A Same Sex Wedding Quiz: Why is the Ring Finger the RING Finger? And what does that have to do with Reflexology?

Okay, I didn't know this until this week (but I've been wearing my wedding ring, pre-legal wedding, for six years 17 days now...)

Besides tradition, it turns out there is a reason why we wear our wedding rings on the fourth finger of the left hand.


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ready for it?


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It turns out that back in the 16th century, physicians claimed that a vein on this finger ran directly to the heart. It was called the Vena Amoris, which is Latin for

VEIN OF LOVE

(you can link here to the wikipedia site on it).


Wild, huh?

Now, how does this relate to reflexology?

I'm not sure if this image is authentically ancient (I found it here), but it's certainly in the Egyptian style and shows some hand and foot reflexology going on...



I wonder if the whole reflexology movement had been more prominent in Egypt when Alexander the Great conquered it, that instead of our western culture adapting the Egyptian custom of a ring to symbolize love, if the bottom of the left foot, right at the ball of the foot, would have had to be wrapped in gold thread or something.

See the small oval area in bright red below? That's the spot on the foot that practitioners of reflexology believe is linked to the heart.


But I guess that might have been awkward, huh?


After all,

The symbolism of the rings given in engagement and marriage is not only union in love but also publicly avowed commitment.

And having a band of gold wrapped around your left foot might be silly and in the way... then again, maybe THAT's where the decorative band on those goofy sweatsocks everyone wore in the 70s came from? Although that would have missed the reflexology spot, as well the fashion boat, huh?



Okay, I admit it - that was simply an excuse to show you a pic of Cheyenne Jackson from the Broadway show Xanadu, who I think looks, err... IS great, even if the Tony awards didn't show their love for him...

So, gay or straight, if you've got a wedding ring on your vein of love, wear it with pride!

I know my oh-so-soon-to-be-LEGAL husband and I do!


Namaste,

Lee

ps: The quote on ring symbolism is from a neat little book "1,001 symbols: An illustrated guide to imagery and its meaning" by Jack Tresidder.