The History of the Hamsa
A Hamsa is considered a sign of protection, power, and strength, that dates back to ancient Mesopotamia and has been found in many major religions. Wisdom teaches that the hamsa brings the owner happiness, peace, and prosperity, as well as protection from negative energies.
Each finger connects to an element and chakra in Buddhism:
thumb
fire element, solar plexus chakra
forefinger
air element, heart chakra
middle finger
ethereal elements, throat chakra
ring finger
earth element, root chakra
pinky finger
water element, sacral chakra
A hamsa is also known as the Hand of Miriam in Judaism or the Hand of Fatima in Islam. The word hamsa (חַמְסָה) comes from the Hebrew word “hamesh”, which means five, representing the fingers of the right hand. For Hindus and Buddhists, it symbolizes chakras, the five senses, and the correlating mudras (hand gestures) that direct the flow of energy in the body. For Muslim women, the hamsa is thought to help develop resilience, patience, faith, and loyalty. For Sunni’s the five fingers of the hand are a symbol of the five pillars of Islam. In Shi’ite culture, the hamsa’s five fingers are a symbol of the five people of the cloak. There are two ways to display the Hamsa: Hand facing up or hand facing down. This powerful and enduring symbol of protection has stood the test of time in cultures, beliefs, and religions throughout the world and it is what inspires the team at Hamsa Healing to continue to prosper.