By Shweta Khanna
A wonderful message from a reading for me was the significance and symbolic meaning of Chin Mudra .
The individual self or jivatma is represented by the index finger – it is close to the other three fingers the middle, ring and pinky which represent the prakriti of the jivatma as a combination of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas gunas. The jivatma remains manifested as a combination of the three and leads this gift of human life pursuing the purusharthas of Artha Kama Dharma and Moksha.
The thumb connected to the fingers of the hand is always available but as long as the delusional Sense of I me myself dominates it remains as a distant observer. The thumb represents the Parmatma – the eternal, all pervading, omniscient and omnipotent substratum which is the source of sentience for all beings
In Chin Mudra when we bring the index finger away from the other three fingers and close to the thumb – the shape is of a circle – representing the infinity of the all pervading consciousness and the purnatvam which comes as a natural consequence of jivatma parmatma aikyam or union.
The being experiences Sat Chit Ananda drawing bliss and joy from the infinite permanence instead of seeking peace security and happiness in people things and situations.
The Chin Mudra is a reminder of the true and real nature of the being and urges us to initiate a journey of self enquiry and go beyond transient material world towards infinity – a journey of moving from Tamas to Rajas to Sattva to Nirguna.
Hari Om Tat Sat