Mahasirs mudra - Large head mudra

Sit in any meditative pose, with eyes shut. Touch tip of thumb to tips of index and middle finger. Press down ring finger so it touches base of thumb. Extend little finger. Do for each hand. Sit with this mudra for three minutes or more for headache relief.

Benefits: Mudras are said to work by tapping the biological map of the human in the brain (called homunculus). This particular mudra relieves congestion, removes anxiety, calms the mind by balancing both brain hemispheres.

Tadasana Palmtree pose

Stand up straight, feet a foot apart. Place hands at your sides. Inhale to raise yourself on your toes. Simultaneously raise hands overhead to interlock fingers, turning them outwards to face the ceiling.

Hold the pose, breathing normally, for as long as you can. Focusing your eyes on some spot in front you helps you maintain balance in this pose for longer. Exhaling, lower hands to side, while lowering heels back to floor.

Benefits: This is a therapy for most ailments and is safe. The full-stretch releases tension knots in the body. It sets the stage for repair in ailments like chronic headaches.

Nadi shodhana or Energy channel cleanser

Sit in any meditative pose. Place left hand in chin mudra, with tip of index finger touching the tip of your thumb. Place the right hand in nasagra (nosetip) mudra, using the remaining fingers to shut and open the nostrils as instructed.

This is a simple version. Shut your right nostril with right hand thumb. Inhale from the left for four counts. Exhale from left for four counts. This is one round. Do up to ten rounds.

Repeat by shutting the left nostril, and inhaling from the right nostril for four counts. Exhale from the same nostril for four counts. This is one round. Repeat up to ten rounds for the left nostril also.

Benefits : This balances both brain hemispheres, bringing inner harmony, removing inner conflicts that can set off psychosomatic disorders in the body. It belongs to the set of cleansing, healing practices with the least contraindications. Also used to relieve tension headaches.