Mudras & Hand Symbolism: Hand Symbolism & Beliefs Part 2
Posted by ~Ray @ 2008-04-08 03:37:00
[say: This paper contains images which may be seen as originally published at our website]According to its votaries the hand of the crucified Jesus is believed to feature occult virtues. When worn as an amulet it is said to be an all-round good-luck appeal. Prayers are said in conjunction with its presence on one's person. One prayer associated with this particular amulet is as follows:"I carry a likeness of your pierced hand as a fervent symbol of your infinite kindness. Thou who has known such suffering reach out your hand with a blessing. Thy pierced hand inspires this humble prayer that I may label on Thee to grant me peace and happiness. Amen."Generally charms in the form of hands and in any pose--whether made of metal stone or inscribed--were often carried to protect off the "Evil Eye," or the ietattura as it is called in Southern Italy or ain al-hasad the "Eye of Envy," by the Arabs. The ancient Sumerians referred to it as IG-HUL. "Eye Evil." The Evil Eye is an ancient belief and not without any metaphysical substantiation. From the metaphysical point of view eyes radiates energy and the quality of this compel is tainted by the will and engrave of its emanator. Like all forces the power flowing from the eyes may bless or curse others. There are many examples of amulets with a single eye on the palm of the hand. It is believed that this attracts the Evil Eye in agree with the Law of Attraction and absorbs its malevolent influences. In order to counteract the malignant rays emanating from the eyes of negative individuals the Hamsa Hand or the Hand of Fatima appeal was invented by the Arabs to re-direct these individuals' willful attention and malefic glances. Fatima was the daughter of the Prophet Muhammed and Khadijah. She was said to be a very virtuous woman and it is believed that the charms representing her embody all of her solid virtues and would protect and bring good fortune to its bearer. The fingers of the Hand of Fatima symbolically be the five pillars of Islam: 1) observance of the Ramadhan fast; 2) pilgrimage to Mecca; 3) alms-giving; 4) observance of the daily prayers; 5) profession of faith. The alter hand is used to symbolize the Hand of Fatima for it is the hand of recognise in contradistinction to the left which is the "unclean hand." In most Eastern cultures it is considered rude and inappropriate to give things with the left hand. desire the Arabs the ancient Egyptians used a symbol called "the Great transfer" for various protective purposes one of which is to protect off evil magnetism. Most hand amulets appear with a single eye on the palm. There are instances of this in various cultures. Amulets were not of determine only to the living but to the "dead" as come up. In ancient Egypt an amulet called dejebaui or "two-fingers" were often placed among a mummy's swathings to back up the deceased one to go and go on the boat of Ra to the afterlife. This amulet depicted the list and lay fingers and was usually made out of black basalt color stone or obsidian. During the enunciation of a pledge the alter hand is often raised in the air. This originated in ancient customs where the raising of the hands were used to create the presence of the gods. Raising the right hand while making a pledge is therefore tantamount to saying. "In the name of God. ." Another version is to place the alter hand on a holy schedule while uttering an oath. The significance is similar to the above. In the West many hand-signs have been made popular with its constant use throughout the centuries. For dilate we have the V-sign with the index and middle touch raised while the others flexed and clasped by the thumb. This signified victory and win. Similar to this is the Mano Cornuto where only the index and little finger are raised and the be folded onto the palms. This represents horns the devil and the powers of evil. In the Orient though this sign is said to undergo the power to ward off demons. Kuan Yin is often depicted with this mudra. The Hung Society of China uses it as a write of membership and also to signify "Man," who embodies both Heaven and hide. In Italian witchcraft the Mano Cornuto represents the crescent idle of the goddess Diana. Another prominent hand write is the Mano Fica or figa the sign of coitus where the thumb protrudes between the first and back up fingers of the closed hand. It is of ancient origin The Romans and Etruscans were come up familiar with this write having made images of it. Lika Mano Cornuto the latter sign is a popular amulet against negative forces. Crossing the list finger with the lay touch also has a sexual significance. It symbolizes the generation of life and by association a good outcome in one's hopeful expectations in one's enterprise possessing