How Do I Identify This Hand Mudra?

This is Ashtanga Yoga Tech Support. Real questions from the community, answered.

The Question

Hand Mudra Identification?

Our Response

Identify a hand mudra (hasta mudra) the way you’d debug anything: read the specific contact points, because that’s what defines it. Which fingertips touch, where they touch (tip-to-tip vs. fingertip-to-base-of-thumb), which fingers stay extended, and how the hands are held. Those few variables separate most of the common ones.

The frequent suspects: Jnana / Chin mudra, index fingertip to thumb tip, other three fingers extended, the classic seated-meditation hand (chin = palm down on the knee, jnana = palm up; people use the names interchangeably). Anjali mudra, palms pressed together at the heart, the prayer/greeting gesture. Dhyana mudra, both hands resting in the lap, one cupped in the other, thumbs lightly touching. Prana mudra, ring and little finger tips to the thumb. Apana mudra, middle and ring fingers to the thumb.

If you’ve got a photo, post it in the thread and describe the contacts, that’s usually enough for someone to name it instantly. And worth saying: the gesture isn’t decoration. Each one is making a small, deliberate energetic circuit, which is exactly why the precise finger contact is the identifying feature.

More on Ashtanga Tech: About Hand Mudras · Hand Mudras Introduction