🤲Illustration coming soonPalms pressed evenly together in front of the sternum, fingers together and pointing straight up, thumbs resting lightly against the chest, elbows relaxed and slightly out.
Anjali Mudra
Añjali Mudrā
AHN-jah-lee MOO-drah
DevotionalElement: balance of all five
Anjali Mudra (Añjali Mudrā) is a devotional hand mudra formed with the whole hands, associated with balance of all five.
Anjali Mudra presses the palms together at the center of the chest with the fingers pointing up. Many traditions use it to greet, honor, or mark the start and end of a practice.
The gesture
The gesture
Palms pressed evenly together in front of the sternum, fingers together and pointing straight up, thumbs resting lightly against the chest, elbows relaxed and slightly out.
Fingers
whole hands
Element
balance of all five
Palm
palms together, vertical
Hands
both
Hold for
a few breaths to 5 minutes
Also called
Prayer Mudra, Namaste Mudra
How to do Anjali Mudra
Sit tall in a comfortable seat or stand in Mountain Pose, with the crown of the head lifting and the shoulders dropping away from the ears.
Bring both hands up in front of the chest with the palms facing each other, elbows relaxed and slightly out to the sides.
Press the palms together evenly, fingers together and pointing straight up, so the hands form one vertical plane.
Rest the thumbs lightly against the breastbone, at the center of the sternum.
Breathe slowly through the nose for a few breaths, or up to five minutes, keeping the pressure between the palms light and even.
To release, slowly separate the hands and let them rest on the thighs or at your sides.
Quick check: do you know this mudra?
Benefits
Traditionally used to greet, thank, and show respect.
Used to mark the opening and closing of a seated practice.
Said to bring the two sides of the body into balance.
Gives a clear, symmetrical position to settle the attention on.
Pairs easily with chanting and slow, full breaths.
When to use it
Use it to open or close a practice, during chanting, or as a standing pause in Mountain Pose or Tree Pose.
Cautions
Skip or soften the pressure if pressing the palms together irritates the wrists or thumbs.
If the shoulders or neck tighten, lower the hands a little and let the elbows drop.
Do not force the palms flat if the wrists are stiff; let a small gap remain.
Añjali comes from the Sanskrit root añj, “to honor” or “to anoint,” and refers to the cupped or joined hands offered in greeting or reverence. Mudrā means “seal” or “gesture.” The gesture is very old and appears across Indian religious life, in Hindu and Buddhist devotion, and in everyday greetings. It is not tied to a single finger-element pairing. Instead, tradition reads it as the meeting of both hands, and so of left and right, as a balance of all five elements.
How to practice
Sit in Easy Pose, or stand in Mountain Pose with your feet grounded. Lift both hands in front of your chest, palms facing each other, and press them together evenly. The fingers point straight up, the thumbs rest against the sternum, and the elbows stay relaxed and slightly out. Breathe slowly for a few breaths, or up to five minutes. Anjali pairs well with a steady Dirga Breath or with chanting Om Breath. You can also hold it as a quiet pause in Tree Pose, where the joined hands give you a steady point for the eyes and mind. To finish, separate the hands slowly and let them rest.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep the pressure light and even. Pushing hard makes the forearms and shoulders work, which defeats the purpose.
Let the shoulders drop. If the elbows lift high, the shoulders follow, so keep the elbows slightly out and relaxed.
Keep the palms aligned. One hand sliding forward or sitting lower than the other makes the gesture lopsided.
Unlike Hakini Mudra, where only the fingertips of the two hands touch and the palms stay apart, Anjali presses the whole palm and every finger together.
Unlike Padma Mudra, where the palms touch only at the base and the thumbs and little fingers while the other fingers spread open like lotus petals, Anjali keeps all the fingers closed and flat against each other.
Tradition vs. evidence
Tradition holds that joining the palms centers the mind and shows respect, and those meanings are cultural and symbolic. There is little clinical research on hand mudras. What you can defend is simpler: a symmetrical, deliberate posture is a clear ritual cue and a steady anchor for attention, especially when paired with slow breathing.
Honest note: hand mudras have very little clinical research behind them. What is defensible is that a held gesture is a reliable anchor for attention and pairs naturally with slow breathing; the traditional claims are described here as tradition, not as medical advice.