learned while seeking the wisdom of the mudras. This is almost a wonder! My husband recently remarked, “You are either the luckiest person on Earth or a witch!” But, obviously, neither of these are true. I have attained a good portion of confidence and trust in the cosmic forces because of all my experiences—that is my luck today. But it wasn't always that way!
When making decisions, whether they are small or large, never forget to make use of meditation. And if there is something that you absolutely want to have, but don't receive it (when an apartment or a job gets taken away from under your nose, etc.), then there is certain to be something better waiting for you.
The following mudras are particularly suited for solving everyday problems: 14, 16, 18, 31, 42, 50, and 51.
We all have character traits that make life difficult or uncomfortable for us (exaggerated fearfulness, being overly critical, feelings of guilt, addictive behavior, inferiority complexes, nervousness, pessimism, etc.). Meditation is a wonderful way to transform or even completely reverse them. The best approach is to just deal with one at a time. If we are successful in changing just one single character trait a year, then how will we be in ten years? We shouldn't fight against a character trait that we want to get rid of; instead, we should scrutinize it and even recognize its good aspects. This is the only way that we can let go of it.
First ask yourself where this unattractive trait comes from, how it developed, what is good about it (there is something good in everything). Each uncomfortable trait can show you the way to something better. Unfortunately, you can also be defeated because of one. Or you can become stronger. Then get a very detailed, clear image of the benefits of changing the character trait into its opposite. Now you can decide whether to live with it in peace, by placing limitations on it, or get rid of it by imagining situations in which you live with the opposite trait (for example, courage instead of fear). Your inner images will gradually move into the outside world and become your outer reality.
We can include all these considerations in meditation (Mudras 13, 22, 23, 24, 30, and 38). Then we will experience true wonders.
How many people are afraid of the future, afraid of losing their jobs, of getting old, of all the possible diseases? I once asked a large group about fear of the future. Everyone was surprised about the variety of fears that came to light. The human imagination knows no boundaries here! Some people had fears that seemed totally unimaginable to the others. Everyone agreed at the conclusion—there is hardly a human being who takes a “realistic” look at the future.
Why not fundamentally get rid of unnecessary fears right now! Meditation can be used as a way to visualize images of the future, to plan short-term and long-term goals. Most people do this unconsciously anyway, but we can consciously plan a future that we find suitable, enjoyable, and meaningful. Most of my inner plans have become outer reality within twelve years. Some of them are still open, and I know that these will also be fulfilled at the right time. Incidentally, I have made an interesting discovery. People usually die in the way that they imagine they will.
Mudras 2, 8, 16, 18, 24, 32, and 42 are suitable for helping to plan your future.
Have you ever read that a person will be asked at Heaven's gate if he or she has prayed or meditated enough while on Earth? Definitely not. It doesn't matter how often we sit or kneel and meditate, but rather how and whether we have lived a fulfilled life and expressed the will of cosmic consciousness through what we have done and not done. Our task in life consists of doing our best and leaving the works up to the Divine before and after their completion. The supreme rule of all great religious communities has always been, “Pray and work.” We don't have to join an order to do this; we can also do it alone.
Mudras 19, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, and 52 help us find repose and also lead us to inner peace, contentment, and joy. In turn, we should let peace and joy flow into our words and works, carrying them out into the world.