Padma Mudra is a symbol of purity, light, and beauty emerging from the darkness. By practicing this beautiful mudra you’re opening yourself to the light and coming to a realization that the greatest sense of steadiness in life is an open heart. Hence Padma mudra also helps you to open and balance your Heart Chakra (Anahata).

In this article, I will share with you the benefits of Padma mudra and how to properly practice it.

What Is A Mudra?

“Mudra” can be translated as “seal”, “mark”, or “gesture”. Hence Mudras are symbolic gestures practiced with the hands and fingers.

Connecting the fingers in certain combinations, we can activate the meridians and direct energy throughout the body. Different positions of the fingers have the ability to close or clear the energy channels. In addition, performing this or that mudra, we affect the biologically active points of the palms and fingers.

Mudras are invented for the correct redirection of energy in the body, for the control of prana and for changing the psycho-emotional state. Also, with their help, you can eliminate problems in the body and in the mind by pressing on particular acupuncture points.

What Is Padma Mudra?

“Padma” in Sanskrit means “Lotus flower”. Lotus symbolism is common throughout Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism philosophies.

Just think about it – a lotus flower takes root down in the mud and rises up through the water to blossom at the water’s surface. The path of the lotus is similar to the journey to enlightenment. It is the journey from darkness to light.

The mud where a lotus flower takes its roots represents our ego, our habits, our emotions. It represents our life’s challenges, our shadow.

The water through which the lotus must rise is cleansing and purifying. It is our spiritual practice, inner work, and personal development. It takes action and awareness.

The lotus flower’s rise from the mud up to the water’s surface requires action, it is a period of growth.

The fully bloomed lotus flower represents our fully awakened self. Pure and beautiful.

Padma mudra is often associated with Lakshmi. Goddess Lakshmi graces us with the gifts of auspiciousness, compassion, and love. She gives us abundance, both spiritual and material.

Lotus Mudra Benefits

The Lotus Mudra helps to heal a “broken heart”, strengthens unconditional love for all living beings or for a particular person, opens the heart, helps to attract a soul mate, drains out the misunderstanding, and helps to release tension. It is also practiced to enhance the fire element in the body.

Other Benefits:

• Develops intuition;
• Eliminates negative karma;
• Helps to find mercy, compassion, love, understanding within your heart;
• Grants purity and freedom from obscuration;
• Reminds us of our own inner beauty;
• Opens and balances the Heart chakra;
• Strengthens the psyche;
• Inspires purity and perseverance;
• Gives positivity and optimism;
• Has a calming effect to the mind;
• Helps eliminate negative subconscious programs;
• Protects against psychic attacks, etc.

How To Perform Padma Mudra?

It is recommended to perform this mudra daily at sunrise or sunset for 10-15 minutes.

Take a cross-legged position. Bring the base of the palms together at the heart center, touching the thumbs and pinky fingers together. Spread the rest of the fingers out like the lotus flower opening toward the sunlight. Close your eyes and take several deep and long breaths.

Visualization:

Visualize a Lotus Bud in your heart that is opening more and more with each breath. When the flower blooms completely, it begins to absorb the sunlight, it is filled with love, joy, warmth, light. Imagine and try to feel how love and compassion for all people are growing in your heart. Visualize and feel that there is so much love in your heart that there is no more room for loneliness, sadness or any other negative emotions.

Mantra

To make your mudra practice even more powerful start chanting the following mantra for 108 times:

Om Padme Padme Mahapadme Padmavati Maye Svaha

Affirmations

You can also combine your Lotus Mudra practice with affirmations. For example, you can use the following affirmations:

• My heart is pure!
• I radiate love and compassion!
• I rise above life’s challenges with ease and grace.
• I am calm and blissful!
• I open myself to the Light!
• My inner light shines brightly!
• My heart is pure!

You can also include Love affirmations into your Padma Mudra practice.

The Bottom Line

Padme Mudra will help you to stay connected to your roots, open yourself to the light and realize that the greatest sense of steadiness in life is an open heart. Be patient and consistent and very soon you will start noticing the benefits of your practice!

In this article, we want to share with you 15 best books for spiritual awakening. It doesn’t matter if you are a spiritual seeker or you are new to spirituality. Regardless of what stage you are in on your spiritual path right now, our collection of best books for spiritual awakening has a book for everyone!

Below are 15 best books for spiritual awakening. Choose a book that best resonates with you!

15 Best Books For Spiritual Awakening

“A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose” by Eckhart Tolle

This is definitely one of the best books for spiritual awakening. And if you are new to spirituality, it’s perfect to start with!

