Step 1
Sit comfortably in Siddhasana (as shown) or stand in Tadasana. Inhale and bring your palms together. Rest the thumbs lightly on your sternum.
Step 2
Press the hands firmly but evenly against each other. Make sure that one hand (usually your right hand if you are right-handed, your left if left-handed) doesn’t dominate the other. If you find such imbalance, release the dominant hand slightly but don’t increase the pressure of the non-dominant hand.
Step 3
Bow your head slightly, drawing the crease of the neck toward the center of your head. Lift your sternum into your thumbs and lengthen down along the back of the armpits, making the back elbows heavy.
Step 4
Practicing Anjali Mudra is an excellent way to induce a meditative state of awareness. Start your practice sitting in meditation in Anjali Mudra for 5 minutes. You can also use this hand position in Tadasana prior to beginning the Sun Salutation sequence, contemplating the “sun” or light of awareness the yogis say is resident in your heart.
Salutation Seal Modifications and Props
Press a block or thick book (about 3 to 4 inches thickness) between your palms. Spread the skin of the palms and stretch the fingers out of the centers of the palms. Use the prop to help widen your sternum and collarbones. Then recreate this same width without the block, palms touching.
Salutation Seal Pose Benefits
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Calms the brain
- Creates flexibility in the hands, fingers, wrists, and arms
- Opens the heart
