The most noticeable thing about spirituality is the sheer dependency it seems to have on words. One can discover spirituality pointers while sifting through the pile of books that are available or through the spoken words that the gurus that abound today or through the words of those who can convey half-baked truths of the heard word. The truth is that words attempt to trace the contours of spirituality… but we tend to forget that it is spirituality that must trace the contours of a person’s destiny that completes the connection with the higher universe of Gods! This is the relationship that we are going to discuss in this column this time.

Every relationship is a harmony between the art of narration and the art of listening. How true! But I wonder if words always form a part of this system of communication. Not really. Even mere fingers can do the job rather effectively.

Normally we go through life without realizing our true nature. The purpose of spiritual life is to enhance our awareness of our true self. The sum total of spiritual life is awareness, wakefulness and vigilance. In any awakened state there is an intrinsic merging of the Ego in the self.

Let us start with the role of our fingers in spiritual realization. It could be a simple ‘namaste’ or the act of touching an elder’s feet. It could be fingers in yog-mudras or as they are for a dancer. It could be fingers clutching a pen or an art-brush to create meaning from random thoughts that can fly by if not caught at the opportune moment… or it could be the fingers of a lover on the soft skin of his or her beloved! You know, even the tips of fingers can do the narration of the depths of emotions on a soft and receptive skin surface… and words need not necessarily be used. A finger-traced abstraction on the back of someone you love can transcend the tingling sensations and travel faster than the zingiest of light photons. Truth is that even simple words (that in isolation will float content-less and impression-less) get impregnated with meaning that goes beyond the clutches of mortality.

But let me now tell you something about the significance of fingers. The index finger represents Ego (ahamkara), the thumb represents Brahman, the middle finger, the ring finger and the little finger represents the three gunas – namely, Satva, Rajas and Tamas gunas. The index finger which is always used to threaten or criticize or brand somebody or some thing is traditionally used in ‘japas’. It represents Ahamkara, the Ego. The Thumb is the support (Aadhara) for all the other fingers without which the other fingers become powerless. It is likened to the Atman (consciousness). It is only in consciousness that our qualities, whether positive or negative that can be expressed. The other three fingers represent the three qualities or gunas of which the world is made of (Trigunatmaka Maya).

Once this basic classification is clear, allow me to say that the spiritual and the sensual are not really different. For instance, even in the purely sensual world the end result is always a realization of the spiritual lord! That is why it is vital to have the fingers do their part in absolute silence! Let there be silence when lovers meet. Let the fingers take-over all the functions of this organisation of immortal harmony. Life then will, in the real sense, become finger-licking delicious!

In the realm of hard-core yog-mudras, the principle stated above will be equally valid. Can you imagine sitting in a specific mudra and talking of all the mundane possibilities that life has to offer? What will the gain of bringing the thumb and the index finger together if you are going to entertain thoughts of some political massacre somewhere? In chinmudra posture the thumb and the index fingers are merged together in the form of a circle with the tips touching and separated from the other fingers. This means the Ego should detach itself from the world of the other three Gunas and gain its union with the thumb, the original self (Brahman). The Ego automatically disappears and a circle is formed meaning that it becomes complete.

The point that I wish to make here is that even when the fingers are engaged in a purely sensual activity that is purely worldly in its activity, the spiritual benefit is similar to what a yogi may get after spending time in some yog-mudra! The catch-word here is ‘involvement’. Even if fingers are titillating the human urges, let there be no dilution of focus.

Now, because it is the world of advertising that is always uppermost on my mind, how can I restrain myself from giving a pointer or two towards this area? If I were making an ad on this concept, I’d surely have used one of these slogans or punch-lines…

1. Trace the contours of your destiny
2. Soulful creativity — just a finger-touch away!
3. Emotional tangle? Joy is nothing but finger-tingle
4. Bye-bye boring life. Make it finger-licking delicious NOW!
5. Looks can kill. Words can bruise. Gently interlock fingers to live.
6. Finger, dear. Use your fingers!

Well, fingers are so vital for relationships and yet most of us treat them casually. Fingers are the cause and the because of all good things that a human mind is capable of conjuring up. A friend once remarked that Richard Gere is one actor who can really use his fingers to communicate the subtlety of every dichotomy of the mind-boggling number of emotions that we are subjected to. Truth is that Gere uses his hand-motions equally effectively… but the focus here is on the use of fingers.

Obviously then, it is fingers that can trace the contours of destiny, but only if we allow them the undiluted focus and attention that they need.

[Arvind Passey]
[2007]
Published in PrepTalk, 2007