The effect of a mudra can be immensely intensified with the breath. That is why it is very important to know what breathing does. When you understand the following principles, then you can influence the effect of a mudra according to your own needs.

• Pay attention to a symmetrical posture and hold your arms about one inch away from your body. Even this position alone brings a sense of inner equilibrium and harmony as it regulates the activity of the nervous system and hormonal glands.
• In addition to carbon dioxide, we also discharge expended energy on the subtle level when we exhale deeply. This is why you should always exhale vigorously several times at the beginning of a mudra. Make room for what you want to achieve.
• Always lengthen the little pause after inhaling and after exhaling by several seconds. This is the most important aspect of the breathing process. The inner powers are developed during the pauses—on every level.
• When you practice a mudra to calm yourself, then slow your breathing.
• When you practice a mudra to refresh yourself, then intensify your breathing.
• The optimal quality of breathing is achieved when the breath is slow, deep, rhythmic, flowing, and fine.

At the beginning of a mudra meditation, exhale vigorously several times and then let the breath become deeper and slower. You now have three possibilities:

First: Focus on your hands and fingers, perceive the gentle pressure where they touch each other;

Second: While inhaling, you can press the fingertips together a bit more and let go of the pressure when exhaling;

Third: You can do it the other way around and apply a bit more pressure while exhaling and let go of the pressure when inhaling.

Every variation has its special effect. The first variation centers, creates inner equilibrium, and builds up strength in general. The second variation strengthens the will and refreshes. The third variation calms and relaxes. Try out these variations and feel the difference yourself! It is possible that you won’t immediately feel the effect, but it is still there.

The outer circumstances of our lives usually shape themselves according to our imagination and the contents of our minds. So we have the possibility of shaping our inner images in such a way that we enjoy life, experience success in our work, and have relationships on a loving and understanding basis. It is very important to create an unshakable faith and be filled with both fervor and serenity to accompany our self-made images. We need to create little experiences of success for ourselves, since what functions in a small way will also succeed on a larger scale. We can slowly build and develop this confidence. Just imagine what would happen if a great many people would simultaneously imagine a beautiful world with rich flora, content animals, happy human beings, and firmly believe that this is possible.