Healing Mudras: Yoga for Your Hands [Paperback]

Sabrina Mesko (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2000

"The practice of mudras for at least three minutes daily will bring you health, wealth, balance, success, and happiness."
--from Healing Mudras

Mudras are yoga movements involving only the arms and hands. They are extremely easy to do, but so powerful that they can transform your life. How? Simply by liberating the energy locked within your body--in energy channels called nadis and energy centers called chakras--and directing it to help you meet your goals and deal with the problems of everyday life.

In this the first book to make the sacred healing techniques of mudra available to everyone, expert yoga teacher Sabrina Mesko includes dynamically illustrated instructions for performing the fifty-two most accessible mudras, with appropriate breathing exercises, eye movements, mantras, meditations, visualizations, prayers, and affirmations to enhance the power of each. Inside you'll find mudras for

- Creating inner peace and inner strength - Eliminating fatigue and overcoming anxiety - Protecting your physical and emotional health - Transcending stress, depression, guilt, and anger - Calming the mind and sharpening intuition - Promoting happiness, love, prosperity, longevity - Healing a broken heart - and much more!

No previous experience with yoga is needed. If you can move your arms and hands freely and pay attention to your breathing, you can use these ancient healing mudras to enrich your life--wherever you are--in as little as a few minutes a day!

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

These two titles address the benefits of practicing yoga. Finger's Yoga ZoneR Introduction to Yoga takes a broader approach. Creator of the ISHTA yoga taught at his New York City-based Yoga ZoneR studios, Finger explains his program and offers a brief history of different types of yoga. Outlines of two series of beginners' programs are well illustrated with photos of poses and accompanied by detailed instructions, tips, and variations. A section covers relaxation and meditation and breathing techniques. Healing Mudras has a much narrower focus. Mudras, in Buddhism and Hinduism, are symbolic gestures involving hands, fingers, and arms that are used in ceremonies and dance or seen in artwork. Mesko, a former dancer and certified yoga therapist, takes a mindful and introspective approach combining movement with chants in order to achieve specific self-affirming goals. All 52 mudras are demonstrated with photos of the author, along with instructions for breathing, eye movements, and mantras, which spoken aloud impart greater mental and physical energy and a healing quality. Experienced yoga students seeking to move beyond the basic postures or individuals with physical limitations will find this guide useful. Both titles are easy to follow and understand. However, since a number of introductory yoga books are already available, Finger's is an optional purchase. Because it concentrates on a very specific aspect of yoga practice, Mesko's guide is a preferred choice for a wellness collection or public library with a limited budget seeking to round out its yoga collection.
-Deborah Anne Broocker, Georgia Perimeter Coll., Dunwoody
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Sabrina Mesko is a former ballerina, Broadway dancer, and model, who turned to yoga to heal a back injury. Eastern trained but Western-based, she completed an intensive four-year study of teachings with world-renowned masters, one of whom entrusted her with bringing the sacred mudra techniques to the West. Sabrina graduated with honors from the internationally known Yoga College of India and became a certified yoga therapist. She went on to study healing breath techniques with the Master Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. She holds a bachelors degree in sensory approaches to healing, a masters in holistic science, and a doctorate in ancient and modern approaches to healing from the American Institute of Holistic Theology. Sabrina's international teaching practice is based in Beverly Hills, where she lives. Her video, Mudra: Gestures of Power, was recently published by Sounds True.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Wellspring/Ballantine; 1st Ballantine ed edition (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345437586
• ISBN-13: 978-0345437587
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.4 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 17 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #447,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quick Stress Relief, June 9, 2000

By 

Gankaku "gankaku" (Fairfax, Va) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Healing Mudras: Yoga for Your Hands (Paperback)

With yoga, I realize the stress-relieving and relaxing effects from regular practice. I was skeptical when I saw this book and thought oh, a few hand movements can't compare to the type of relaxation I get from yoga. However I always like to try new things so of course I bought the book. :-)

One evening I felt particularly stressed and decided to try some of the mudras for my immediate needs. Only a few minutes later I was feeling more centered, relaxed and at ease. I've only practiced a few times so far, and each time I've experienced great relief from whatever was bothering me. And if you like a challenge you'll like practicing the exercises - contrary to what I thought, it's challenging at first to hold some of the hand poses for more than a minute or two.

I recommend this book to anyone who needs stress relief in a short period of time. There are many other mudras for amazing things like compassion, healing a broken heart, for releasing guilt, longevity, etc. In addition to regular exercise and healthy diet, I look forward to exploring the exercises in this book throughout my life to help whenever there is imbalance, and to adding a few specific ones to my daily routine.

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A One Of A Kind Gem!, February 16, 2000

By 

Patricia Peterson (NYC NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Healing Mudras: Yoga for Your Hands (Paperback)

I have been searching for a book like this for a long time. This is the only book I have been able to find about Mudras. The beautiful and easy methods in this book are something anyone can use everyday. I am a sufferer of severe migraines for many years, and these techniques have helped me to lessen my headaches. I have become less stressed, more focused and feeling stronger on all levels. The photos and instructions are clear and easy to follow. I highly recommend Healing Mudras to everyone.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Peace to my health, March 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Healing Mudras: Yoga for Your Hands (Paperback)

I have found new and wonderful healing techniques through Sabrina Mesko's book Healing Mudras. In my day to day life filled with stress and deadlines, her breathing and hand exercises have helped me to release these tensions and balance my life. Only a few minutes a day and I feel such relief and freedom, as if I stopped and smelled the flowers. I recommend this book to anyone feeling the overwhelming pressures of a busy life - it's visual, accessable and the results are instant. Ah, to learn how to breathe and focus again...truly a gift.