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Order II · Seals of Theurgy and Invocation
Shankh Mudra
शङ्ख मुद्रा · śaṅkha mudrā · Σφραγὶς τοῦ Κόχλου
Also: Shankha Mudra
19
The hands become a conch shell. The sounding conch opens the temple; the seal opens the inner temple.
- Meaning
- Seal of the Conch
- Tradition
- Hindu temple ritual
- Hands
- Both hands, interlocking
- Placement
- In front of the sternum.
- Associations
- Throat; voice; the sound OM.
- Level
- Advanced
Formation
- Encircle the left thumb with the four fingers of the right hand.
- Bring the right thumb to touch the extended middle finger of the left hand.
- Let the left fingers lie together over the right hand.
- The joined hands take the shape of a conch shell.
Example Meditation
Form the conch before the sternum. Chant AUM, or listen inwardly to its sound, and feel the vibration in the throat and the chest. The seal supports the voice and the throat and draws the mind into calm, attentive listening.
Effects
PhysicalΣῶμα
- Throat and voice. It drives away every kind of problem in the throat; practised with OM it improves the voice.
EmotionalΘυμός
- Calm. Very calming; it leads into collection and silence.
IntellectualΝοῦς
- Listening. After the chant the attention turns to the silence that follows the sound.
SoulΨυχή
- The pearl in the shell. In its meditation the enclosed left thumb is the pearl, the higher self held within the shell.
AscentἈνάβασις
- Opening the temple. In Hindu temples the conch is sounded to open the doors. The seal opens the inner temple for the God to enter.
Finger Key
| Finger | Element | Right hand | Left hand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thumb | Fire | its tip touches the left middle finger | encircled by the right fingers |
| Index | Air | wrapped around the left thumb | extended, lying over the right hand |
| Middle | Aether | wrapped around the left thumb | extended; its tip meets the right thumb |
| Ring | Earth | wrapped around the left thumb | extended, lying over the right hand |
| Little | Water | wrapped around the left thumb | extended, lying over the right hand |
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.