Hands of Musick by David Cherubim

The Qabalistic and Elemental
attributions of the fingers on the Hands
for use with Guitar, Bass, Piano, Flute and
other stringed and wind instruments.

When using this Occult system, Musickians should also recognize that the left and right Hands are physical symbols and channels for the Spiritual and Qabalistic Forces of OB and OD (Yin and Yang of the Oriental Philosophy). OB and OD are represented by the twin Serpents on the Hermetic symbol of the Caduceus. The Caduceus is the Wand of Hermes, who is the Greek form of the Roman God Mercury. Hermes was a God of both Magick and Musick. In the center, at the summit of Hermes' Caduceus, shines a Golden Globe of Glory which represents the Qabalistic Force of AOUR (Tao of Oriental Philosophy). AOUR is both the secret source and the divine product of the balanced interplay of the Universal Forces of OD and OB or Light and Darkness.

OB, OD and AOUR also correspond with the following: the Sun, Moon and Planet Mercury in the ancient Science of Astrology; the three Occult Principles of the Mystical Art of Alchemy, called Sulphur, Salt and Mercury; the three Gunas (Elemental Qualities or Principles of Nature) of Raja Yoga, called Rajas (Activity), Tamas (Passivity), and Sattva (Equilibrium); the three Elemental Mother Letters of the Hebrew or Angelic Alphabet, which are called Aleph, Mem and Shin; and the three popular Aristotelian or Magickal Elements of Fire, Water and Air. OB, OD and AOUR also correspond with the subtle nature and different functions of the two cerebral hemispheres of the human brain and their integrated and balanced activity in the human body or Temple of Spirit. From a Psychological point-of-view, OB, OD and AOUR can be linked with the Subconscious, Conscious and Super-Conscious (or Cosmic Conscious) modes of mentation. OB, OD and AOUR can also be related to the Jungian psychological concepts of the Anima and Animus and the enlightening or taoistic psychological effect of their active integration in the human Psyche.

In Occult symbolism, when the elements of Fire (OD) and Water (OB) are united and balanced, they produce Air (AOUR), which is the Element of Mercury, both the God and Planet. Mercury (Mercurius) is another name, and a symbol for, the Lapis Philosophorum (Philosopher’s Stone) of the Mystical Art of Alchemy, also called Lapis Mercurius (Stone of Mercury). In spiritual terms, the Lapis Mercurius symbolizes the True Self (the Qabalistic Yechidah) and/or its True Will (the Qabalistic Chiah). Both Mercury (the God) and the True Will are represented in Tarot by the Atu of Thoth called The Hermit, who is actually an image of the God Thoth (the Egyptian form of Hermes and Mercury), and whose physical symbol of creative expression is the Hand (Yod of the Qabalah). In Aleister Crowley's Tarot of Thoth, the Hand of the Hermit is located in the center of the picture of the Hermit card (Atu IX). For the hand is the central creative instrument of the True Will.