Most of us aren’t aware of how our thoughts control us and we derived our sense of self from our mind. This identification with our mind is what Eckhart Tolle refers to as an ego-based state of consciousness or being unconscious. This bestselling book is about transcending one’s ego to enhance personal happiness and impact the world positively. It’s about awakening to a new state of consciousness and discovering our inner purpose.

Attachment to the ego can contribute to negative feelings and patterns of thinking. Reading this book will help you be more aware of the subtle things your ego does to make you unhappy and suffer.

“A New Earth” has been written as a traditional narrative, offering anecdotes and philosophies in a way that is accessible to all. Illuminating, enlightening, and uplifting, “A New Earth” is a profoundly spiritual manifesto for a better way of life and for building a better world.

“The Shift” by Wayne Dyer

“The Shift” is a companion book to the movie of the same name – illustrates how and why to make the move from ambition to meaning. Such a shift eliminates our feelings of separateness, illuminates our spiritual connectedness, and involves moving from the ego-directed morning into the afternoon of life where everything is primarily influenced by purpose.

As we contemplate leaving the morning of our life, where ego has played a commanding role and entering the afternoon (and evening), where meaning and purpose replace ambition and struggle, we may encounter unexpected occurrences that accompany this new direction. It’s almost a universal law that we’ll experience a fall of some kind. Yet these falls or low points provide the energy we need to move away from ego and into a life of meaning and purpose.

The Shift doesn’t mean that we lose our drive and ambition; it signifies that we become ambitious about something new. We make a commitment to living a life based on experiencing meaning and feeling purposeful, rather than never-ending demands and false promises that are the trademark of the ego’s agenda.

“The Celestine Prophecy” by James Redfield

You have never read a book like this before – a book that comes along once in a lifetime to change lives forever.

In the rain forests of Peru, an ancient manuscript has been discovered. Within its pages are 9 key insights into life itself – insights each human being is predicted to grasp sequentially; one insight, then another, as we move toward a completely spiritual culture on Earth.

Drawing on ancient wisdom, it tells you how to make connections among the events happening in your life right now and lets you see what is going to happen to you in the years to come. The story it tells is a gripping one of adventure and discovery, but it is also a guidebook that has the power to crystallize your perceptions of why you are where you are in life and to direct your steps with new energy and optimism as you head into tomorrow.

“The Book of Awakening” by Mark Nepo

Featured as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things in 2010, this book has become a classic go-to for people seeking spiritual meaning and purpose in their lives.

Written by a philosopher-poet, this book is a collection of 365 beautiful essays, one for each day. At the end of each essay, there’s a mini exercise to help you be present and get more in touch with your spirit.

The Book of Awakening is the result of Nepo’s journey of the soul and will inspire others to embark on their own. He speaks of spirit and friendship, urging readers to stay vital and in love with this life, no matter the hardships. Encompassing many traditions and voices, Nepo’s words offer insight on pain, wonder, and love. Each entry is accompanied by an exercise that will surprise and delight the reader in its mind-waking ability.

In this book, the author also shares his own journey as a cancer survivor and the spiritual insights he received from his experience. Reading this book will inspire you to embark on your own journey of self-discovery and spiritual awakening.

This book is best suited for those who enjoy learning via the experiences of others and reading short essays.

“40 Day Mind Fast Soul Feast: A Guide to Soul Awakening and Inner Fulfillment” by Michael Bernard Beckwith

Numbers held great significance to the ancients, and the number 40 is constant in a variety of spiritual traditions. With 40 Day Mind Fast Soul Feast, you may begin your own 40 day transformational, mystical journey with a wise, experienced guide who has walked the terrain for 30 years as a practitioner and teacher of meditation, affirmative prayer, and the Life Visioning Process.

“The Spiritual Awakening Guide: Kundalini, Psychic Abilities, and the Conditioned Layers of Reality” by Mary Mueller Shutan

The first modern, comprehensive resource on spiritual awakenings, this pragmatic, clear guide covers everything from the first step on a spiritual journey to enlightenment, and the different types of spiritual awakenings, from mild to dramatic, we may go through.

