Varun Mudra: How to Do, Benefits & Side Effects

Despite the fact that over 70% of our body is made up of water element, 75 Percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated ¹.

Surprised!

Well, water actually constitutes a very large portion in our body but maintaining its balanced level is the key to a healthy life.

In yoga, there are many techniques that work on balancing water element in our body.

Here one such technique is Varun mudra. It uses fingers placement to stimulate water energy & then spread it throughout the whole body using “network of nadis”.

Let’s know more about this mudra.

Varun Mudra – The Gesture of Water

Among different types of hand mudras in yoga, Varun mudra uses little finger & thumb to unite the element of water present in our body.

“Varun” is basically a Sanskrit origin term which in Hinduism is referred to as “God of Water” or “God of Sea”. Mudra simply means Gesture or Closed seal of fingers.

Due to its ability to increase the water content in the body, varun mudra also known as Jal Vardhak Mudra.

As we all know, water also used as a symbol of freedom & fluidity because of its flowing nature. Wherever water kept, it starts flows here & there until it finds a stable state. On following this quality of water, when varun mudra practised it brings mental stability in a person, hence, also called “seal of mental clarity“.

How to Do Varun Mudra?

In Varun Mudra, actively little finger & thumb are used, rest 3 fingers kept freely stretched.

To perform Varun mudra, simply bend your little finger of both hand in such a way that tip of the thumb touches the tip of the little finger. Rest three fingers (index, middle & ring) could be lightly stretched or extended, it depends upon the person practice level.

If you want to regularize Varun mudra practice in a yoga session, simply follow the following steps.

Varun Mudra Steps in a Yoga Session

• Sit in the front edge of your yoga mat in Sukhasana (easy pose) or Padmasana (lotus pose). Get comfortable with your sitting position as the first priority of yoga asana is being in a balance of steady & comfortable.
• Close your eyes & bring your awareness to the third-eye chakra in the middle of eyebrows. You can also concentrate with open eyes but concentrating with closed eyes is easier for beginners.
• Breathe in & out slowly with your nostrils. Do this pranayama breathing for a couple of breath. This will help you to concentrate totally on the current sensations of body.

Finger arrangement

• After sitting comfortably & concentrating quietly, fold the little finger of both hands and bring your thumb closer to folded little fingers.
• Now gently press the tip of your thumb with the tip of the little finger. Leave the rest three fingers ideally.
• Place your two hands (with this course of action) over the kneecap, palm confronting upward. Keep this finger course of action unmoving for the whole practice.

These are the steps for varun mudra practise in yoga.

Like other hand mudras, Varun mudra also can be done while sitting, prone, standing even while walking. But practising it while sitting with crossed legs is most beneficial.

Precautions to Take While Performing Varun Mudra

• Don’t press the tips too hard. It would hurt and make you uncomfortable & simply, you would not able to concentrate and relax in mudra.
• Touch the tips gently not forcefully.
• Wear comfortable dresses in order to concentrate better.

Ideal Time & Duration of Practice

As Varun mudra recharge the level of water in our body, it can be done anytime when the body feels dehydrated (mostly during the sunny day).

Ideally, Varun mudra should practice during or after morning pranayama & meditation session. It moistens up Prana & thus, make it more energetic.

The practice duration for Varun mudra should be at least 20-30 minutes a day. Either practice it whole at one time or divide it into 2-3 sessions of 10-15 minutes throughout the whole day.

When we practice Varun mudra for a very less period (less than 5 minutes) there doesn’t happen any changes in energy patterns in our body. But when we hold fingers consistently for an extended period in mudra, changes in EPI parameters (normalized area, average intensity, and entropy) are easily detectable.

So it’s advised to practice Varun mudra for 20-30 minutes at least.

Who Should Do Varun Mudra! Vata, Pitta or Kapha?

Ayurveda says there are some biological energies found in a human body. These energies govern the physical and mental processes of the human body. These energies are called Doshas.

There are 3 doshas described in Ayurvedic scriptures known as Vata, Pitta & Kapha. These 3 Doshas are made up of combining five elements (Ether, Air, Fire, Water, Earth) and their properties.

