Hands and eyes are extremely important to artists. Actually, they are the primary tools for everyone. After I had surgery on my hand, I spent days reading about the meaning and language of hands, mainly in these two books: The Language of the Goddess by Marijah Gimbutas and The Women's Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects by Barbara G. Walker.
Hand blessings are deeply rooted in many ancient traditions and faiths. Some are still used today. I wanted to figure out a way to apply these meanings to dolls and wearable art. Now, I simply wanted to share them with fellow artists. The patterns are FREE to copy or download for your personal use. I hope you have fun making hands, selling them, and giving them away as gifts!
Although the pattern is free for your use, it is not to be copied for sale. I would like to request that you write for permission to teach this project in a class (something most pattern makers do).
American Sign Language
A similar hand gesture (mudra) in India refers to the Goddess Jagadamba, the "Mother of the World."
Spock's Vulcan greeting from Star Trek was brought to the show by Leonard Nimoy, who is Jewish. It is a two handed blessing used by the Kohanim lineage of Rabbis who descended from Moses' brother Aaron.
The Hand of Blessing was a Roman sign of "The Hand of the All Goddess." It was later adopted by Christian clergymen and in Islam it is called the Hand of Fatima.
Egypt used it to evoke the protection of the parental spirits. The index finger is the Mother-Goddess, the middle finger is the Father-Godhead, and the thumb with an acorn seed is the Child, Horus, the newborn
sun of each day.
For meditation the index finger touches the thumb to show the passing of wisdom's energy from teacher to student. It represents the unity of the mother and child under the protection of the Triple Goddess who brings security, loveand good fortune.
The Oriental Eye of Mercy is a Tibetan gesture to dispel fear
and was also drawn by Native Americans.
As the symbol of Palmistry, it means insight is found in the palm.
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