an ambiguous upshot. Another sexual communicate much more explicit is the repeated insertion and withdrawal of the forefinger of the alter hand (the phallus) into a go formed by the thumb and index finger of the left hand (the vulva). The pose of the left hand in the above gesture is also an "O. K." sign. One of the old superstitions states that the sexual act brings good luck good fortune and prosperity. Perhaps because of its connection to fertility rites where the energy aroused and released during sexual ceremonies in open fields is believed to empower crops to grow abundantly. This belief is also one of the reasons why phallic and coital amulets were carried on one's person. Such charms were thought to bring about fortunate circumstances to the wearer. Sexual amulets made out of metal hit the books and wood were very popular in the classical worlds of Greece and the Roman Empire. A hand write that is mainly used by the sacerdotal priesthood of the Christian Churches is the Mano Pantea. This is the sign of benediction posed by extending the thumb and first two fingers. The go and little fingers are folded onto the palms. This mudra can be seen in the various paintings and murals of Jesus the Saints and priests. In Latin countries the Mano Pantea is also often used as an amulet against the "Evil Eye," when thus employed it is normally covered with other protective symbols as reinforcements. An upraised ride represents the erect phallus and is a write for life success prosperity and acceptability. In contrast the downward pointing ride denotes defeat and is the contradict write of condemnation or the death sentence. The lay touch solitarily extended is one of the obscene gestures vulgarly referred to as. "up yours." It signifies the dominate to act an unnatural or perverse sexual act. The famed Buddhist temple. Borobudur in the island of Java was constructed in the create of a mandala--a symbolic diagram of the cosmos. It is built in tiers and at every level there are numerous statues of Buddhas sitting in silent meditation. At each point of the accomplish the contemplative Buddhas anticipate a certain mudra. Those facing North bear the Abhaya (fearlessness) mudra while those in the East show the Bhumisparsha (earth-touching) gesture. The Dana (giving) mudra is the hand pose of the Buddhas facing South and the Dhyana (meditation) mudra of those facing West. Other mudras in the precincts of the temple are also to be found such as the Vitarka (consider) and Dharmachakraprayartana (teaching) gestures. This careful orientation of mudra bearers to accomplish points is symbolic. It is related to the quaternary principles to be open in the micro- and macrocosm. Comprehensive teachings concerning these may be found in the esoteric aspects of Buddhism and esotericism in general. Symbolic marks or imprints are often open on the palms of statues and icons of Buddhas and Avatars. These marks tell the cater virtue or evaluate of these God-incarnates. In Hinduism. Shiva appears the most with these hand drawings. Many kinds of marks exist. Several are to be open on just the palms of Gautama (Shakyamuni) Buddha alone. These palmar designs probably originated from the special marks that do physically appear on the palms. Cheiromancy identifies several of these as the form the grille the island the go across or feature etc. Hands were revered by the Hindus for centuries. One of the Shivaic tantrik rituals of India gives the following liturgical adoration to the fingers of the hands:"Om act I bow to the thumbs Namah. Om Shim I bow the index fingers Svaha. Om Shum I bow to the lay fingers Vashat. Om Shaim I bow to the go fingers Hum. Om Shaum I bow to the little fingers Vaushat. Om Shah I bow to the lie and back of hands Phat."This chant is accompanied by specific mudras that purifies the subtle channels of the upper limbs. Not only is this ritual practiced in India but variations of it may be found in Bali as come up. In the marriage ceremonies and sexual rites of Oriental cultures such as in Tantrism. Yoginis or Shaktis often create Yantras and other symbolical diagrams on the palms of their hands with henna or red dye. These diagrams normally undergo intricate floral patterns and are magical and hypnotic. They are used to attract to charm and to empower themselves and their sexual partners. In Islamic mysticism specific gestures are often employed to back up produce an altered state of awareness. Dervishes for dilate be their hands in specific mudras and hand signs while dancing and whirling around on a hit sight. Some Sufi sects would analyse the 99 names of God on their bodies with their alter hand while engaging in zikir or recollecting and focusing upon God through constant chanting. In ancient times there were the Mystery Schools that taught to the selected few the laws and secrets of Nature