Using the concept of the twelve layers that cover an awakened state Mary Mueller Shutan addresses every step of the spiritual journey, starting with the Self and showing how family, ancestral, past lives, karmic, archetypal, and other larger layers such as societal, cultural, global, and cosmic energies condition us to sleep and obscure our realization of an awakened state. Instructions for how to navigate through each of these layers and how to recognize where we are in our spiritual journey are included each step of the way along with common physical, emotional, and spiritual symptoms that may be experienced. By addressing post-awakening states, oneness, dark nights of the soul, ego death, near-death, and severe illness, psychic abilities, addictions, dietary changes, the God-self, personal and collective shadow, and psychosis vs. awakening we understand the experiences we may go through while struggling with spiritual awakenings. This practical book opens new understandings of how to live in the world while going through an awakening process and offers the revolutionary idea that we are meant to be humans, to have a physical body with physical, sensate experiences and emotions. We are meant to live in the world and be a part of it even as fully awakened individuals. This guide proposes a look at the possibility of leading a grounded, earth-bound life of work, family, friends, and other experiences in an awakened state.

“An Invitation to Freedom: Immediate Awakening for Everyone” by Mooji

Amidst the busyness and chaos of our daily lives, many of us search for meaning, fulfillment, and a genuine sense of who we really are beyond our ego and conditioning.

An Invitation to Freedom guides you toward the immediate, authentic awakening that so many of us seek – the realization of our true nature as pure, effortless awareness. These simple yet profound instructions, questions, and contemplations will lead you directly into the heart of truth and absolute freedom. This could be the greatest discovery you make in your life.

“3 Steps to Awakening” by Osho

This is one of the best books for spiritual awakening written by Osho!

Waking up or awakening means that the dream is over – the dream of unconsciousness we all spend most of our lives in – often a life of tensions, anguish, feeling unfulfilled and running after illusions which are just substitutes of what we are really looking for. This little book is actually a big book, containing Osho‘s entire teaching from an early period of his public life and teachings. He takes us through three steps on the path to awakening, steps to help us to get out of our conditioning, our limitations, and frustrations. “There are only three steps: freedom of consciousness, simplicity of mind, and emptiness of mind.”

For freedom of thought, for the liberation of thought, and for the awakening of intelligence, the first thing, the first awareness that is needed is: “No thought is mine. No thought is mine.” While we read this book, Osho takes us through this experience of letting go of identification, allows us to get a glimpse of what a life of awakening can be.

“Awakening of the Heart: Essential Buddhist Sutras and Commentaries” by Thich Nhat Hanh

Awakening of the Heart is a comprehensive, single-volume collection of the Buddha’s key sutras, translated with contemporary commentary by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

Awakening of the Heart captures the heart of Buddhist wisdom and Thich Nhat Hanh’s unique talent to make the Buddha’s teachings accessible and applicable to our daily lives and times. This is a wonderful gift for anyone looking to deepen their practice and understanding of the teachings, as well as a unique resource to understand the fundamentals of Buddhism from its source.

“Awakening the Sacred Body: Tibetan Yogas of Breath and Movement” by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

The power of the breath has been recognized for millennia as an integral part of health and well-being. In Awakening the Sacred Body, teacher Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche makes accessible the ancient art of Tibetan breath and movement practices. In clear, easy-to-understand language, he outlines the theory and processes of two powerful meditations—the Nine Breathings of Purification and the Tsa Lung movements—that can help you change your relationship to yourself, to others, and to the world.

The simple methods presented in Awakening the Sacred Body and in the accompanying online video focus on clearing and opening your energetic centers to allow the natural human qualities of love, compassion, joy, and equanimity to arise. When sadness releases, joy is able to arise. When anger releases, love becomes available. When prejudice releases, equanimity prevails. And when lack of kindness ceases, compassion is present.

These practices, which focus the mind and breath together while performing specific body movements, will help you discover your inner wisdom and express your greatest potential.

“Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World” by Lama Surya Das

Lama Surya Das, the most highly trained American lama in the Tibetan tradition, presents the definitive book on Western Buddhism for the modern-day spiritual seeker.

The radical and compelling message of Buddhism tells us that each of us has the wisdom, awareness, love, and power of the Buddha within; yet most of us are too often like sleeping Buddhas. In Awakening the Buddha Within, Surya Das shows how we can awaken to who we really are in order to lead a more compassionate, enlightened, and balanced life. It illuminates the guidelines and key principles embodied in the noble Eight-Fold Path and the traditional Three Enlightenment Trainings common to all schools of Buddhism:

Wisdom Training: Developing clear vision, insight, and inner understanding – seeing reality and ourselves as we really are.

Ethics Training: Cultivating virtue, self-discipline, and compassion in what we say and do.

Meditation Training: Practicing mindfulness, concentration, and awareness of the present moment.

