| [Note: This paper contains images which
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| | and are attached by tendons to the
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| may be seen as originally published at
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| | phalanges of the fingers. The extensor
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| our website]Before we begin discussing
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| | muscles are on the back of the forearm
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| mudras, let us first consider some
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| | and are similarly connected. The human
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| interesting topics concerning hands. This
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| | thumb has two separate flexor muscles
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| and the following article will be devoted
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| | that move the thumb in opposition and
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| to hand mysteries, symbolism,
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| | make grasping possible."Four fingers and
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| esotericism, signs, and beliefs. Although
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| | a thumb on each hand is the norm. There
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| our treatment of these subjects may be
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| | are cases though, when a person may have
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| inadequate, from the scholarly point of
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| | extra fingers or thumb on one or both
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| view, the lay person may find them
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| | hands. Technically, this anomaly is
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| interesting and we especially dedicate
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| | called polydactylism. What causes this is
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| this work for their peruse.The miraculous
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| | a mystery. According to one of the
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| hands--we usually take them for granted
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| | current scientific theories is that this
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| and do not see how invaluable they are to
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| | is an atavistic condition, a genetic
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| us. We only miss their use should a
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| | remnant of a bygone age that appears from
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| mishap befall them--just like everything
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| | time to time for an unknown reason. This
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| else. In the absence of hands
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| | anomaly not only occurs in human beings,
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| civilizations would not have been built.
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| | they also appear in animals, and this the
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| No progress would have been made in our
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| | writer of this article can vouch for as
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| social, industrial, technological, and
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| | he is well familiar with it personally.
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| spiritual life. Human hands are partly
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| | In his youth the writer once reared
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| responsible for our evolutionary growth
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| | domestic chickens in his parents'
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| from our past animal, primitive state to
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| | farm--one had an upturned hind toe. Other
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| our present high-tech era. The hands are
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| | than that she had the normal amount of
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| a projection of our soul-desire to
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| | toes on each foot. However, all of her
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| interact and function on the physical
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| | progeny were polydactylies. They boasted
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| plane, and it took million of years for
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| | five toes on the terminal part of each
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| this desire to manifest in the
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| | leg. According to popular superstition,
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| three-dimensional state. Prior to that,
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| | extra digits in a hand is a sign of great
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| during the involutionary cycle, the
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| | good or evil. An extra finger on the
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| creature called man lived in an etheric
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| | right hand is supposed to bring good
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| state and with a form devoid of any
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| | luck, ill-fortune if on the left. Six
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| bodily appendages as recounted in
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| | fingers on both hands indicates that its
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| Blavatsky's "Secret Doctrine."At least
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| | possessor will be famous or infamous in
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| one ancient philosopher acknowledged the
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| | some way, like Gath, the Philistine giant
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| worth of the human hands: Aristotle
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| | mentioned in the Bible (1 Chr 20:6).How
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| called it the "organ of organs, the
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| | does the occult scientist explain
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| instruments of instruments." As one of
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| | polydactylism? From the metaphysical
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| the Karmaindriya, hands are the active
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| | point of view, we know that the physical
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| agents of the cerebral system, and by
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| | body is a replica of the etheric body
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| extension, the human soul. It is what
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| | which is the blueprint of its physical
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| Immanuel Kant called "the visible part of
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| | counterpart. The structure of the etheric
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| the brain." The nature of our thoughts
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| | body is amendable to the will of the
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| and emotions are reflected in ideodynamic
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| | Higher Self and to a lesser extent to the
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| movements of the hands that are normally
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| | psychological condition of the lower
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| visible with their gestures but at times
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| | psyche. If a pregnant mother were shocked
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| goes unnoticed, or is invisible to the
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| | in some way, for instance, this could
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| naked eye. Proof of this may be found in
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| | have a disastrous effect on the fetus or
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| the occult art of dowsing where the
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| | embryo disfiguring it in some way.
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| imperceptible movement of the hand as
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| | Embryonic hands could possibly acquire
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| motored by nerve impulses causes a
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| | extra digits as a result of its host's
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| pendulum to sway under direction of an
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| | sudden experience of fright or terror.
