Video: Thousand Hand Kuan Yin

On our page devoted to Kuan Yin, we have spoken about how She manifests both the Mother-Creatrix and the Daughter-Savior, as defined in the Filianic Creed.

The tradition of representing Her with a thousand hands - which may be seen in pictures and statues of Kuan Yin throughout the Far East - represents both Her infinite power to save Her children and the infinite Activity of the Daughter, Who, as "the Ruler of all the energies of creation", sustains in being every thing that is.

Please enjoy this beautiful presentation. We shall consider its meaning a little further afterwards.

In our discussion of the Kuan Yin Royal Ease Posture or Lalitasana - we spoke of its profound significance in relation to the Creative Activity (or play, lila) of the Mother and its reflection in the Sustaining Activity of the Daughter.

In this depiction of Thousand Hand Kuan Yin, we see that Activity in all its various patterns and deployments. We see the hands withdrawn in the Non-Activity of the Transcendent Spirit, we see them emerge again, sometimes like fluttering doves, sometimes like thrusting spears; sometimes to the left (or yin) side of creation, sometimes to the right (or yang) side; sometimes to the upper sphere of Heaven, sometimes to the lower sphere of Earth.

We see the solar rays emerging from Kuan Yin even as they emerge from the Immaculate Heart of Mary, showing the all-encompassing radiance of the Solar Mother.

Kuan Yin stands upon the cloudy Heaven-world surrounded by the stars of heaven. She is One but with innumerable hands. She descends to the Earth, separating Herself into Her many aspects. Among the permutations of Her earthly manifestations (which are accompanies by stirring and active music as opposed to the serene Heavenly music) She divides Herself into ten four-armed devi-forms (ten being the number of the entire Historical Cycle: 4+3+2+1 being the relative lengths of the four Yugas), presided over by the single Dea.

Just as there are twenty-one forms of Tara, so Thousand Hand Kuan Yin is depicted by twenty-one dancers. The number is, of course, not accidental. It represents the plenitude of the Seven Divine Angelic Powers (or Janyati) deployed in the Three Worlds.

Her many Aspects divide and re-combine, creating all the phenomena of being. She then appears as three Pillars: the three Persons of Godhead (known sometimes as the Triple Goddess) with the solar rays emerging from the central Mother-Form.

Kuan Yin, of course, is known most specifically as the Savior: the Regarder of the Cries of the World. In this representation, Thousand Hand Kuan Yin has an eye in the palm of each hand, for She sees all things, knows the sufferings of all Her children and is ever present to alleviate them.

Truly, She is Dea: Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent.

Each of these twenty-one dancers is a deaf-mute. She can neither hear nor speak, and yet, showing her love for Kuan Yin, each one performs in perfect harmony with the music she cannot hear.

In itself a minor and lovely miracle of the all-compassionate Thousand Hand Kuan Yin.

This is but a brief commentary on the inspired loveliness of this wonderful dance. You will see many other beautiful and sacred symbols, as when the thousand arms become the circle of the out-raying Sun Herself, or when the single Face of Dea becomes the triple face of the Feminine Holy Trinity.

Watch it again, reverently and prayerfully, and you will surely be granted new and lovely inspirations, as you take darshan (Grace-filled viewing) of this beautiful manifestation of Thousand Hand Kuan Yin.

Kuan Yin Main Page

Kuan Yin Royal Ease Posture

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