the lotus mudra
Given this is the very first post on this blog, I wanted to start with something light and playful, but also meaningful.
Although I spent many years believing the spiritual path was all about figuring out how to live in a certain state of mind, I have recently learned how mistaken this view is.
This summer gave rise to a number of experiences that showed me the depth of experience possible when we learn to be in the heart space. I always thought spiritual teachings that spoke of the heart were trivial, much like the way the heart is commodified in Western celebrations like Valentine's Day.
But it turns out there is nothing trivial about the heart space. In fact, this is the energetic centre of our whole being. The heart produces the body's strongest electromagnetic field. I have been fortunate enough to experience this directly this year, though it takes continuous awareness to return to this space and remain open.
Mudra means 'seal'. It is the name used in yogic traditions for bringing the hands together in specific ways, and the energetic and experiential shifts this practice can produce.
The simple act of placing one or both hands on the centre of the chest can be enough to bring awareness to the heart. The most remarkable thing is that when we bring both hands to the centre of our chest—allowing the tips of the thumbs to touch and the fingers to rest against the opposite sides of the chest—something beautiful happens. It creates the shape of a lotus flower.
The lotus flower is symbolic across many Eastern traditions. The Buddhist mantra Oṃ Maṇi Padme Hūṃ roughly translates to "The jewel is in the lotus." The jewel (the essence of our being) is like a lotus flower that blooms through the mud yet remains unstained by the silt in the water. Likewise, Buddha-nature is ever present, like a jewel to which dirt cannot stick. That dirt is akin to our past mistakes and regrets, and the untainted lotus reminds us that there is always a way back.
Our essential nature is most radiant in the heart space. Every time we bring our hands together in this way, touching the chest and breathing into our palms, we can touch the deepest essence of our being. We can feel the space expand in our chest. We can remember that this space is no different from the space that separates stars and galaxies. We can remember that we are not separate from this universe. We are, in fact, a part of it.