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| unseen subconscious intelligence--the
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| | Another explanation of polydactylism is
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| pendulum merely acting as an amplifier
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| | that for karmic reasons, the Higher Self
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| for the conscious aspect of the
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| | manufactures a vessel in accord with the
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| psyche.Benjamin Walker in his book, "Body
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| | soul's spiritual needs. Whatever physical
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| Magic," notes that no other part of the
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| | deformities it manifests in the physical
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| human body is so intimately related to
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| | form is for the teaching of the soul some
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| human behavior than the hands. Hand
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| | required lesson. However, how does that
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| movements are expressive of human
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| | apply to animals without a "soul"? As we
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| thoughts, character, emotions, and
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| | have stated above the etheric body as
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| attitudes. Graceful, flowing movements
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| | blueprint of the physical form may be
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| reveal a person who is generally poised
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| | altered by the will. At a lower level of
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| and tranquil, a person with culture and
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| | consciousness the imagination play a role
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| refinement. In men, when these gestures
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| | in influencing the matrix that a higher
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| are too exaggerated, or when they become
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| | intelligence has formed. The subconscious
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| too artificial, it indicates effeminate
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| | mind is likewise impressionable. What it
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| tendencies. A person with a dignified,
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| | perceives in a constant fashion it
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| noble character makes hand gestures quite
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| | eventually outpictures in physical form.
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| differently from a person who is debased
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| | This is how creatures evolve camouflages
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| and boorish in nature. Aggressive hands
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| | on their physical forms. But how do these
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| can be seen by their violent and abrupt
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| | principles relate to our question above?
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| movements; just as materialistic subjects
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| | In the case of animals, the evolution of
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| are known by their heavy, pendulous,
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| | their physical form and consciousness
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| impassive hands. A fidgety hand is
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| | aspects are directed by what is called
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| reflective of a fidgety mind--someone
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| | "group-spirits" in occultism.These
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| with a nervous disposition and lacking a
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| | angelic spirits are always experimenting
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| positive self-image. Such a person knows
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| | in producing forms that would best adapt
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| not how to control his energy. He
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| | to the environment so that the Law of
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| releases it through unconscious drumming
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| | Evolution may be best fulfilled. So
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| of his fingers and fiddling around with
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| | abnormalities in nature are experiments
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| any available object. Limp hands betray
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| | done by the Directors of Nature. However,
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| the owner's lack of goals,
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| | as the tale of Jacob (See Genesis) of how
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| self-confidence, and zeal for life.
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| | he influenced the nature of the wool of
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| Individuals who have the habit of hiding
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| | the sheep under his care would indicate,
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| their hands and closing their palms with
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| | animals may likewise influence the form,
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| their fingers reveals that they are
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| | or color of their own progeny through the
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| secretive, cautious, and perhaps stingy.
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| | power of their subconscious minds.
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| Hiding the hands behind the back have
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| | Apropos to this, shamans are said to have
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| several possible meanings among which are
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| | the occult ability to shape-shift into
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| prudence, restrain and observation or
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| | various forms, just like the Greek god
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| inspection. It is a diplomatic gesture
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| | Proteus. But this most likely concerns
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| and most nobles often unconsciously
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| | the astral body.One other anomaly are
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| assume it.Man not only differ from
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| | webbed hands. Although not too common,
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| animals by possessing reason, he also
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| | this atavistic characteristic does appear
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| differ from them by possessing hands that
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| | from time to time in human beings. In
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| are able to fabricate things, to convey
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| | Buddhism, webbed hands and feet are one
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| his intentions, to communicate his
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| | of the marks of a Buddha; this, however,
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| thoughts and feelings. Anthropoids may
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| | should not be construed in a literal
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| possess hands, but they lack a superior
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| | sense. Gaskell, the author of the
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| reason to take full advantage of them.
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| | "Dictionary of all Scriptures and Myth"
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| Dolphins and other cetaceans may be equal
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| | interprets this as the " . . . as yet,
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| or superior to man in spiritual
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| | fettered organs of action," or in other
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| unfoldment--according to modern New-Age
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| | words, the emotional/mental glamour and
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| thought--yet, without hands they do not
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| | illusions working through the senses,
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| have the ability to manifest certain
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| | hands, feet, and sexual organ. Gaskell's
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| forms of creativity. Perhaps they do not
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| | interpretation actually does not make
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| need to, it is not for us to debate over
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| | sense when we consider that a Buddha is
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| this here. We know that every life-form
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| | supposed to be enlightened and to have
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| has its own uniqueness; and Man, in his
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| | transcended such mortal errors. A better
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| own distinction can rightly be called
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| | interpretation in our opinion would be
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| "the builder" endowed as he is with the
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| | that webbed hands signify spiritual
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| tools--his hands, to manifest his
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| | service in the cosmic sea of life.One of
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| creative will. Herein lies the blessing
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| | the mysteries of nature regarding human
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| or curse of man. With his hands he may
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| | hands is that there are plant-roots
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| build heaven on earth, or he may use it
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| | resembling them. These roots originate
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| destructively to manifest chaos and
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| | from several species of the Dactylorhiza
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| anarchy--a hellish pandemonium that
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| | orchids and is commonly called
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| stalls evolutionary
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| | "Lucky-Hand Root." The number of digits
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| progress.Understanding this religiously,
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| | vary from 3 to 10. It is normally carried
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| man "the builder" constructs magnificent
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| | in a pouch as an amulet or all-round
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| temples to worship his gods or
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| | lucky charm. Although the subject of
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| representatives of his embodied ideals.
