Mudras (Earth, tradition, Buddhism, preach, faith)

[MaddLlama]

What are mudras? Are they part of yogic practice, meditation practice, or both? Are they related to the Chakras at all? What religious tradition did they stem from? Are they something that can be practiced at all outside the context of that religious tradition?

[Lux et Umbra]

What are mudras?

Mudras are symbolic hand gestures.

There's:
Abhaya Mudra (Fearlessness)
Bhumisparsha Mudra (Earth Witness)
Dharmachakra Mudra (Wheel Turning)
Dhyana Mudra (Meditation)
Varada Mudra (Gift Giving)

(those are the most common-- In Buddhism at least)

Here are a few sites that show the gesture with its meaning that will be helpful:
Buddhist Mudras - ReligionFacts
Buddhist Studies: Mudras: Symbolic Hand Gestures. (from www.buddhanet.net this is a great site for learning about Buddhism as well)
Mudras - Simbolic Hand Gestures
Mudras of the Great Buddha: Symbolic Gestures and Postures --

Mudras are a non-verbal mode of communication and self-expression, consisting of hand gestures and finger-postures. They are symbolic sign based finger patterns taking the place, but retaining the efficacy of the spoken word, and are used to evoke in the mind ideas symbolizing divine powers or the deities themselves. The composition of a mudra is based on certain movements of the fingers; in other words, they constitute a highly stylized form of gestureal communication. It is an external expression of 'inner resolve', suggesting that such non-verbal communications are more powerful than the spoken word.

(it goes on about each gesture)
Mudras in Buddhism
Wikipedia: Mudra

Are they part of yogic practice, meditation practice, or both?

Both.
They're used in Hinduism (though I'm not sure if they're the exact same as in Buddhism) in Yoga and meditation as well as images of deities (Shiva Nataraja for example). They were absorbed into Buddhism and can be found in meditation as well as images of Buddha and other things.

In India there is a dance form known as Bharatanatyam which as tons of hand symbols and gestures. I believe in that context they're called "Hasta Mudras."
So they're they're found in many things.

Are they related to the Chakras at all?

I don't think so. I'm not sure, though.

What religious tradition did they stem from?

Hinduism and Buddhism.

Are they something that can be practiced at all outside the context of that religious tradition?

Yes and no. There are many people who aren't Hindu or Buddhist that use various mudras in their meditation or yoga. Perhaps those people don't know the meaning of the gestures and are just doing them to do it, I don't know.

Some Mudras seem more universal than others, for example one Buddhist mudra (Abhaya) means: "No-fear" represents protection, peace, benevolence, and dispelling of fear. Also the Varada Mudrā signifies offering, welcome, charity, giving, compassion and sincerity.

Though there are many that are tired to Buddhism:
The Bhūmisparśa "Earth-touching" Mudrā literally represents the Buddha as taking the earth as witness
The Dharmachakra Mudrā represents a central moment in the life of Buddha when he preached his first sermon after his Enlightenment, in Deer Park in Sarnath. Gautama Buddha is generally only shown making this Mudrā, save Maitreya as the dispenser of the Law.
Etc.

I don't think anything is wrong with using them, but seeing as they are highly symbolic to the two faiths...I suppose it would be up to the person to figure out if they want to use them or not. Perhaps ask youself some questions:
If you're not Buddhist or Hindu what do you hope to gain by using them?
What do they mean to you, especially the ones very much liked to Buddhism and Buddha?
If you want to use hand symbols in meditation would you consider coming up with your own?
Things like that.

Hope that helps.

[Aupmanyav]

IMHO, they are not integral to Yoga or Meditation as they are to dance or Hindu and Buddhist symbolism.

[Gentoo]

I really like them, here's a site that shows some of them:

http://healing.about.com/od/east/ig/...lery/index.htm