Rudra Mudra (Gesture of Shiva): meaning, steps and benefits

How to do Rudra Mudra

1. Sit upright on the floor or a chair and rest your hands on your thighs, palms facing up.
2. On each hand, bring the tips of your index finger and ring finger to the tip of your thumb, so three fingertips meet.
3. Keep your middle finger and little finger straight and relaxed.
4. Close your eyes and breathe slowly into your belly, resting your attention just above the navel.
5. Stay for 5–15 minutes, up to three times a day, then release the fingers and sit quietly for a few breaths.

Rudra mudra is a hand gesture in which the tips of the index finger and ring finger touch the tip of the thumb while the middle and little fingers stay straight. It is named after Rudra, an early name of Shiva, and yoga teachers use it for centering and for days when you feel tired or scattered.

What is rudra mudra? Meaning in English

A mudra in yoga is a seal or gesture, usually of the hands, held during breathing or meditation. The mudra meaning in English is simply "seal" or "sign". So rudra mudra means "gesture of Rudra" or "gesture of Shiva".

Who is Rudra in Hinduism? In the Rigveda, Rudra is the storm god, feared and also prayed to as a healer. In later Hindu mythology Rudra became one of the names of Shiva. The word is often translated as "the roarer" or "the one who removes suffering". Shiva represents stillness and transformation, and in meditation images he sits upright with calm hands. What does Shiva hold in his hands? Usually the trident (trishula) and the small drum (damaru); one hand often shows the fear-not gesture, abhaya mudra.

If you saw this hand shape in a picture and wondered "which mudra is this?": when the index and ring tips meet the thumb and the middle and little fingers point out, it is rudra mudra. The diagram above shows it clearly, which many rudra mudra images do not.

How to do rudra mudra: practical tips

• Three tips, one point. The thumb, index and ring fingertips should meet in one spot. If the ring finger will not reach, bend the index finger a little more.
• Relax the free fingers. The middle and little fingers point outward without strain.
• Where to rest your mind. In chakra teaching rudra mudra belongs to the solar plexus, so breathe gently into the upper belly. See our chakras guide.
• Timing. 5–15 minutes, up to three times a day. Mid-morning or mid-afternoon, when energy dips, is a good moment.

Sit in Easy Pose or on a chair. Slow belly breathing, as in diaphragmatic breathing, suits this mudra well.

Rudra mudra benefits

In mudra theory the ring finger stands for earth and the index finger for air. Rudra mudra joins both with the fire of the thumb, so it is said to bring stability and clarity at the same time. The traditional rudra mudra benefits are:

• Centering: a sense of coming back to yourself when your attention is pulled in many directions.
• Energy: it is used as a gentle mudra for an energy boost on tired days. The benefits of prana mudra are similar and stronger in tradition.
• Stress: with slow breathing it is a simple mudra to reduce stress. See yoga for stress.
• Spiritual benefits: the rudra mudra spiritual benefits are described as inner strength and steadiness, the qualities Shiva stands for.

These are traditional uses. There are no clinical studies on rudra mudra itself.

Rudra mudra for weight loss, varicose veins and hernia: what is true

Online lists call rudra mudra a mudra for weight loss (even a "weight loss mudra for ladies"), for varicose veins, for hernia, for lower back pain, for head pain, for blood circulation, for pain relief or for blood pressure. Some Tamil sources add rudra mudra benefits for skin. None of these claims has been tested. A hand gesture cannot close a hernia or change the veins in your legs.

What can help is movement and medical care. For real help see yoga for varicose veins, yoga for back pain and yoga for weight loss, and ask your doctor first if you have a hernia.

Rudra mudra side effects

No harmful rudra mudra side effects are known. Some people feel finger strain, because touching the ring finger to the thumb is harder than the index. Keep the touch soft and shorten the time.

Rudra mudra and other mudras

There is no one mudra for all problems and no best mudra for overall health; each mudra and its benefits suit a different need. The benefits of chin mudra are calm during breathing, the benefits of vayu mudra are traditionally for gas and stiffness, and the benefits of kubera mudra are clear intentions. For memory, hakini mudra benefits are the best known: to do hakini mudra, join all ten fingertips in front of the chest. Which mudra is best while walking? Simple one-hand shapes like rudra or gyan mudra are easy to hold on a slow walk.

Rudra mantra benefits are a separate topic: a rudra mantra such as "Om Namo Bhagavate Rudraya" is chanted, while the mudra is held silently. You can combine them if you like. Rudra mudra benefits in English are the same as rudra mudra benefits in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada or Marathi.

Where this practice is used

Chakras: Manipura (Solar Plexus Chakra)

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.