Open Hands

During savasana, I often give the cue to open the palms as a way of making sure you’re not holding onto anything. As I’ve (admittedly reluctantly) begun packing for my move to New Haven, I’ve been thinking about the ways and reasons that we hold onto things/feelings/routines, etc. What is the nature of these attachments? Why are some things easier to let go of than others? I’m not sure I have any answers really, but I do know that releasing and letting go can ultimately be freeing, clarifying, and often the only way to make space for something new. Out of curiosity, I started to dig into some mudras (gestures we use in yoga to indicate an idea and direct the flow of energy) that use open hands. I found that, in addition to letting go, these mudras can also invoke protection, peace, and the dispelling of fear (Abhaya mudra); clarity, compassion and the granting of deep desires (Varada mudra); deep concentration and balance (Dhyana mudra—which is how we always begin a practice); and an open heart, gratitude, and a sense of making an offering to the divine (Pushpaputa mudra). I’m hoping that whatever letting go you may be in the middle of will help you to find some of these benefits.