Ten of Swords & The Hierophant// What Is That Hand Symbol Called?

[RickInBakersfield]

I am assuming its some kind of sign representing a blessing.

 

Is there a name for it?

 

Thanks.

[gregory]

Papal Blessing (when done by the pope) - the thumb and two fingers - total of three, representing the Trinity. Or simply the benediction.

[RickInBakersfield]

1 hour ago, gregory said:

Papal Blessing (when done by the pope) - the thumb and two fingers - total of three, representing the Trinity. Or simply the benediction.

Ok, thank you.

 

The figure in the 10 of Swords is showing the two fingers and the thumb also, is this some kind of blessing too?

[gregory]

Which deck are you looking at ? (before I try to answer that !) If you are still exclusively using the Radiant - I think that's "just a hand",  I don't see the fingers as lined up any way but random.

Edited July 26, 2024 by gregory

[DanielJUK]

There is an interesting thread about this in the RWS section of our old tarot forum, which is now archived.....

https://www.tarotforum.net/threads/can-anyone-tell-me-about-the-finger-gesture.51538/

 

It is a priestly blessing.

The ten of swords is the subject of much debate. One idea I have seen somewhere is that they are trying to make the blessing sign but it's twisted due to the position on the floor with the swords.

I read somewhere else this hand is to signify "a blessing in disguise".

[gregory]

I never saw that one, Daniel - thanks ! (and thanks again - I just found something about that in Ricklef's blog.) 

 

Quote

Also on the RWS version of it, one of the man’s hands is held in a ritual gesture of good fortune and he is facing toward what may be interpreted as the dawn, so the implication is that “it’s always darkest before the dawn” and things will get better now.

 

But I actually cannot see that hand position in the Radiant deck.... the hand is almost deformed there.

[Raggydoll]

To be honest, I’m not entirely convinced that Pamela intended a “good fortune” hand gesture for the 10oS. She might just have had someone pose for her and then sketched what she saw. It’s not an impossible hand position when you’re lying face down because the pinky finger will automatically curve more than the others (due to the stretching and flexing of tendons).
 

The Hierophant, though, definitely has a papal blessing on it, and if I’m not misremembering, the Devil card, has some sort a ‘mock blessing’ hand gesture. 
 

However if something stands out as a special symbol in the context of a reading, then I’d still take it into account. It doesn’t matter if the artist intended it or not, what matters is your intuition and the context of the reading. 

[RickInBakersfield]

2 hours ago, gregory said:

I never saw that one, Daniel - thanks ! (and thanks again - I just found something about that in Ricklef's blog.) 

 

 

But I actually cannot see that hand position in the Radiant deck.... the hand is almost deformed there.

It just sort of looked like the same hand gesture, it could very well be deformed.

[gregory]

But it isn't like that in every 10 Swords. The image does count, though, so if you see a blessing gesture in there - take it on board.