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Order I · Seals of Gnosis and Ascent
Mudra of the Inner Self
Σφραγὶς τοῦ Ἐντὸς Ἀνθρώπου
07
The hands build a small temple. Through the opening beneath the little fingers the practitioner looks inward.
- Meaning
- Seal of the Inner Self
- Tradition
- Recorded after Sophie Rodelli; a prayer without words
- Hands
- Both hands, joined into a closed hollow
- Placement
- First in front of the forehead, looking through the opening with a steady gaze; then lowered to just beneath the chin while attending to the breath.
- Associations
- Forehead, then the throat and chin; the breath.
- Level
- Advanced
Formation
- Join the tips of the index, middle, ring and little fingers of both hands.
- Join the balls (heels) of the hands.
- Lay the thumbs next to each other inside the hollow, leading like a path to the tips of the little fingers, which they touch.
- An opening forms beneath the tips of the little fingers, through which light shimmers.
Example Meditation
Form the hollow before the forehead and look through the opening below the little fingers with a steady gaze. Then lower the hands beneath the chin and follow the breath. The closed hollow turns the attention inward to the place of the soul and supports focused, devotional meditation.
Effects
PhysicalΣῶμα
- Steady gaze. The unblinking gaze through the opening steadies the eyes and the posture of the head.
EmotionalΘυμός
- Devotion. A prayer without words, a silent meditation and a devotion to the Divine.
IntellectualΝοῦς
- Focus. The single point of light concentrates attention completely.
SoulΨυχή
- The place of the soul. Held beneath the chin, it marks the place of the soul; with crossed legs the body forms triangles, a symbol of the Divine.
AscentἈνάβασις
- The inner human. Plato names the true self ὁ ἐντὸς ἄνθρωπος, the inner human (Republic 589a). The seal turns the gaze toward that sovereign within, the part that becomes like the God.
Finger Key
| Finger | Element | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thumb | Fire | joins the little finger | joins the little finger |
| Index | Air | meets the left index finger | meets the right index finger |
| Middle | Aether | meets the left middle finger | meets the right middle finger |
| Ring | Earth | meets the left ring finger | meets the right ring finger |
| Little | Water | meets the left little finger; joins the thumb | meets the right little finger; joins the thumb |
Cautions and Variants
Variants. The seal is known under its English name only; no Sanskrit name is attested.
Recommended for Every Zevist Library
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.