Surya Mudra | How to Do It and Its Benefits 

Surya Mudra Images

Have you been on a weight loss journey and are worried about the slow results? We are sure you have tried many exercises and diets but still are not getting the desired result. Yogaasan recommends that you try Surya Mudra, a simple yoga practice that can help you regain your metabolism rate inside the body while keeping you energetic. Come, let’s see how it is done-

What is Surya Mudra? 

Also known as “Agni Vardhak”, this is a yoga practice to increase the fire in the body. Surya means ‘the sun’ and mudra means ‘gesture’ and performing this increases the heat/fire element of the body. This also decreases the excess earth element from the body which is why it is also called “Prithvi Shamak Mudra”. The fire element increases metabolism while activating the solar plexus chakra. The whole process helps in converting food into energy more quickly keeping you more active and high-spirited. Now, let us check out how to do Surya Mudra –

How to Do Surya Mudra? 

The steps to do this are fairly simple and you can even do it by sitting on your chair. Follow the steps given below:

  1. Find a comfortable and quiet place to sit in and bring yourself into the Sukhaasan pose also called the easy pose. 
  2. Bring your left hand on the left knee and right hand on the right knee. The palms must be facing upwards. 
  3. Take a deep breath fold your ring finger and reach out to the base of the thumb. Repeat the same on the other hand. Apply a little pressure with your thumb and you will feel the other fingers stretching out. 
  4. Close your eyes and take deep breaths. Bring the focus to your breathing. Hold the mudra for about 5 to 7 minutes and release the fingers to relax.

5 Benefits of Surya Mudra

As we saw this is performed using the thumb which is symbolic of the fire element in the body and the ring finger symbolic of the earth element. The science behind it is that when the thumb presses down the ring finger it increases the fire/agni inside. Listed down below are the Surya Mudra benefits: 

  1. Increases energy and decreases lethargy giving you more motivation to get things done productively. 
  2. Practising Surya mudra for weight loss can be a great strategy. This keeps your metabolism high as it helps the body absorb the food you eat at a higher rate. 
  3. This is a good practice for people who face issues with indigestion. The increase of fire in the body reduces both constipation and acidity. 
  4. As it stimulates the internal fire, practising Surya mudra for diabetes can promote insulin production which in turn regulates the blood glucose levels.
  5. According to Ayurveda, practising Surya mudra for liver issues can be beneficial too. It increases the digestive fire inside the body which is important for the liver to function appropriately and for detoxification. 

Note: Practising the Surya mudra for weight loss along with Apana Mudra can be beneficial but keep in mind to be consistent. To lose excess weight, you need to practice this for approximately 20 minutes each, every day with a gap of 3 hours after any meal.

Dehydration can be one of Surya mudra side effects. Yogaasan suggests you practice this with Pran Mudra for better nutrient absorption and a balanced weight loss journey. 

Contraindications of Surya Mudra 

Here are a few things that you should keep in mind while practising this mudra: 

  1. If you are someone with a naturally high-temperature body and who sweats excessively, then you should avoid practising this. 
  2. Pregnant women should avoid doing this mudra. 
  3. Do not perform this gesture right after having your meal. 

Conclusion

Yogaasan suggests you practice yoga meditation for a healthy life. As you can see, Surya Mudra can be a great pick from the lot to do regularly to keep your body functioning properly. This can help you to stay more active, energetic, and happy throughout. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the best time to do Surya Mudra? 

Ans. You can do Surya Mudra early in the morning with an empty stomach to get the best results. Remember to keep a gap of 30 minutes if you are doing it after having food. 

Can we do Surya Mudra while sleeping? 

Ans. Your body is trying to relax when you sleep thus doing Surya mudra while sleeping can be counterproductive and is not recommended.