Do you know what "mudras" are? In short and simple, this term entered our life along with the passion for yoga. It means a kind of "construction" of fingers. The most famous mudra is Om. Looks like a pinch of forefinger and thumb. There are also others, more complex and cunning, over which experienced yogis have been fighting for years.
In fact, combinations of fingers are actively used not only by yoga adherents. Even a Russian person who is far from the ancient Buddhist wisdom can learn Zen. Yes, yes, I'm talking about such an unpretentious Russian mudra as a fig, or a fig. In fact, there is nothing wrong with this combination of five fingers, and it has no less sacred meaning than all the others.
Judge for yourself - in the Russian tradition, the fig was actively used to protect against the evil eye and other magical influences. The fig was used to successfully treat barley. It looked something like this: in addition to the traditional sudden spitting in the eye, the sore had to show a fat figure. To twist it seven times at the face of the sufferer and solemnly say something like: "Here's a fig for you, whatever you want, you'll buy it!" After that, the charmed barley was inevitably cured.
When talking with envious people, you should keep your hands in your pockets and put your fingers in a fig. Share your plans for life with someone, do not forget to put your fingers in a special sign! It is believed that a magic mudra will save a person from the evil eye and damage. If in Russia a witch appeared in the village, then figs were necessarily shown to her in order to neutralize evil.
Kukish is a rather sharp gesture, but it is wrong to consider it boorish, and even more "abusive". This is a talisman that helps in difficult times.
Another mudra, familiar to everyone from childhood. We were taught that lying is not good, but if it is really necessary, a cross made of fingers helped. Do you remember what it looked like? We make honest eyes and tell our parents: "I won't do this anymore!" At this moment, we keep our hands in our pockets, and our fingers are folded into crosses. In childhood, we sincerely believed that everything said in this case would not come true. The second meaning of this sacred gesture is “at random”. The meaning is the same as that of a fig, so as not to jinx oneself and not frighten Fortuna.
T. N. "Two-fingered", which the Old Believers still overshadow themselves with is nothing more than a tracing paper from the pagan "perunitsa". She was also drawn in the air from right to left, when they wanted to put up protection from evil forces.
If you go deeper into history, then most of the sacred gestures and finger combinations really came to European culture from “across the three seas”.
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Crosses, figs, and hearty salutations to the sun - all this is the heritage of the unique and rich culture of the ancient Aryans. Please do not confuse with those that appeared in the 30s of the last century in Germany! These are different people and different ideological platforms that have nothing in common.
Even the "swastika" sign is not at all a symbol of the notorious "brown plague", but the eternal cycle of life and sunlight. In India, he is still depicted on houses and temples.
You say: where is India and where is Russia! It is not quick to get there even nowadays, and even more so in ancient times. Where does such interpenetration of cultures come from? In fact, nothing unusual, remember Afanasy Nikitin, who went to India and came back. And this is just one striking example. And in the overseas country itself there were also nomadic tribes who could not imagine life without travel. So, slowly, generation after generation, they reached Russia.
Near Kostroma there is a wonderful place called "Berendeevka" - the historical homeland of Snegurochka. As they say now, it is an open-air ethnographic museum. In early childhood, my class and I went on an excursion to this fabulous corner. Half of the information naturally passed the ears of restless teenagers, but the main thing I heard.
The guide said that the legend about the Berendeys who lived in ancient times on the Kostroma land is not so fantastic. It was a nomadic tribe that came from India. Dark-haired, dark-skinned and black-eyed, they were like exotic birds stuck in the cold snow. But gradually, the tribe settled down and assimilated with the local residents. That is why, the guide explained, in the families of blue-eyed and white-faced Kostroma children from time to time appear dark as firebrands children. And it is true. My father is from Kostroma. The seventh child in the family. And here's what is surprising: all brothers and sisters are an example of the Slavic type. He is the only one who was born with jet black curly hair, brown eyes and a gypsy complexion! Just don't ridicule, friends! I've already thought about it. But remembering the story I heard as a childI want to believe in my Hindu origin. Alas, I did not inherit the color of the hair and their thickness, but even in winter I can easily compete with the gypsies with the dark skin.
Why am I talking about gypsies? Well, this is an elementary - a noisy and colorful tribe that came to our land from the shores of the Indian Ocean. Some of the travelers settled on the outskirts of Kostroma, while the rest continued to wander around the world.
Yes, I promised to tell you about Baba Yaga. So, this character appeared in Russian folklore for a reason. Yaga - yoga - do you hear the consonance? Yes Yes exactly. The Russian people, unaccustomed to someone else's dialect, changed the unfamiliar word in their own way. Hence all the oddities inherent in this fabulous character: a solitary life in the forest and an unwillingness to make contact. Why not a monk ‒ a hermit who practices meditation in a snow-covered pine forest. And all the incomprehensible and mysterious people love to embellish, distort and supplement with their own details. So the Indian yogis turned into the notorious Yaga, who does not know what and who eats, does not know people, and hides from prying eyes.
Oh, and it was hard for these heat-loving peoples in our harsh latitudes. But they enriched the Slavic culture: without Baba Yaga and the fig, our folklore would be much poorer!
