The Power of the Thumb in Hand Analysis: Solzhenitsyn’s Story

The thumb is considered the most significant digit in hand analysis. It represents how you govern yourself – your self-mastery and control of your life. Willpower and drive come from the thumb, and the more thumb energy you possess, the more you can manifest your desired outcomes in the world.

The thumb is your ‘grip’ on the world. Humans have opposable thumbs, which give us the ability to manipulate our surroundings. The bigger, stronger and firmer the thumb, the more capable someone is of using this power.

A Case Study in Willpower

The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is a biographical, historical, political and philosophical account of life in the former Soviet Union. Solzhenitsyn spent ten years in brutal concentration camps, working 14-hour days, seven days a week in freezing temperatures, without adequate clothing or shoes, cutting down trees, breaking rocks, sleep-deprived, starving and suffering from a cancerous stomach tumour. In these horrifying conditions, Solzhenitsyn, without pen or paper, began to compose his memoirs.

Solzhenitsyn memorised his experiences and composed 12,000 lines of his book during his prison sentence.

Survival and Creation

In 1953, Solzhenitsyn was released into exile – remarkable in itself as only 10-15% of prisoners survived their sentence. In extreme conditions, with barely any food, without the necessary documents to get a job, and without charity (citizens who helped exiles were sent to concentration camps as traitors of the USSR), Solzhenitsyn began to write The Gulag Archipelago, three volumes of over 1000 pages each.

Perseverance Through Adversity

In 1965, Solzhenitsyn’s lodgings were raided and all his manuscripts destroyed, but he found the stamina and resolve to finish his magnum opus. At a time when children as young as 12 were being sent to the murderous concentration camps for ‘crimes’ such as showing Christain faith, Solzhenitsyn finally, in hiding and moving from place to place, completed The Gulag Archipelago. He detailed the social, political and personal horrors of the Soviet regime, in a harrowing, beautiful and inspirational account which eventually helped raise global awareness of the dreadful human rights abuses within the Soviet Union. Never compromising his morals and always upholding his ‘soul’ and dignity, Solzhenitsyn’s superhuman willpower to survive the camp and complete his masterpiece is a historic feat of determination and courage.

The Significance of Thumb Size

This prodigious strength can be viewed in Solzhenitsyn’s hands, specifically the thumb. Solzhenitsyn has one of the largest thumbs I have ever seen – a physical symbol of the supreme power of his will.

The larger, stiffer and stronger the thumb, the more determination, resolve and grit someone has. A large thumb tip shows huge drive and explosive power. The energy in the thumb builds up in the tip and can show an impulsive, powerful, hot-headed nature. A fully developed variation of this large thumb tip is known as a “murderer’s thumb“. This shows huge energy, excitement, massive willpower and potential. The immense energy possessed by those with a large thumb tip must be properly channelled and focused; otherwise, it can explode uncontrollably.

So, the larger and stiffer the thumb, the more willpower, drive and energy someone has. If you ever see a thumb that resembles Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s in size and stature, you will know the extraordinary power and potential they possess.