Contents
What is Gyan mudra?
Gyan/ Jnana means wisdom or knowledge and mudra means a seal or a gesture. This is one of the most widely known mudra and is performed in a meditative pose by joining the tip of the index finger to the tip of the thumb, hands resting on the knee with the palms facing up.
The Index finger represents the air element which is known to stimulate the thought process. Joining the tip of the index finger to the thumb helps to balance the air element which can decrease unwanted thoughts and support our meditation.
Gyan means true knowledge/ wisdom which can only be known when our minds are quiet. The floor of a river bed or a lake is clearly visible when the water is quiet in the same way we can only experience true wisdom when the air element is balanced and is not causing a spiral of unwanted thoughts.
Mudras are very subtle and even a small change in the body position can affect the flow of energy created by the mudra.
What is Chin or Chit mudra?
Chin/ chit is a Sanskrit word derived from Chitta which is one of the four parts of the mind (manas, chitta, buddhi, and ahamkara). This part of the mind stores all your experiences, memory, impressions, trauma, etc. Chit/ chin is sometimes also referred to as consciousness. This consciousness that you are has seen and experienced everything that has ever happened to you.
This mudra is done in a meditative pose by joining the tip of the index finger with the thumb, all the other fingers are relaxed and the palm is facing down resting on the knee.
Difference between Chin/chit mudra and Gyan mudra
The is a lot of confusion between the gyan mudra and the chin mudra, sometimes both mudras are called as same. But there is a subtle difference between the two. In gyan mudra the palm is facing up whereas in chin mudra the palm is facing down. Even the simple act of keeping the palm facing up or down changes the energetics.
When to use Gyan mudra?
Use gyan mudra when you are doing a meditation/ contemplation on things like the nature of reality, who am I? and what is my purpose, etc. Gyan mudra can also support meditation on the heart chakra and above (throat chakra and third eye). This mudra brings a sense of expansion.
When to use Chin mudra?
Use chin mudra when you are suffering certain issues, emotions, thoughts, etc, and trying to resolve them by contemplation. Chin mudra can support meditation on manipura chakra and below (muladhara and swadisthana chakra).