Christine Burke - The Power of Breath and Hand Yoga Pranayama and mudras for health and well-being

the power of breath
and hand yoga

pranayama and mudras
for health and well-being

christine burke

This book is dedicated to Clementine, who always holds my hand, and to all of the precious hands who hold this book.

Published in 2019 by CICO Books

An imprint of Ryland Peters & Small Ltd

2021 Jockeys Fields, London WC1R 4BW

341 E 116th St, New York, NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

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Text Christine Burke 2019

Design, illustration, and photography

CICO Books 2019

The authors moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress and the British Library.

E-ISBN: 978-1-78249-754-7

ISBN: 978-1-78249-711-0

Printed in China

Editor: Marion Paull

Designer: Emily Breen

Illustrators: Robyn Mclennan and Dionne Kitching

Additional picture credits are on page 144.

Commissioning editor: Kristine Pidkameny

Senior editor: Carmel Edmonds

Art director: Sally Powell

Production manager: Gordana Simakovic

Publishing manager: Penny Craig

Publisher: Cindy Richards

Important health note

Please be aware that the information contained in this book and the opinions of the author are not a substitute for medical attention from a qualified health professional. If you are suffering from any medical complaint or are worried about any aspect of your health, or if you are pregnant, please ask your doctors advice before proceeding. The publisher and author can take no responsibility for any injury or illness resulting from the advice given or the techniques or postures demonstrated within this volume.

contents

We all move through life with the constant companion, the gift, of breath. We also spend much of our lives communicating, creating, and loving through our hands. Essential yet often overlooked, the breath and hands can be portals to selfdiscovery, healing, and inner peace. Although we age, fall ill, sustain injuries to the body, suffer heartbreak, loss, and mental disturbances, for as long as we are on this planet in our bodies, we have breath. Human beings, including very young children, people with physical limitations, and the elderly, all have access to breath and, in most cases, we have the ability to use our hands, which means there is never a time when using breath and mudrasyoga poses for your handsisnt possible. That adds enormously to the ways in which we can use yoga, and for how long, and opens the door to many people to enjoy this ancient and transformative practice.

Yoga is my passion and it is a joy to know that we can tap into its science and magic in bite-sized morsels and derive myriad benefits in the same way that snacking on nutritious and tasty tidbits can provide important nutrients and keep our engines running beautifully. Even when we cannot, for one reason or another, sit down to a full three-course meal, we can still savor the flavor of communing with mind, body, and spirit.

I have taught yoga for almost two decades and practiced it for almost three. My personal practice can vary from a traditional one and a half to two-hour asana practice to a 20-minute meditation, depending on the day. Within that range there are two consistent and essential components for me and they are what this book is about and what you hold in your hands right now. Without my practice, I would not be able to navigate the sometimes harsh terrain of the world in which we live. A little can go a long way and its never too late or too early to tap into your inner light through yoga.

So for those who are still skeptical that they can practice asanas (yoga poses) or do not consider themselves the yoga type I ask you, do you breathe? Can you make a thumbs-up? If so, you can practice yoga here and now and elevate yourself on every level! No yoga outfit is necessary, no special strength or flexibility is a prerequisite, and there is nothing to lose but anxiety, pain, and mental clutter. Whats to gain? Vitality, radiance, joy, clarity, and ease. You may be wondering how something as mundane (or is it?) as your breath and something as common and functional as your hands can have such an effect. If you are curious, and since you have come this far already it seems you are, I am thrilled to take you on this journey.

The book is organized by condition that requires remedy and by desire that seeks to be fulfilled. It is meant for both the raw beginner and the seasoned practitioner or teacher. There is a breath and mudra practice for each condition and desire, as well as a combined practice with a jewel thought meditation. Feel free to peruse the book and see what calls out to you or to refer to the contents for a more specific approach. The magic and power of these ancient practices are now in your hands!

breath: the power of breathing; life also known as: life force, inspiration

The breath is like the sky, so omnipresent that we almost forget its there until it does something astounding like change color before our eyes; or, when cloud spotting, we see a magical kingdom emerge and a horse seems to gallop right out of the cotton candy cloud it was nestled in; or when the crack of thunder and bolt of lightning snap us into the electric brilliance of the present moment. Then the sky is anything but background scenery. It becomes the main event and takes us by the force of its NOW energy into the eternal present. In between those moments, the sky holds our connection to life by providing a place for the sun, moon, and stars to hang and upon which we can plant the seeds of our dreams. The sky is like one of those clear plastic umbrellas that keeps us grounded and shielded from the overwhelming expanse that is space, yet it is also the window to the vastness of the cosmos and stimulates ponderings on the nature of existence. The sky has always been there, like our breath.