one’s face, perhaps even your own. Think of the gentleness in the hands of a stranger, the care, the warmth you felt in a touch.

Hand meditation step 4 : Then, place your right hand slowly and gently over your chest just above your heart. Press it firmly against your chest and feel the rhythmic beat of your heartbeat. Press more firmly for a moment and then release the hand holding it just an inch away from your chest, experience the warmth between your hand and your heart. Then lower your hand to your lap very carefully as if

The hand is an indispensable extension of the human body; not only do we perform most tasks with it the hand is also a way of communicating our emotions and thoughts and feelings, by way of touch. Thus the use of the hand is one which goes beyond all that is tangible. But wait, the usefulness of the hand does not end there; apart from the multitude of tasks it can perform, the hand is also an effective meditating tool.

How to do the Hand Meditation

Hand meditation step 1 :

Hand meditation is most effective when it is done in groups of four or more people. One should get comfortable in a chair, with the eyes closed and with both feet firmly planted on the ground. Rest the hands on the lap with the palms facing up. Notice your breathing pattern, you don’t need to alter it just notice the pattern of the breath coming in and going out. Relax your body as you breathe.

Hand Meditation step 2 : Focus your attention on the air at your fingertips, between your fingers, on the palm of your hand. Familiarize yourself with the strength and maturity of your hands. Remember the most unforgettable hands that you ever touched or have known, perhaps those of a parent, or a friend or lover. Imagine the hands of a new born baby; remember the softness, the perfection, the delicacy of that hand, your hands were the same once.

Hand Meditation step 3 : Reflect on the things that your hands have done since that time; you learned most of the important things in life through your hands, turning yourself over, crawling and creeping, walking, balancing, learning to hold something for the first time. You learnt to feed yourself, clean and dress yourself, go back to the time you first learnt to tie your shoe lace, all these things were your greatest accomplishments, at one time in your life. Think of your hands when they were your learning tools, the time when you first learned to write your name, when it was there to help out others, remember the joy and pain of all the work they have done, the cold and the heat, the soreness and the bruises. Remember the time you raised your hands to help someone, when you dried the tears off a loved one’s face, perhaps even your own. Think of the gentleness in the hands of a stranger, the care, the warmth you felt in a touch.

Hand meditation step 4 : Then, place your right hand slowly and gently over your chest just above your heart. Press it firmly against your chest and feel the rhythmic beat of your heartbeat. Press more firmly for a moment and then release the hand holding it just an inch away from your chest, experience the warmth between your hand and your heart. Then lower your hand to your lap very carefully as if

tive when it is done in groups of four or more people. One should get comfortable in a chair, with the eyes closed and with both feet firmly planted on the ground. Rest the hands on the lap with the palms facing up. Notice your breathing pattern, you don’t need to alter it just notice the pattern of the breath coming in and going out. Relax your body as you breathe.

Hand Meditation step 2 : Focus your attention on the air at your fingertips, between your fingers, on the palm of your hand. Familiarize yourself with the strength and maturity of your hands. Remember the most unforgettable hands that you ever touched or have known, perhaps those of a parent, or a friend or lover. Imagine the hands of a new born baby; remember the softness, the perfection, the delicacy of that hand, your hands were the same once.

Hand Meditation step 3 : Reflect on the things that your hands have done since that time; you learned most of the important things in life through your hands, turning yourself over, crawling and creeping, walking, balancing, learning to hold something for the first time. You learnt to feed yourself, clean and dress yourself, go back to the time you first learnt to tie your shoe lace, all these things were your greatest accomplishments, at one time in your life. Think of your hands when they were your learning tools, the time when you first learned to write your name, when it was there to help out others, remember the joy and pain of all the work they have done, the cold and the heat, the soreness and the bruises. Remember the time you raised your hands to help someone, when you dried the tears off a loved one’s face, perhaps even your own. Think of the gentleness in the hands of a stranger, the care, the warmth you felt in a touch.

Hand meditation step 4 : Then, place your right hand slowly and gently over your chest just above your heart. Press it firmly against your chest and feel the rhythmic beat of your heartbeat. Press more firmly for a moment and then release the hand holding it just an inch away from your chest, experience the warmth between your hand and your heart. Then lower your hand to your lap very carefully as if

nd maturity of your hands. Remember the most unforgettable hands that you ever touched or have known, perhaps those of a parent, or a friend or lover. Imagine the hands of a new born baby; remember the softness, the perfection, the delicacy of that hand, your hands were the same once.

Hand Meditation step 3 : Reflect on the things that your hands have done since that time; you learned most of the important things in life through your hands, turning yourself over, crawling and creeping, walking, balancing, learning to hold something for the first time. You learnt to feed yourself, clean and dress yourself, go back to the time you first learnt to tie your shoe lace, all these things were your greatest accomplishments, at one time in your life. Think of your hands when they were your learning tools, the time when you first learned to write your name, when it was there to help out others, remember the joy and pain of all the work they have done, the cold and the heat, the soreness and the bruises. Remember the time you raised your hands to help someone, when you dried the tears off a loved one’s face, perhaps even your own. Think of the gentleness in the hands of a stranger, the care, the warmth you felt in a touch.

Hand meditation step 4 : Then, place your right hand slowly and gently over your chest just above your heart. Press it firmly against your chest and feel the rhythmic beat of your heartbeat. Press more firmly for a moment and then release the hand holding it just an inch away from your chest, experience the warmth between your hand and your heart. Then lower your hand to your lap very carefully as if

ing for the first time. You learnt to feed yourself, clean and dress yourself, go back to the time you first learnt to tie your shoe lace, all these things were your greatest accomplishments, at one time in your life. Think of your hands when they were your learning tools, the time when you first learned to write your name, when it was there to help out others, remember the joy and pain of all the work they have done, the cold and the heat, the soreness and the bruises. Remember the time you raised your hands to help someone, when you dried the tears off a loved one’s face, perhaps even your own. Think of the gentleness in the hands of a stranger, the care, the warmth you felt in a touch.

Hand meditation step 4 : Then, place your right hand slowly and gently over your chest just above your heart. Press it firmly against your chest and feel the rhythmic beat of your heartbeat. Press more firmly for a moment and then release the hand holding it just an inch away from your chest, experience the warmth between your hand and your heart. Then lower your hand to your lap very carefully as if

one’s face, perhaps even your own. Think of the gentleness in the hands of a stranger, the care, the warmth you felt in a touch.

Hand meditation step 4 : Then, place your right hand slowly and gently over your chest just above your heart. Press it firmly against your chest and feel the rhythmic beat of your heartbeat. Press more firmly for a moment and then release the hand holding it just an inch away from your chest, experience the warmth between your hand and your heart. Then lower your hand to your lap very carefully as if you were holding your heart in the palm of your hands. Think of all the hands that have left their imprint on your mind, they can never be erased. The hand has its own memory that can last a lifetime.

Hand meditation step 5: Keeping your eyes closed, extend your hands on either side of your body and find another Hand; hold it, explore it, sense its history and journey, let your hand speak to it and let it listen in turn to the other. Express your gratitude to this hand stretched out to you.

Hand meditation step 6 : With your eyes still closed, slowly release your hands and bring them back to your lap. Feel the presence of that hand lingering upon yours. The print is there forever.

Hand meditation step 7 : When you are ready, open your eyes. Share your thoughts and feelings of this experience with those around you.

Hand meditation involves focusing not so much on the physical touch as it is about focusing on the emotional attachments and bonds that were created using the hand and pondering on the marks they left behind.