Wikipedia calls Mudras — or hand positions — symbolic or ritual gestures. For serious meditators I would suggest going beyond this and investigate the energetic properties and effects of such hand positioning, especially noticeable in meditation.
We already know it’s instinctual to place a hand to the injured area when one gets physically hurt. Why? Hands can heal.
Hands, and particularly opposable thumbs, distinguish humans from many other life forms.
What else is noticed about mudras and/or the locations of the hands? How does intent associated with mudras affect experience?
The images below link to the mudra page they come from, the wonderful originalbuddhas.com site where I’ve bought a Buddha rupa (statue) before. Even if not ordering it’s at least worth pursuing for physical representations of Buddhist history, and (might I claim) experiencing energetically beneficial art
And from the Wikipedia mudra article:
Integrating Presence 