Does Balayam or rubbing nails help with hair growth? Yoga expert answers
Certain hair-related issues can be treated and remedied quite successfully with mudras but does Yoga asana Balayam or rubbing nails help with hair growth?
Hair and nails are regarded by Yoga and Ayurveda as malas or byproducts of metabolic processes that result in the creation of the skeletal system and according to Yoga experts, certain hair-related issues can be treated and remedied quite successfully with mudras. They claim this covers hair restoration, early hair thinning, baldness and many other hair issues.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar, Founder of Akshar Yoga Institutions, Himalaya Yoga Ashrama and World Yoga Organisation, advised to practice the following mudras holding each mudra for 10-15 minutes twice a day as Yoga is best practiced early in the morning but can be done at any time of the day -
- Talking about the method to perform Balayam Mudra, he shared -
- Form a half-fist by curling your fingers inwards.
- Stick your thumb out.
- Allow your fingers’ nails to touch each other by facing your palms against each other.
- Now, using swift up-down movement, rub the nails of one hand against each other.
- Remember, you only need to rub the nails of your fingers and not the thumb.
2. For performing Prithvi Mudra, he recommended, “Sit down in a meditative pose such as Sukhasana or Padmasana and keep your back straight. Allow the tips of your thumb and ring fingers to gently touch each other. Straighten the rest of your fingers. Do this with both hands and place the back of your palms on your knees. Close your eyes and direct your attention to your breath. In this mudra, the elements (tattvas) Agni and Prithvi are connected at the mool (or the tip of your fingers).”
3. As for Prana Mudra, the method includes, “It is done with the help of both the hands. Tips of ring plus little finger have to be joined by the tip of the thumb. All other fingers must be extended straight. Breathe in and exhale for same duration. Perform the inhale and breathe out (by sound chanting). Hold this mudra once in the morning and once in the evening for 15 minutes.”
4. The Yoga expert also suggested Hakini mudra, which is also called the mudra for the mind and ideally it should be performed during sunrise. Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar said, “It can be practiced in any stable seated posture such as sukhasana (easy pose) or padmasana (lotus pose), in which the spine can remain upright. To practice this gesture, first bring the palms to face one another a few inches apart. Join the fingertips and thumbs of both hands together, allowing them to maintain light contact. The hands can then be raised to the level of the third-eye chakra, in the center of the forehead.”
5. Lastly, for performing Vayu Mudra, he instructed, “Sit down in a meditative pose such as Sukhasana or Padmasana and keep your back straight. Begin with placing the tip of the index finger at the base of your thumb. Now, gently press the thumb upon your finger.”
He highlighted the benefits of Balayam Mudra or rubbing your nails as:
• Rubbing your nails is a calming exercise that can help you relax.
• The scalp's blood flow is improved, which strengthens the hair follicles and promotes healthy hair development.
• Assists in improving the texture, volume, and tone of the hair while preventing the growth of grey hair.
• Improves blood flow, which has been linked to health advantages like better heart and lung function as well as increase in energy levels.
Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar concluded, “Mudras are a blessing for our hair because they can help with regrowth and solve any hair-related issues. Particularly when the practitioner rubs the nails of his or her two hands together in mudras like the Balayam mudra. This is done to increase oxygen and blood flow, which can impact how the scalp moves. If done correctly, regularly and over a long length of time, this stimulation is known to treat a variety of conditions, including MPB (also known as androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness).”