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Dhyana Mudra
The two hands form one empty bowl in the lap. The thumbs meet and close the vessel that receives.
- Meaning
- Seal of Meditation
- Tradition
- Buddhist and Hindu meditation; the seal of Amitabha among the Five Tathagatas
- Hands
- Both hands, stacked
- Placement
- In the lap, below the navel, in a seated posture.
- Associations
- Lap and lower belly; the oval of the thumbs over the centre of gravity.
- Level
- Advanced
Formation
- Shape both hands like bowls, palms facing up.
- Lay the left hand in the right hand, fingers overlapping.
- Raise the thumbs and let their tips touch, forming an oval over the palms.
- Rest the joined hands in the lap.
Example Meditation
Sit with the joined hands resting in the lap below the navel, thumb tips touching above the palms. Practise the Void Meditation: let each thought pass without following it. The oval of the thumbs is a gauge of attention; when it sags or presses, the mind has drifted, and the seal calls it back to an empty, receptive stillness.
Effects
PhysicalΣῶμα
- Stillness. The resting bowl lets the arms and shoulders release, which steadies the body for long sitting.
EmotionalΘυμός
- Release. The work of forgiveness comes first; the empty bowl is the emotional state of one who has let go.
IntellectualΝοῦς
- Emptiness of thought. The classical meditation on emptiness: thought settles until the mind is clear and receptive.
SoulΨυχή
- Free, pure and empty to receive. The bowl is the inner state needed to receive; the void is then filled by thoughts and feelings of a higher order.
AscentἈνάβασις
- The vessel of contemplation. Θεωρία is the contemplative vision of the Divine. A symbol of the Divine may be held in mind as an anchor; Zevism places the God within the vessel.
Finger Key
| Finger | Element | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thumb | Fire | raised; its tip meets the left thumb | raised; its tip meets the right thumb |
| Index | Air | relaxed, holding the left hand | relaxed, lying in the right hand |
| Middle | Aether | relaxed, holding the left hand | relaxed, lying in the right hand |
| Ring | Earth | relaxed, holding the left hand | relaxed, lying in the right hand |
| Little | Water | relaxed, holding the left hand | relaxed, lying in the right hand |
Cautions and Variants
Variants. The left hand lies on top in the form shown. In Japanese Buddhist iconography (hokkai jōin) the right hand rests on the left with the thumb tips joined; both orders are in living use.
Gertrud Hirschi, Mudras: Yoga in Your Hands
The standard practical manual of the hand seals, with their indications and meditations. The Temple of Zeus recommends it as a purchase for every Zevist library, personal or communal.