• Vata Dosha = Ether + Air
• Pitta Dosha = Fire + Water
• Kapha Dosha = Earth + Water

As you can see, water is a common element in Pitta and Kapha Dosha. It means, water sufficiently present in pitta & Kapha nature persons.

Varun mudra when practised, it increases the water element. So if you are Pitta or Kapha Dosha person, you should do Varun mudra very moderately.

While, On the other hand, there is a lack of water element in Vata Dosha person. If you are a Vata person, then practising this mudra is very helpful for you to cure problems like dehydration, dryness of the skin & joint pain.

Physical Conditions When Varun Mudra Helpful

Varun mudra is very helpful if you are suffering from following physical conditions,

1. Sometimes in polyuria (frequent urination), the body becomes dehydrated due to excessive urination. In this case, people can practice Varun mudra to restore the loss of water or to retain the body water level.
2. With dryness in skin, various problems like itching, redness & skin tightness are common. In such a case, a person can practice Varun mudra to moisten up the skin through the natural way.
3. Blurred vision is another problem cause of dry eyes & if left untreated, it may even cause risk of eye infection. Varun mudra when practised consistently regulates lubricate the front surface of eyes & thus is a nourishable remedy for dry eyes.

Benefits of Varun Mudra

1.Prevents Dehydration

Inadequate consumption of water leads to a deficiency of water in the cells, which causes dehydration in the body. Varun mudra re-hydrates tissues and cells at a cellular level and provides relief from a range of disorders like constipation, dehydration, etc.

2. Helps in Moisturization of Skin

The outermost layer of skin does not contain a much amount of water Therefore it becomes rough. Varun mudra helps in maintaining a proper flow of water throughout the body. Thus it removes roughness and makes skin moisturized.

3. Helps in Reducing Cholesterol

Varun mudra directly points on making the body clean and extract waste thus it helps in reducing cholesterol and stomach ulcer.

4. Cleans Blood

Mostly the quality of blood gets deteriorated due to a shortage of water². Varun mudra prevents the inadequate distribution of body water and maintains a good flow of water in blood vessels. Hence it helps in cleaning the blood.

5. Prevent Skin Diseases

When the tip of the thumb touches ‘little finger’s tip, it produces acupressure. This acupressure activates fluid circulation through the body. Thus, it is useful in disorders such as anaemia (low haemoglobin) and skin diseases such as petechiae (red or purple spots), rashes.

6. Stimulate Sacral Chakra

In 7 series of Chakras, the power of sacral chakra can be stimulated by the presence of water. As Varun mudra is water rich gesture, any deficiency caused by imbalance sacral chakra can be treated.

Varun mudra for glowing skin

In daily life, we face pollution, sun rays, and dust in our environment. Because of this, our skin cells become tang and wilt. The shortage of water does not let the skin cells to get a proper flow of water at the cellular level. It prompts the development of dead skin cells.

Varun mudra helps in the distribution of water within the cell and prevents dead skin cells. By the regular practice of Varun mudra, the flow of water gets better. This results in clean skin, reduced pimples, and wrinkles.

Another reason for different skin problems like acne, itching, is impurities present in our blood.

Varun mudra removes the impurities of blood. Clean blood helps in the skin’s shine. If you do this mudra regularly, it helps in fair and clean skin.

Side Effects of Varun Mudra

Every mudra should be performed in a limited manner, otherwise, it might show some side effects. Here are some side effects we might face if we practice Varun Mudra excessively.

• Water retention is caused due to an excess of fluid inside our body ³. As Varun mudra increases the level of water in the body so, if you have problems (caused by water retention) like swelling, bloating, or puffiness, you should not practice this mudra.
• When you are suffering from cough and cold, try to avoid this mudra.
• This mudra can show ill effects on Pitta and Kapha dosha. So, if you have Pitta or Kapha Dosha, don’t do it on a regular basis.

1. Dehydration Facts https://dripdrop.com/blogs/news/6-dehydration-facts-may-surprise
2. Blood Diseases https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/blood-diseases 
3. Water Retention https://www.healthline.com/health/water-retention