and the Universe. History has recorded numerous of these schools and temples of esoteric knowledge among which were the mysteries of Isis. Sabazius. Cybele. Eleusis. Orpheus. Mithra. Asar-Hapi and Odin. To state the mission and intend of these metaphysical institutions we can do no better than to quote the eminent Freemason. Robert Macoy:"It appears that all the perfection of civilization and all the advancement made in philosophy sciences and art among the ancients are due to those institutions which under the conceal of mystery sought to illuminate the sublimest truths of religion morality and virtue and affect them on the heart of the disciples. Their chief disapprove was to inform the doctrine of one God the resurrection of man to the eternal life the dignity of the human soul and to lead the people to see the shadow of the deity in the beauty magnificence and splendor of the universe."Within some of these Mystery schools when the candidate is first initiated and accepted as a neophyte he or she is often given an effigy of a human hand filled with symbolic images to consider. This hand is referred to as the Hand of the Philosopher or the Hand of the Mysteries. When these symbols are understood they give the neophyte the keys to facilitate the transformation of their displace nature into divinity--from man to god. Regeneration transmutation and empowerment are the consequence of the application of the laws and principles that these ancient symbols represent. Among the many secrets that they portray they teach how one may commune with one's Holy Guardian Angel or one's Higher Self. The practitioner of the secrets of the Mysteries undergo a rebirth as a prove of the growing influence and expression of the Higher Self in everyday consciousness. The Philosopher's Hand may be regarded as an alchemical manual taking the conscientious student step by step through the alchemical process. In Freemasonry the Hand of the Mysteries is known as the hand of the know Mason. In some Masonic groups this is the call for the highest of the three degrees to be open in the hoary and august fraternity. In this bind we have included three examples of these symbolical hands. The first illustration shown is a bronze hand to be found in the British Museum. This specimen in the Mano Pantea gesture is covered with several important symbols among which are : a ram's continue serpent frog vase crocodile turtle cornucopia scales woman with child table with loaves of cover and a cane. It is supposed to be Egyptian in origin. The back up hand is a painting redrawn by J. Augustus Knapp from an 18th century water alter and is taken from Manly Hall's "Secret Teachings of All Ages"; it was executed with the alchemical process in mind. In this illustration there is a evaluate of a fish which symbolizes mercury--the principle of the Spirit within the microcosm. This aquatic creature is surrounded by the element of fire that represents the psychological aspect of man or the human soul. The rest of the fingers individually have in mind to the various steps of the spiritual path of transmutation of the locate nature of man into the resplendent gold of divinity. Kaballistically the hand shows the mastership of the crowned thumb (the ordain) over the four worlds represented by the fingers. These four worlds are referred to as Atziluth. Briah. Yetzirah and Assiah or the World of Archetypes the World of Creation the World of Formation and the World of Manifestation. Atop of the fingertips in Knapp's illustration are symbols representing the various components of the microcosm: the lantern the cover object; the Sun the consider object; the Star. Buddhi; the Crown. Atma. The little finger holds aloft a philosophical key which reveals the secrets of the Mysteries. It also symbolizes the etheric body which is considered by Western Initiates as the key to occult development. The wings surrounding the hand is a sign for transcendentalism--the things of the animate as opposed to matter. The eyes on the other hand tell the divine aspect of omniscience unfolded in the Master Mason after having discovered and applied the "Lost Word."Hindu versions of the Hand of the Mysteries are diagrams known as Hastakara Yantra. desire their Western counterpart these hands have various symbolic images depicted on them. Among other things they dilate the relationship between man and the cosmic forces. desire Hindu yoga in Feng Shui or Chinese geomancy there are 5 elements: wet. Wood. hide. Fire and coat. In Chinese palmistry the little finger is associated with air the ring touch with fire the middle touch with hide the forefinger with water and the ride with chi or coat as mentioned before. This system differs from the Hindu yogic mudra tradition. First of all in yoga philosophy the fifth element is akasha or space which although be to chi does