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| | charms and hand amulets are fascinating,
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| That the hands may sometimes symbolize
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| | they will not be discussed here; we will
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| excessive mundane activity and focus to
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| | deal with them in another article.The
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| the detriment of spiritual unfoldment can
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| | brain has more sets of nervous pathways
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| be understood from the esoteric saying
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| | leading to the hands than to any other
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| that the true spiritual aspirant ought to
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| | part of the body. In stress and anxiety,
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| spend his time and forces building a
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| | the temperature of the hands increases
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| temple "not made with hands." This in
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| | and it readily becomes sweaty.
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| fact is what Freemasonry, one of the
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| | Lie-detectors take advantage of this
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| "esoteric brotherhoods" is all about.
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| | phenomenon by measuring the differences
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| Though the body is regarded as a temple
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| | in the psychogalvanic skin response of
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| of the soul not made by mortal hands, a
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| | subjects during their interrogation.It is
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| higher house of God, the Holy of Holies,
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| | said that hands make more than a thousand
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| the Sanctum Sanctorum, is meant in this
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| | different movements every day. A single
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| spiritual precept. The brothers of this
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| | repetitive motion of the hand may lead to
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| august fraternity through rites, rituals
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| | serious injuries, as in the case of
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| and ceremonial initiations are taught how
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| | Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). This is the
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| to utilize carpenter's tools,
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| | swelling of the tendons in the carpal
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| esoterically understood, to build this
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| | tunnel and the compression of nerves
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| fabulous celestial House of God in a
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| | resulting in numbness in the hand. Hands,
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| spiritual dimension--the true "Temple of
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| | especially the fingernails, are
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| the Spirit," or to be more precise, the
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| | indicators of one's state of health. For
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| Causal body which relates to the many
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| | instance, horizontal ridges on the
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| mystical symbols representing the Higher
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| | fingernails may indicate malnutrition;
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| Self such as the Ark of the Covenant, the
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| | pitted nails may be symptomatic of
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| candelabra, the Holy Grail, the
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| | psoriasis; blue nails show problems in
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| Philosopher's Stone, etc.The Causal body
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| | the circulation.Function of the
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| is the lotus that forms the seat of every
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| | HandsHands may be used to bless or curse;
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| enlightened being as portrayed by Buddhas
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| | to build or destroy, to harm or heal. It
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| and Bodhisattvas in Buddhist iconography.
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| | all depends upon how well man attunes
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| Though the Causal body is not built by
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| | himself and understands the Will of the
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| mortal hands, personal effort in its
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| | Cosmos or his True Self. This
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| fabrication is still required by worship,
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| | reaching-out to a higher consciousness is
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| devotion, service, and spiritual
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| | symbolically depicted in the famous
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| exercises. We are essentially told in
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| | fresco painting by Michaelangelo upon the
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| every religion that salvation lies in our
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| | ceiling of the Sistine chapel in Rome.
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| own hands. The higher Intelligences will
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| | "Genesis: the Creation of Man" as it is
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| only assist us if we first help
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| | called, shows Adam reaching out his hand
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| ourselves. No external aid is forthcoming
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| | attempting to touch the fingers of his
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| if we refuse to take responsibility for
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| | Maker.The banishment from the Garden of
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| our own liberation, salvation,
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| | Eden or paradise is symbolic of man's
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| enlightenment, or evolution. The saying
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| | descent upon a lower level of
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| of Jesus that heaven is "at hand," or
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| | consciousness where he unwittingly lost
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| approaching, may be construed to mean
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| | contact with higher intelligences and
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| that heaven lies in our own grasp-"in our
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| | alternate realities and thus forgot his
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| own hands," if we allow it to be so by
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| | spiritual roots and purpose of being.
