Hands signify the sovereign, creative realm of consciousness. They embody effectiveness, diligence, adaptation, invention, self-expression and the possession of willpower for creative and destructive purposes. Hands speak in eloquent silence: the intertwined hands of loved ones, the comforting hand on the shoulder of one who mourns, the raised hands of the prisoners of war. Hands are specifically used in language to supplement or replace lips and mouth. Hands convey meanings, across barriers of species, nation or age: waving at recognition, the open hand as a sign of good intentions, a finger on the lips for silence.