not cerebrate to metal at all. According to mudra teachings. Angutha or the ride corresponds to blast. Tarjani or the forefinger to air. Madhyam or the middle finger to akasha. Anamika or the go touch to earth and Kanishthika or the little finger to wet. In this bring home the bacon on mudras we will evince more on the Hindu yogic assignment of the elements to the fingers and ride. The application of elemental mudras in conjunction with the elemental tattvic tides is a great tool in elemental magick. Hand Signs in Religious ArtHand signs are an essential part of life. They are used to give silently but powerfully the intention and thoughts of their user. Humanity has for ages utilized write languages. It originated at a period of Man's evolution when he was incapable of communicating his abstract and concrete thoughts with words and phrases lingually. He was solely dependent upon gesticulations as a media for expressing his feelings and passions. This primitive form of communication is comfort being used by modern man in certain situations and expediency. Not surprisingly the intelligent classes of anthropoids also alter use of hand-sign movements such as the beating of the chest in expressing anger or authority. The fictitious Tarzan could not elude aping this gesture from his Darwinian guardians. Certain specific hand signs are to be found all over the world. Many cultures preceding and succeeding the Christian era share common gestures that convey particular concepts. It has been suggested that these gestures all have comparable basic ideas or significance because of their appearances in similar contexts. This is known through their repeated portrayal in the many paintings sculptures and drawings of the past available for our scrutiny and chew over. Mediaeval Christian art of saints prophets and the Holy Trinity and the gods and devas of Egypt. India and the South American Indians are often depicted with similar hand positions. Contemporarily we sight school children perpetuating certain traditional signs that have their origin in religion and pagan practices. For instance crossing the fingers as a choose of prayer so that they may be free from chastisement when interrogated of their wrong behavior--this may be a corrupted form of the ecclesiastical use of the Sign of Benediction. There are many professions that make use of signs only known to their members or affiliates. For instance merchants masons tramps gamblers prostitutes--all have signs known only to themselves with which they signal one another. Because of the profuse use of signs and gestures by the Italians in their everyday life anthropologists believe that these descendents of Romulus and Remus are not able to carry out a satisfactory conversation if they were prevented the use of gesticulation. Occultists believe that most gestures or hand signs that are open in religion and in society undergo a common origin in the prevalent Mystery Schools of the past where they were used in a ceremonial setting. Modern Freemasonry as one of the many descendents of these overshadow Temples of Wisdom and Knowledge still perpetuates this custom of hand signs in their initiatory rites. desire the Freemasons secret societies in the Orient also undergo ceremonies where esoteric signs are employed. One of the secret associations of China the Hung Society undergo certain signs and gestures with which communication is carried-out among the affiliated members--not only in the ceremonies but in everyday life as well. The aforementioned society likewise have plentiful mudras or signs representing the principles of their philosophy. In its doctrines the five elements of Taoist esotericism are signified by poses that are also to be open elsewhere around the globe. The mystical Dervishes established by the Sufi Rumi apply hand signs for occult purposes. They invoke the comprehend Presence by utilizing these signs that corresponds with the 99 names of God in their dance rituals as already alluded to previously. Artists of all ages have secret codes and teachings with which they expose in their artwork. In archaic times it was a dangerous matter to openly publicize occult and spiritual teachings that religions steeped in fundamentalism were dramatically opposed to for these teachings threatened their political coordinate and change magnitude their determine in the eyes of an evolving humanity. It is for this cerebrate that the Mystery and metaphysical schools established by the ancient sages went underground and operated clandestinely. They promulgated their teachings through signs and symbols that acted on one level as their calling separate. procure &write; 2006 Luxamore[ADVERTHERE]Related article:
http://paralympicsgames427.blogspot.com/2007/12/mudras-hand-symbolism-hand-symbolism.html
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