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Guest column: Become a source of joy, a message for Gen Alpha
We connect well with people on social media, but we do not know how to talk to our neighbours or colleagues
Every seventh person in the world is a child of the new millennia or Gen Alpha. They are growing up with technology with information at their fingertips. As we are leaning toward AI- artificial intelligence and the digital world our natural intelligence is becoming redundant. We are becoming good at HMI - Human to machine interface, but we are becoming handicapped in HHI - Human to Human interface. We connect well with people on social media, but we do not know how to talk to our neighbours or colleagues.
This has led to a lost connection within and we have forgotten how to smile. Our natural smile has disappeared and is replaced with insomnia, anxiety, insecurity, and stress. Nowadays hardly anyone looks at others in public places. Everyone puts their head down and is busy scrolling through their electronic gadgets. Neck and shoulder pain has become common because of this. New generation children are growing up with ear pods. WHO recommends a total of 40 hours of weekly exposure to a volume level of no more than 80 dB on personal listening devices. But in reality, the actual numbers are much higher. Our Gen Alpha is staring at hearing and eyesight loss at an early age.
Mudras are nonverbal means of communication. If our Gen Alpha is growing up with neck, shoulder, ear, eye problems, and mental health issues, it is conveying a message of Generation of Ailment instead of Generation Alpha. Using our natural intelligence, we can change this message to Generation of Abundance.
Mudam dadati iti mudra – What brings joy to our lives, or by giving what gives joy to our life is a mudra. We go to a temple to draw joy and solace by looking at the altar. Mudras are widely used in temple architecture. The altar conveys the messages to us through mudras. We draw joy and messages looking at the feet, hands, eyes, or other parts of the altar. Most altars are in human form so we can relate to them.
The altars in the temples are conveying that if these stones or mental statues can give so much joy why cannot a sentient human give joy to others? We need not have to talk to convey the message. We can also convey messages through gestures in the eyes, face, lips, legs, hands, and body movement.
Mudras are used not only as a healing technique but also widely used in spiritual and temple worships. Prithvi, jnana, akasha, Varuna, prana, vyana, apana, shanka, linga, Surya mudra, etc are some of the hand mudras used for healing ourselves.
Chin, dhyana, Anjali, shanka, chakra, gada, padma, garuda mudra are some of the adyatma mudras using hands are used in spiritual sadhana (practice).
Using the organs of knowledge, mudras are done for calming the mind and they are also called mana mudra. Using the eyes shambhavi and akashi mudras are done. Using the tongue khechari and kaki mudras are done. Shanmukhi mudra is done using organs of knowledge.
Mudras are done through the body which is called kaya mudra in the form of vipareeta karini, manduki, yoga mudra, etc.
The ultimate purpose of doing all mudras is to derive and share happiness in life. Mudras are widely used in Indian classical dances such as Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Mohiniyattam, Kathakali, Yakshagana, etc.
The face is an index of the mind. Your face emits your inner feeling. The scriptures say that a smile and glow on the face are the outer indications that yoga has dawned on that person. People must draw joy and inspiration by looking at your face and actions. That must be your mudra. When this happens, you will become like a walking temple.
By understanding the concepts of mudra you will be able to transform your life by closing the gap between the ideal me and the real me.
(vasudevakriyayoga@gmail.com )
(The writer is the Melbourne-based founder of Vasudeva Kriya Yoga. Views expressed are personal.)
