Pam Margera shares her explanation of the Anjali Mudra, a gesture of greeting where one presses the palms together, pointing up, and says a greeting in their native language, being the universal sign of greeting for Buddhists. “Anjali Mudra” means “salutation seal” and is a common gesture of greeting throughout Asia. It is incorporated in a number of yoga poses and is believed to help connect one with the divine.
Mudras themselves are fascinating, as there are hundreds, if not thousands, of different mudras, each conveying different reasons – an ancient form of sign language which is mixed with energetic intent. Mudras have been practiced for at least 5000 years, going back to ancient Egypt.
With Buddhism’s vastly intercultural nature, having a simple hand sign one can use to show respect is incredibly helpful. Do you think the anjali mudra is the universal sign of welcome amongst Buddhists?
