Varun Mudra — Meaning & How to Practice

What is Varun Mudra?

Varun mudra — named for Varuna, Vedic god of the waters — joins the tip of the little finger to the tip of the thumb, other fingers extended. The little finger carries the water element: the fluids of the body, the freshness of the skin, and the emotional fluidity of the psyche. The gesture is traditionally practised to restore moisture and flow wherever dryness has set in — parched skin, stiff joints, or feelings that have stopped moving. It is the mudra of inner irrigation.

How to Perform Varun Mudra

• Sit comfortably; this mudra may also be practised lying down
• Turn the palms upward on the thighs or beside the body
• Touch the tip of each little finger to the tip of its thumb with light pressure
• Extend the remaining three fingers in a relaxed fan
• Breathe smoothly and evenly, picturing clear water circulating through the whole body

Benefits

• Traditionally restores the water element — supporting skin, joints and bodily freshness
• Encourages emotional fluidity when feelings have gone dry, stuck or brittle
• Softens rigidity of mood and body during dehydrating seasons and stress
• Supports practices of release — tears, expression, letting emotion move
• A gentle companion to moon rituals and water-element meditations

Best Time to Practice

Varun mudra can be practised at any hour, traditionally 15–20 minutes daily; evening suits its watery, releasing nature especially well. Reach for it in dry seasons of body or heart, and alongside waning-moon and water-focused practices.