With lively stories, meditations, and spiritual practices, Awakening the Buddha Within is an invaluable text for the novice and experienced students of Buddhism alike.

“The Little Book of Buddhist Awakening: The Buddha’s instructions on attaining Enlightenment” by Eric Van Horn

The Little Book of Buddhist Awakening looks at the subtle and elusive questions about awakening, which is also commonly called “enlightenment.” What does it mean to awaken? What are the different ways in which the Buddha described the end of the Noble Eightfold Path? What are common misconceptions about awakening?

“Awakening the Mind, Lightening the Heart: Core Teachings of Tibetan Buddhism Hardcover” by Dalai Lama

The second volume in the landmark Library of Tibet series, Awakening the Mind, Lightening the Heart examines the next step of the Path: Compassion. Based on a classic fourteenth-century Tibetan poem famous for its ability to awaken compassion in the human heart, this elegant primer combines the mind training and stages of the path traditions of Tibetan Buddhism with enduring simplicity and illuminating prose.

“Holy Science” by Sri Yukteswar Giri

This extraordinary treatise explores parallel passages from the Bible and the Hindu scriptures to reveal the essential unity of all religions. Swami Sri Yukteswar, the revered guru of Paramahansa Yogananda, outlines the universal path that every human being must travel to enlightenment. He also explains the vast recurring cycles of civilization, affording a profound understanding of history and the ever-changing panorama of turbulent world events.

“The Yoga Sutras by Patañjali” by Swami Satchidananda

This valuable book provides a complete manual for the study and practice of Raja Yoga, the path of concentration and meditation. The classic Sutras (thought-threads), at least 4,000 years old, cover the yogic teachings on ethics, meditation, and physical postures, and provide directions for dealing with situations in daily life. The Sutras are presented here in the purest form, with the original Sanskrit and with translation, transliteration, and commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda, one of the most respected and revered contemporary Yoga masters. In this classic context, Sri Swamiji offers practical advice based on his own experience for mastering the mind and achieving physical, mental and emotional harmony.

We hope you enjoyed our collection of best books for spiritual awakening and were able to pick a book that resonates with you!

The positive karmic experience accumulated during all earthly incarnations tends to be spent aimlessly or changed for the worse, which leads to negative consequences in real life. To reverse this process, it is necessary to constantly improve karma. In this article, I will share with you 16 powerful ways to attract good karma.

But first, let’s find out what good karma actually is.

What Is Good Karma?

Karma is based on cause-and-effect relationships. In other words, we always get back what we give to the world. The more good deeds accumulated on the invisible “account” of each soul, the more bonuses it receives in its future life and next incarnations. If karmic “savings” are spent selfishly, without bringing benefit to others and the planet, then in future reincarnations such a soul will have “to reap the fruits” of his irresponsibility, because karma will change from good to bad.

Therefore, to build good karma is the main goal of every soul.

How Do I Know If My Karma Is Good Or Bad?

If we try to create a simplified model of testing karma, it will be based on four components:

• relationships with others;
• health (both physical and mental);
• prosperity;
• life purpose.

If each of these components is present in your life, then we can probably say that your karma, in this case, tends to be good. Thus, the good karma manifests itself in the harmony achieved in all spheres of our lives.

However, most people have problems at least in one of these spheres.

Have you seen babies being born with disabilities? This is an example of negative karma brought to this incarnation from past lives. But sometimes healthy people get into car accidents and get disabilities. This would be an example of negative karma that was created during this life.

Why Should We Build Good Karma?

Bad karma involves problems in all or some areas of life. If a person is haunted by constant failures, negativity, then his karmic debts exceeded the profit from good deeds.

The karmic debts accumulated in all incarnations will result in diseases, poverty, alcohol or drugs addiction, unsuccessful marriages, and other negative consequences.

Do you experience any health problems? Do you have relationship problems? Do you suffer from money loss or poverty? Do you feel like your life has no purpose? If you answered ‘yes’ to at least one of these questions then you should consider taking actions for improving your karma.

How to Build Good Karma?

#1 Keep It Clean

Try to make sure that everything in your life is clean: your body, home, workplace, etc. But especially important to keep your thoughts and actions clean! Keep in mind that negative thoughts, emotions, and actions create negative karma. And positive thoughts and actions create good karma. Be mindful of what you thinking and doing!

#2 Get Involved in Charity

This would be especially helpful for those of you who have financial problems. You may say: “How can I do charity if I have no money?” Well, there are different ways to do it. We can help people even if we don’t have money to offer. A kind word, a smile, good advice – this is also a kind of charity that can change someone’s life for the better.