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| working for it, by awakening to the
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| | Just like Persephone who was abducted by
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| Truth, to a higher awareness and
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| | Hades and brought to the netherworld, the
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| consciousness. It entails personal
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| | soul of man is chained to a dark
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| responsibility. The New Jerusalem, King
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| | materialistic consciousness by his
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| Solomon's Temple, the Causal body, the
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| | ignorance. Ceres, the mother of
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| Diamond body, or whatever you may call
| |
| | Persephone, or man's Christ nature ever
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| that evolving spiritual body of the
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| | seeks to redeem her or the human soul
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| microcosm, must be perfected and made
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| | from the clutches of avidya, ignorance.
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| manifest on the physical plane through
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| | Adam (the generic term for man), after
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| personal effort. Doubts of our own
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| | consuming the fruit of the Tree of
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| divine, heavenly nature prolongs the
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| | Knowledge was faintly aware of the
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| sleep of the ages and prevents us from
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| | existence of the Tree of Life of which he
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| cooperating with the Divine Architect.
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| | was previously oblivious. The "Lord,"
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| Later on in these series of articles we
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| | anxious that man would not consume this
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| will apply the above precept literally
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| | fruit prematurely, banished him from
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| and use our hands as mudras to awaken and
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| | Paradise. Man's subsequent search for
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| unfold our divine potentials like the
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| | immortality became a powerful passion
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| blossoming of a lotus flower.Anatomy of
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| | that millions of deaths have not
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| the HandWhat is a hand? Below we quote
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| | diminished. Man must look in the proper
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| from the Funk and Wagnall's Encyclopedia
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| | direction for that which he now seeks. It
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| that explains this comprehensively:The
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| | is not to be found in the glamorous and
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| hand is explained to be a,"terminal
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| | illusory worlds of lower psychicism and
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| portion of the arms or anterior limbs of
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| | materialism. Until the false ego and all
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| humans and other primates, especially
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| | that is mortal within man are given up,
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| adapted for grasping. The grasping
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| | until all of that false sense of egoic
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| appendages of other mammals and lower
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| | grandeur be displaced by the expression
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| forms of animals are sometimes called
| |
| | of the Higher Self, man will not begin to
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| hands in order to distinguish them from
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| | sense the immortal life running through
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| the feet of the hind limbs, but true
| |
| | his course and subtle veins and realize
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| hands appear only in the
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| | that immortality is already his as a
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| primates."Superficially the hand consists
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| | Cosmic inheritance.As man is a reflection
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| of a broad palm attached to the forearm
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| | of God and the Universe, a veritable
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| by a joint called the wrist. At one side
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| | microcosm, so hands can well be said to
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| and at the outer edge of the palm are
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| | be a miniature microcosm representing the
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| five digits, the thumb and four fingers.
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| | physical man as a whole. For instance, we
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| The thumb in humans is articulated so
| |
| | have the five elements represented in the
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| that it can be brought opposite to the
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| | fingers just as we have all of the organs
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| fingers and thus be employed for
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| | in the body reflected in various parts of
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| grasping small objects. The fingers
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| | the hand. This is basically the science
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| themselves can be folded forward over
| |
| | of reflexology originated in China by the
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| the palm for the holding of objects. The
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| | ancient Taoists physicians and the
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| chief difference between the hands of
| |
| | practitioners of alchemy. These ancient
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| humans and those of the other primates is
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| | doctors discovered that massage or
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| that the thumbs of the latter cannot be
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| | pressure upon specific points of the feet
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| opposed to the fingers."The human hand
| |
| | and hands benefit other parts of the body
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| has 27 bones: the 8 bones of the carpus,
| |
| | and promote good circulation of the chi,
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| or wrist, arranged in two rows of four;
| |
| | or life-force.Hands are often "read" for
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| the 5 bones of the metacarpus, or palm,
| |
| | divinatory purposes and for determining
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| one to each digit; and the 14 digital
| |
| | the inner nature of their possessor. In
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| bones, or phalanges, 2 in the thumb and 3
| |
| | China such analysis of the hand is called
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| in each finger. The carpal bones fit
| |
| | Shou Hsiang. In the West it is known as
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| into a shallow socket formed by the bones
| |
| | "palmistry" or "cheiromancy," or to give
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| of the forearm."The movements of the
| |
| | its more accurate name,
|
| human hand are accomplished by two sets
| |
| | cheirogrammeomancy. Related to this is
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| of muscles and tendons: the flexors,
| |
| | "cheirogrammeognomy,"
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| for bending the fingers and thumb, and
| |
| | "cheiromorphognomy," and
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| the extensors, for straightening out
| |
| | "cheiromorphomancy," all of which
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| the digits. The flexor muscles are
| |
| | concerns the study of the hand--its
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| located on the underside of the forearm
| |
| | shape, features, lines, and qualities.
|
