Mudras occupy an important place in Buddhist and Hindu religious practices as these signify special meanings, associated with specific divinities and rites, which cannot be represented any other way. This book is a dictionary of mudras in Hindu and Buddhist religious practices that lists the various mudras - deity-centred, rite-centred, yogic-centred, and so on - illustrating each with a simple drawing drawn generally from the perspective of one holding the mudra. It contains detailed notes that give numerous references to literary and other sources that reveal a lot about the mudras - their descriptions in the texts, rites associated with the mudras in the texts as well as the varied interpretations of a number of mudras in the different texts. The book also has an introduction on Hindu and Buddhist mudras that goes into iconographic features associated with deities along with the technical descriptions and the subcategories and further divisions into which mudras are arranged. It scrutinises the work done by a number of scholars on the subject to throw further light on the subject. The volume will prove indispensable to all students and scholars who are engaged in study of Hindu and Buddhist religious traditions and practices.

This is a new release of the original 1923 edition.

Mudras are symbolic hand gestures or positions used throughout the world in spiritual and daily practice. Studies show that they have the same effect on the brain as language: when you use a mudra, you are activating a specific thought or intent, and that thought carries energy, working like a radio signal to communicate with God, to All that IS, for fulfillment and manifestation. This book is a pocket guide to the mudras, illustrating over 35 mudras in a joyful and colorful way. Look at them when the mood strikes you, or use them every day. Above all: enjoy them!

This Dictionary Attempts To Reveal The Divine Paradoxes Of Buddhist-Hindu Iconography By Even Interpreting The Nuances Of Their Iconic Language. It Explains, Vividly, Thousands Of Iconic Representations (Visual, Conceptual Symbols, Images, Objects, Concepts, Rites).

A photographic guide presents more than 200 Indian hand gestures used in yoga and dance, in a fully indexed and cross-referenced format, giving both the Sanskrit and English name for each.

A leading yoga researcher offers a clear and lively introduction to the history, philosophy, and practice of the Tantric spiritual tradition Tantra—often associated with Kundalini Yoga—is a fundamental dimension of Hinduism, emphasizing the cultivation of “divine power” (shakti) as a path to infinite bliss. Tantra has been widely misunderstood in the West, however, where its practices are often confused with eroticism and licentious morality. Tantra: The Path of Ecstasy dispels many common misconceptions, providing an accessible introduction to the history, philosophy, and practice of this extraordinary spiritual tradition. The Tantric teachings are geared toward the attainment of enlightenment as well as spiritual power and are present not only in Hinduism but also Jainism and Vajrayana Buddhism. In this book, Georg Feuerstein offers readers a clear understanding of authentic Tantra, as well as appropriate guidance for spiritual practice and the attainment of higher consciousness.