#3 Help Others Selflessly

You can offer help to those who are currently suffering. The main thing is not to try to radically correct someone else’s karma. But helping them find their way is quite acceptable.

#4 Self-Development

Inertia is bad for your soul. Instead of dwelling on your past, you should be constantly moving forward. Every day you try to learn something new. Every event that life presents to you should be considered as a life lesson. Every night before you go to bed ask yourself: “What have I learned today? What did I realize today?“. If you find it difficult to answer these questions, then you probably have lost your awareness and mindfulness. Tomorrow will be a new day, try not to waste it!

#5 Spiritual Development

Constant training of the body is well reflected in its appearance and health. But we should also remember to give equal attention to our spirit. The purer your soul is, the higher your moral foundations, moral values, and the easier it is to learn the life lessons on the way to good karma. Make sure to train your mental essence with the help of prayers and meditations.

#6 Love

Open your heart to every creature of existence. Make your love available for everyone: people, animals, nature, planet, your work, every action you take, every word you speak, every thought you think. Unconditional love will help you achieve harmony and approach good karma.

#7 Take Responsibility For Your Life

You and only you are responsible for your actions, words, and thoughts. Thus, you and only you are responsible for every event and situation in your life. There’s no point in blaming other people, Government, President, parents, etc. for everything you’re not happy about in your life.

All your failures and successes are the results of your own actions and thoughts. You have the power to change your life, but it will require a change in your thinking. Stop hiding behind the mask of a victim of circumstances. You are the Creator of your own life, so start creating it! The more you take responsibility for your life, the more power you have!

#8 Be Honest

One lie inevitably begets another like a virus. Remember that lost trust is very difficult to regain. After catching you multiple times on lying people will eventually stop believing you. So in relations with others it will pursue misunderstanding and resentment. And sooner or later this will turn into another karmic debt.

#9 Listen to Your Inner Voice

Always remember that your subconscious has the answers to all your questions. You just need to be able to listen. Listen to your inner voice in every situation – this is the Universe talking to you. The more you’re connected to the Universe the more you follow the path that leads you to good karma.

#10 Be In a Present Moment

The past is gone. The future hasn’t come yet. Don’t distract yourself with thinking about your past or daydreaming about the future. Focus on the present moment and live it to the fullest. Put 100% energy and awareness in everything you’re doing in the present moment. The practice of being in the present moment will teach you to live your life consciously.

#11 Pray

When we pray we cleanse our karma. Especially powerful when you pray for other people, animals or planet. But such practice should be consistent and you should put all your attention to focus on the intention of the prayer. You can also use special mantras for purifying karma and chant them daily.

#12 Volunteering

By doing volunteering work you greatly improve your karma!

#13 Be Grateful

Never blame anybody (including God and Universe) for not receiving exactly what you’ve been asking for. If you believe in karma, then you have to accept the fact that we always receive exactly what we deserve.

Therefore if you’re not getting what you want you have to ask yourself: “Why am I not getting this?” Maybe it’s not time yet, or maybe the receiving of what you’re asking wouldn’t serve your Higher purpose and the Universe is trying to show you that you will receive something much better if you’ll be patient and grateful. Be grateful for every little thing you have in your life and very soon you will see that you attract more and more happiness and joy into your life.

#14 Forgive

Life doesn’t give us lessons that we are not capable of learning. And one of the most important lessons we come to this life for is the lesson of forgiveness. Most people choose not to learn this lesson which leads to repeating it again and again during many incarnations. But if you believe in karma and want to evolve you have to learn to forgive.

Every time we forgive someone we remove a giant block of negative karma and heal our heart. And the thing is, the more hurtful our resentment is, the more cleansing and healing the forgiveness brings to our souls. If you want to build good karma, sometimes the best way to do so is to forgive people for some of the bad vibes they’ve sent your way.

#15 Donate Blood

It is believed that when you donate your blood the ones who need it you improve your karma tremendously. The whole intention behind blood donation is saving someone’s life. And since the law of karma states that we receive what we give, then when you save somebody’s life the Universe will make sure that you will stay safe. Yes, it can even save your life if you experience any danger or health issues in the future!

#16 Inspire

Let every person that meets you become happier and inspired. Spread positive vibes and don’t let your negative emotions affect other people. Be mindful of what you’re saying and how you’re saying it.

Listen to other people who need to be heard. Sometimes inspiration is better expressed when we stay quiet to give other people room to speak their truth. Be a patient listener, care for other people, and provide them the type of inspiration they need at the moment.