Karana Mudra (Gesture of Warding Off): meaning, steps and benefits

How to do Karana Mudra

1. Sit upright and raise one or both hands to about chest height, or rest the backs of the hands on your knees.
2. Fold your middle and ring fingers down into the palm.
3. Lay your thumb across the folded middle and ring fingers to hold them gently in place.
4. Keep your index and little fingers straight, pointing up or forward. In Buddhist style the palm faces outward.
5. Breathe out slowly and picture worry or a heavy thought leaving with each out-breath.
6. Stay for 3–5 minutes, then open the hand, shake it out and rest your palms on your thighs.

Karana mudra is a hand gesture in which the index and little fingers point up while the thumb holds the middle and ring fingers folded into the palm. In Buddhism it is the gesture that drives away evil and obstacles. In yoga, karana mudra is used for a few minutes to let go of worry and negative thinking.

Karana mudra meaning and symbolism

The Sanskrit word karana can mean "doing", "cause" or "means". As a mudra name, the karana mudra meaning is usually given as "gesture of warding off" or "gesture of expelling". You may also see it spelled karna mudra.

The karana mudra ancient meaning comes from Indian and Buddhist art. In Buddhism the gesture expels demons, illness and negative energy, and removes obstacles such as fear and anger. In karana mudra symbolism the two raised fingers are often read as horns that push harm away, while the folded fingers, held by the thumb, show the mind held steady.

Karana mudra in Buddha statues

In a karana mudra Buddha statue, the hand is usually held forward at chest height with the palm turned out, index and little fingers raised. Some statues show the hand horizontal. Such statues are common in Tibetan, Chinese and Japanese art, and on figures of protective deities.

If you see a Buddha statue with this karana mudra hand sign and ask "which mudra is this?", the answer is the gesture of warding off, not the open palm of abhaya mudra (fear not) or the downward bhumisparsha mudra, the touching the earth mudra, where the right hand reaches down to touch the ground.

Karana mudra and the evil eye gesture

The same shape appears far from Asia. In Italy and around the Mediterranean it is a traditional hand gesture to ward off the evil eye (the corna), and in rock music it means "horns". It is different from the hang loose hand gesture (thumb and little finger out) and from the flat open palm used as a hand gesture to stop or a "go away" hand gesture.

Karana mudra: how to do it and practise

The mudra karana steps are listed above; the diagram is clearer than most karana mudra images. Tips for mudra karana practice:

• Soft thumb: the thumb only rests on the folded fingers; the hand should not become a tight fist.
• Two ways to hold it: Buddhist style, raised with the palm out, or yoga style, with the backs of the hands on the knees.
• Short and clear: 3–5 minutes is enough. Use it before karana mudra meditation or whenever a thought keeps circling.
• Breathe out: make each out-breath a little longer than the in-breath, as in 4-7-8 breathing.

Then continue with a calmer mudra such as gyan mudra or dhyana mudra: to do dhyana mudra, rest the right hand in the left, thumbs touching. Our meditation timer keeps time with soft bells.

Karana mudra benefits

The karana mudra benefits in yoga are about release:

• Letting go of worry: a clear physical sign that you are putting a thought down. See yoga for anxiety.
• A mudra to calm the mind: used before meditation to clear mental "noise" and bring some inner peace.
• Protection and courage: in Buddhist practice it is used when you feel threatened by fear or anger.

There is no research on karana mudra by itself. Slow breathing and meditation do help many people with stress, so with them it works as a mudra to reduce stress. Some lists call it a mudra for heart health, a heart problem or blood pressure; there is no evidence for that.

Karana mudra side effects

No harmful karana mudra side effects are known. The thumb may tire if you press hard; relax it. If worry or fear is strong or lasting, talk to a doctor or counsellor. Yoga can support care, not replace it.

Other mudras and their benefits

There is no one mudra for all problems and no best mudra for overall health. Mudras in yoga and their benefits are traditional; Gertrud Hirschi’s book Mudras: Yoga in Your Hands is a popular guide to these types of mudra in yoga, their hand positions and meanings. How to practice mudras is simple: sit upright, touch lightly, breathe slowly. What is prana mudra? The ring and little fingertips touch the thumb; the benefits of prana mudra are an energy boost. The benefits of gyan mudra are focus, making it a good hand mudra for concentration and mind power. The benefits of kubera mudra are clear goals, and water mudra benefits (varun mudra) are linked with dryness. Which mudra is best while walking? Simple ones like gyan mudra. Our mudra hand chart with meanings shows all hand mudras and their benefits.

Karana mudra benefits in Tamil or Hindi are the same as in English.

More mudras

Mudras are a traditional practice for focus and relaxation. Research on specific health effects is limited; use them alongside, not instead of, medical care.