Prana Pages

We have so many phrases and idioms that we use for the thumbs, an appendage that more often than not we take for granted.  During my initiation, I accidentally cut the webbing of my left thumb.  In order of it to heal properly, I had to tape my thumb to my hand.  For three days, my left ‘flipper’ as I nicknamed it, prevented me from doing many tasks, even though I am right handed.  This brought me to recognize that the thumb really allows me the capability to “do” things, to make things happen, in essence, to manifest my thoughts into action and creation.

In yoga, I often see newer students trying to do poses by propping up on their thumbs rather than resting on the whole hand.  For example, they tuck their thumbs under in down dog rather than planting the whole hand and pushing into the palm of the hand.  If a student continues to practice down dog in this manner, over time their thumb joint will ache because it is not meant to hold the weight of the whole upper body by itself.  What these newer students learn when they plant the whole hand on the floor is that they are more supported by the stability of the palm of the hand versus the shakiness of the thumb joint.  When the whole palm of the hand is open and active, it is fully receptive to the things one is trying to manifest in life.  This energetically teaches the system to “try easier” and let things happen for us.

The phrase “I’m all thumbs” implies that one is clumsy, energetically this is because the thumb requires the participation of other fingers or the whole hand to perform most functions.  This is metaphoric of the concept of “doing one’s part to meet the Universe half way.”  In yoga language, the thumb is the sthira (effort) but cannot manifest what it needs without the sukha (surrender) of itself to the other parts of the hand.  Whereas when we are trying to “keep something under our thumb” we are trying to control something.  Thus, often pains in the thumb are indicative of issues of over-controlling situations.  Pains in the thumb quite often radiate up to the wrist where we hold issues of perfectionism.  I’m always amazed at the response I get when I ask people complaining of wrist pain if they are perfectionists and I tell them that wrists are where we hold issues of control and perfectionism.  But that’s another article…

So, while my left thumb has healed, today I am nursing a scrape on my right thumb pad, the only injury sustained from a head first dive off my front step when my dog went chasing after a squirrel.  I have to ask myself what am I trying to hard to manifest, and how can I let go a little, open my hand, and allow the fruits of my labors to come back to me.