Heeding Haiku With Chèvrefeuille August 26 – 2015 Dhyana Mudra

Credits: Dhyana Mudra

Dear friends of MLMM,

It’s time again for a new episode of “Heeding Haiku with Chèvrefeuille”. Its really a honor to be your host for this item here at MLMM. This week I love to inspire you all through the Dhyana Mudra, but first I will tell you something more about “mudras”.

A mudra (“seal”, “mark”, or “gesture”) is a symbolic or ritual gesture in Hinduism and Buddhism. While some mudras involve the entire body, most are performed with the hands and fingers. A mudrā is a spiritual gesture and an energetic seal of authenticity employed in the iconography and spiritual practice of Indian religions.

For this episode of “Heeding Haiku” I have chosen the Dhyana Mudra it is said that the Buddha used this mudra as He was meditating under the Bodhi tree were He became Enlightened. Let me tell you little bit more about this Dhyana Mudra.

The Dhyāna mudrā (“meditation mudra”) is the gesture of meditation, of the concentration of the Good Law and the saṅgha (association). The two hands are placed on the lap, right hand on left with fingers fully stretched (four fingers resting on each other and the thumbs facing upwards towards one another diagonally), palms facing upwards; in this manner, the hands and fingers form the shape of a triangle, which is symbolic of the spiritual fire or the Triratna (the three jewels: Buddha, Dharma and Sangha)). It originated in India most likely in the Gandhāra and in China during the Wei period (386-534). This mudra was used long before the Buddha as yogis have used it during their concentration, healing, and meditation exercises. It is heavily used in Southeast Asia in Theravāda Buddhism (Theravāda (Pali, literally “school of the elder monks”) is a branch of Buddhism that uses the teaching of the Pāli Canon, a collection of the oldest recorded Buddhist texts, as its doctrinal core, but also includes a rich diversity of traditions and practices that have developed over its long history of interactions with various cultures and communities); however, the thumbs are placed against the palms.

Credits: Dhyana Mudra (Dutch website)

The Dhyana Mudra, is the hand gesture that promotes the energy of meditation, deep contemplation and unity with higher energy. The circling of energy created by the triangle (formed when the thumbs of the two hands touch) also promotes a cleansing of any impurities on an etheric level. Just by looking at this Buddha hand gesture (let alone practicing it!) one can connect to the energy of deep peace and serenity.

I love to challenge you to write/compose an all new haiku inspired on this Dhyana Mudra using the classical rules as I mentioned earlier in one of my Heeding Haiku episodes:

+ 5-7-5 syllables
++ A moment as short as the sound of a pebble thrown into water
+++ A kigo (seasonword)
++++ A deeper, spiritual meaning
+++++ And last, but not least, it must have a nature image

Here is my attempt to write a haiku inspired on the Dhyana Mudra:

hand palms together
meditating in the backyard
ah! the song of a skylark

© Chèvrefeuille

Well … I hope I have inspired you all …

When you have written your poem(s), please TAG Heeding Haiku with Chèvrefeuille and Mindovemisery’s Menagerie. Then add your link to the Mister Linky widget below.