D.A.M.M. - Monday 1/15 Period one - MANOS! HANDS OF FATE!

[bluewindbreaker.livejournal.com]

As soon as the class was settled the teacher appears in the requisite purple sparkling mushroom cloud of moaning skull shapes.

"Greetings students! I trust the intervening week has been a fruitful one! This week the knowledge I shall impart unto you is of the Somatic variety. I speak of course of mystical gesticulation!"

Tossing back his cloak and taking a dramatic stance, Orpheus throws the horns. Surprisingly, his hand does not glow some color or other.

"No doubt many of you are familiar with MANO CORNUTA! Also known as the horned hand. Also known as throwing the goat, eeeeevil fingers, Pommesgabel, peka evil or just... the horns! This gesture is used for warding off bad luck or the evil eye. Many use mano cornuta as you would knock on wood or touch iron. The gesture is considered to be vulgar, particularly by Mediterranean cultures, we will discuss the use of vulgar images in protection later in the term. If you have been cursed, or if you are trying to enter an area with some unsettling mojo set upon it, your first recourse is to make this gesture at the person or thing that is the source of said mojo."

Byron takes a moment to make sure anybody who's taking notes is able to finish. While he's waiting he folds his legs up under himself in the lotus position. He does this from a standing position, so he is now floating in the air.

"Next we will discuss the mudra. These gestures are symbolic. Usually made with the hand or fingers, there is also Kechari mudra. This is done with the tongue. But we are going to concentrate with manual forms. Each mudrā has a specific quality that is said to be imparted to the practitioner, and they are a central part of Hindu iconography. With the onset of Buddhism, many mudrā practices were absorbed into the culture. Common hand gestures are to be seen in both Hindu and Buddhist iconography. An example of a mudra done with the hands would be the outward-facing open palm known as Abhaya (without fear) mudrā, a gesture meant to dispel the fear of the devotee. Which would be an alternative to the chocolate we discussed last week."

Handouts with instructions and diagrams for mudra float over to the TAs to pass out.

Byron goes on to discuss other hand gestures such as the sign of the cross and Pinkie Respect.

"For today's exercise I would like you to pair up, practice some mudra, and discuss any gestures from your own cultures with mystical applications. If you can not find a partner, Mr. Dornez, Mr. Drake, or myself will assist you."

[[ooc: Please wait for OCD Open! Wooo! \m/ ]]

Comments

SIGN IN

[bluewindbreaker.livejournal.com]

Please sing in so it collapses and is pretty.

Re: SIGN IN

[wannabehunter]

Jo Harvelle

DURING THE LECTURE

[bluewindbreaker.livejournal.com]

I'm sure you're thinking of a few choice gestures of your own.

Re: DURING THE LECTURE

[wannabehunter]

Well, at least this was slightly more sane than the chocolate.

Re: DURING THE LECTURE

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe was taking notes and pondering gestures and phrases.

Re: DURING THE LECTURE

[2-twin-devils-2.livejournal.com]

Hikaru can't help but look a little concerned as he takes notes; this all just seems really ridiculous to him...

Re: DURING THE LECTURE

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn took notes, complete with little pictures, but was starting to wonder what hand gestures had to do with...anything.

Re: DURING THE LECTURE

[threeweapons.livejournal.com]

Alanna resisted the urge to headdesk or scream.

Re: DURING THE LECTURE

[bound2blade.livejournal.com]

Setsuna was taking very careful and detailed notes, which tried to include little sketches of gestures, but she couldn't draw for crap, and they ended up just looking like more Japanese writing in the long run.

Re: DURING THE LECTURE

[willbedone.livejournal.com]

Willow took detailed notes. She was absolutely fascinated by the whole thing.

Re: DURING THE LECTURE

[likethegun]

Sam's notes were filled with many little stick-hand gestures.

Re: DURING THE LECTURE

[smartestone]

...Okay, now Hermione thinks he's nuts. She's still writing everything down because it could be on the test, but she's got a really good "wtf" going on.

Re: DURING THE LECTURE

[notajar]

Door knows the first one, but the others are either new, or slight variations on things she's picked up at home, so she's making little sketches with... almost as much interest as she showed during the pirate porn in the common room.

We did say almost.

Re: DURING THE LECTURE

[narglette.livejournal.com]

Luna took notes as a Ravenclaw ought.

They went a little like this:

Find out if spell used to make the mushroom cloud complete with sparkles! has been banned by the Ministry.

Levitation - Charm, hex, potion or unfortunate breakfast choices? Only the professor knows for sure...

Re: DURING THE LECTURE

[walter-n-wires.livejournal.com]

This man was a complete and absolute nutter.

Walter loved him.

Very, very platonically.

CLASS EXERCISE

[bluewindbreaker.livejournal.com]

Orpheus recommends that those who encounter malicious magics in a regular basis practice meditation and mudra regularly as a way of strengthening their own resolve.

Doing so would likely also increase the "power" of their mano cornuta...

Or maybe it's just relaxing.

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[wannabehunter]

Jo looked around for a partner.

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Chris was not pouting. Not at all. (http://community.livejournal.com/fandomhigh/1184603.html?thread=68167259#t68167259).



[afk for a few hours, back by noonish EST]

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe looked around for a partner.


[[OOC: Sick so tags will be slow]]

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[2-twin-devils-2.livejournal.com]

Hikaru leaned against his desk, sighing and looking for a partner.

[[ooc: AFK for...awhile. Have class and a convocation.. *sigh*]]

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[southernbender.livejournal.com]

Katara looked around for a partner, trying to think of non-bending related gestures that she knew of.

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

Okay, it may have been a wee bit paranoid of her, but Cally wasn't seeking out a partner right now. She'd let someone ask, instead.

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Dawn was practicing her hand gestures and thinking she'd be more in place at a Metallica concert than facing down evil. Plus there was the whole sign of the cross thing, which she kept getting backwards.

TALK TO ORPHEUS OR HIS TAs

[bluewindbreaker.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Let's try this!

TAs please ping in here so peoples can ask us for help.

Orpheus

[bluewindbreaker.livejournal.com]

He's here is you have questions.

Or gestures.

OOC

[bluewindbreaker.livejournal.com]

I would just like you all to know that...

\mm/

You are all too much metal for one hand.

Re: OOC

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

"What can I say? Jesus is f'ing metal!"