Halle Berry's Middle Finger Mudra Meditation
If anyone thought looking like Halle Berry secures a life without hardships, she's here to tell you, even she has to call on the divine energy of patience.
She took to Instagram to kick off the New Year with the ultimate, "Bye, Felicia" to the mess that was 2017. "[T]hank you middle finger for always standing up for me," she waxed poetic to caption a pic of her flickin' off.
158k Likes, 3,956 Comments - Halle Berry (@halleberry) on Instagram: "Dear 2017, you can be a good person with a kind spirit and still tell people to go F*CK themselves..."
Urban translation: in yoga, each finger serves a purpose. For example, when we touch the thumb (channeling ego) to our index (channeling calm), as is most commonly practiced, we cultivate wisdom. In Sanskrit, this gesture is known as jnana mudra.
On the other hand, our middle finger allows us to channel patience. It is the longest finger, after all (usually). When we extend it, we are calling for a "pause" in the moment. We are saying, a boundary is being crossed, and "fuck off," if you will.
When we bring it into meet our thumb (remember, our finger that channels ego, the one that politicians are always sticking up), we are cultivating greater inner patience, we are checking that boundary against our ego and being sure that it is one that needs to be in place, instead of one that needs to be removed. We are saying, if you will, "fuck off, I'm meditating."
To practice: Think of something to which you'd like to say, "Boy, bye." Extend your middle finger(s), and reach your arm(s) towards the ceiling. Then, bring your hand(s) to rest on your knee(s), fold the middle finger(s) inwards until it touches your thumb(s). Say to yourself, what I did not like about that, I will not become. This is known as shuni mudra.
Photo: Celebrity ABC
s/o HuffingtonPost for the heads up.
DISTRICTiYOGA is an E-RYT 500 YACEP located in Washington, D.C. She often uses “namaste” as the first word uttered to students at the beginning of class, as well as the last. She began mindful yogic studies some 20 years ago in elementary school and began teaching formally in 2008.