http://bluewindbreaker.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] bluewindbreaker.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2007-01-15 12:13 am

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

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/ ]]

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[identity profile] walter-n-wires.livejournal.com 2007-01-15 09:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Walter noticed Setsuna and sat down nearby.

"Are you looking for a partner?"

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[identity profile] bound2blade.livejournal.com 2007-01-15 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Setsuna shrugged. "Sure. Are you familiar much with these gestures, Walter?"

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[identity profile] walter-n-wires.livejournal.com 2007-01-15 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
"Not really," Walter admitted. "But I'm a quick study. I'm only TA because I make good coffee."

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[identity profile] bound2blade.livejournal.com 2007-01-15 09:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"Ugh, coffee," Setsuna allowed some distraction to wrinkle her nose.

"Well, I'm familiar with all the mudra," she said, starting to go through some of them idly as she spoke. "I used them in my magic and meditations and woefully chucked out my mudra icon."

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[identity profile] walter-n-wires.livejournal.com 2007-01-15 09:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Walter was nothing if not good with his hands. He'd watched Dr. Orpheus and now watched Setsuna closely, following with his own gestures.

"I don't like it, either, but a lot of the people here just won't listen about proper tea."

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[identity profile] bound2blade.livejournal.com 2007-01-15 10:39 pm (UTC)(link)
Setsuna grinned as her wrist kept turning as she went through all her usual mudra. "I swear, I can always depend on you Brits to understand."

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[identity profile] walter-n-wires.livejournal.com 2007-01-15 10:44 pm (UTC)(link)
"We're quite clever about such things," Walter agreed with more than a ghost of a smirk.

"But we don't have much in the way of mudra." There were a few exceptionally rude hand gestures, such as one he'd demonstrated for Nadia the night before, but he wasn't sure they counted as mudra.

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[identity profile] bound2blade.livejournal.com 2007-01-15 10:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Setsuna nodded a little, and, very matter-of-fact and handwavey lead Walter through a very thorough demonstration of the basic mudras, including an almost encyclopedic explaination of what each one of for and why it was the gesture it was, and so on and so forth, blah blah blah.

She got really into things like this, could you tell?

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[identity profile] walter-n-wires.livejournal.com 2007-01-15 11:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Considering how much of his training with Alfred had been about details and how much of his personal training was about working with his hands, he had no difficulty in following Setsuna through any of the forms and filed away all of the information she shared.

He didn't even seem to be humoring her, which he wasn't.

"Thank you, that's very useful."

Re: CLASS EXERCISE

[identity profile] bound2blade.livejournal.com 2007-01-15 11:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Setsuna nodded. "Glad to help."