3 Ways to Prepare for a Hand Mudra Practice

BY Indu Arora2 min read • October 29, 2026

If you’d like to begin a hand mudra practice, preparation is part of the process! Here, three ways to set yourself up for a meaningful hand mudra practice. 

A mudra is a non-verbal mode of communication and self-expression, consisting of hand, face, and body postures. It is an external expression of inner resolve.

Here’s a question I hear a lot: Do mudras actually work?

Yes! They are Sukshma Kriyas. Although we use our physical body, they are an aspect of the subtle energetic body—they work from the inside out.

Working with our marma points, they form an essential thread woven through all yoga practices—asana, pranayama, mantra, and meditation. They leave an impression—like a seal—on our mind, psyche, body, and breath.

If you’d like to begin a hand mudra practice, preparation is part of the process! Here, three ways to set yourself up for a meaningful hand mudra practice. 

1. PREPARE

Prepare the hands for practice by applying sesame or almond oil or ghee, massaging your hands with a marma stick, and doing joint-freeing exercises for fingers, knuckles, and wrist. This is really helpful if you tend to feel stiffness, dullness, and achiness in your hands, wrist, and fingers. It is excellent for vata-kapha pacification.

2. CULTIVATE DISCIPLINE

Envision when and where you will integrate the practice into your day. Practice the chosen hand Mudra three times a day, holding it for a minimum 2 minutes. 

3. PRIORITIZE SAFETY 

Observe the changes in your body, breath and mind during the Mudra practice. For example, If you experience any dizziness, nausea, excess heat, headaches, heartburn, or overall unpleasantness, release the Mudra and choose a different one. These are signs of dosha vitiation, or disturbance. 

Read more about it and 100+ other therapeutic Mudras in my book Mudra The Sacred Secret.