In addition to the situation when a person is ready to capitulate and demonstrates this, everyone has many reasons to raise their hands with completely different goals, as well as unconsciously, without thinking about the meaning of the gesture. One arm or two, raised high above the head or laid to the sides, while making additional movements or not, there are a lot of options. However, there are places and circumstances in which the chances of seeing people with their hands up are significantly increased, and the meaning of the action is important.
Traffic on the road
Probably one of the most useful areas for understanding the meaning of raised hands will be the conditional signals of a traffic controller.
Often, employees performing this function have improvised means - wands or disks, but this is not a prerequisite, the traffic controller can only use combinations of raised hands. People with the habit of orienting themselves at intersections at traffic signals, the fact of its breakdown often unsettle, making it difficult for all participants to move. It is worth remembering that even with a functioning automatic device, the traffic controller becomes the only guideline, canceling all other signals and signs. Everything is simple:
- hand raised up - no one can move;
- arms raised to the sides (or lowered), and the traffic controller turned his back or face towards you - red light; for those on the right and on the left - green with an arrow to the right; those who are in the tram - only directly (in any situation, the tram travels exclusively "from sleeve to sleeve");
- the outstretched right hand is raised in front of you — those who are behind the traffic controller and to his right — are standing in front of him — they are going to the right, and those on the left — they are going in any direction.
If the traffic controller began to unfold, and the maneuver of the transport or pedestrian is not yet completed, then it can be completed legally.
In addition to the traffic police, cyclists can give hand signals.
For all participants in the movement, it is useful to know why a person riding a bicycle raises his hand:
- up any - plans to stop;
- elongated right, raised in the same direction or bent left, directed up - turn right;
- left turn - the previous point in mirror image, it is recommended to serve even when driving around vehicles parked at the roadsides.
If a person on the side of the road is standing with his hand up (stretched out to the side), he probably hopes for the generosity of the driver and free space in the car, gratuitousness or at least an adequate cost of the trip.
Greeting "Mouth Front"
Often you can see people with their hands up greeting someone. Someone throws up his hand, others add a waving brush. One of the most famous greetings has an official international status and name, it is called "Rot Front", "mouth" in translation means "red".
It arose at the end of the 19th century in Germany as a working greeting. The hand rises elongated or slightly bent, the brush is clenched into a fist and turned away from you. The First World War firmly linked him to the German communist militant organization Rot Front. The gesture at this time became sharper.
In the 30s it symbolized the struggle against fascism, the international unity of workers. In the USSR it was distributed among communist youth.
The gesture went through the war and became an informal sign of organizations for survivors of a concentration camp.
In socialist Albania, it was even mandatory for military forces and pioneers.
Nowadays, people with raised hands in the “Mouth Front” gesture are increasingly found among supporters of left-wing radical political movements.
Symbolism of Raised Hands
Some stable concepts have been formed in history related to the significance of the behavior of people with raised hands. Of course, the exact interpretation depends on the context and the exact position of the raised hands.
- Raised up - part of the process of worship or an expression of admiration.
- Obligatory turning of the palms outward can speak of a blessing, an expression of God's grace.
- Raised to the head symbolize reflection, concern.
- Raised in front of themselves, on the sides, possibly bent - powerlessness, helplessness, ignorance, surrender, dependent position. It can also mean turning to people or to God.
One raised hand may request the opportunity to speak at a training meeting or when a competent group discusses a matter.
People with raised hands above their heads, connected to the castle, can "talk" about solidarity and unity.
Ancient Greeks and Nazis
In ancient Greece, people with raised hands accompanying this action with the word heliaine or abbreviated haire greeted each other. The right outstretched hand, facing the interlocutor with his palm, rose to the level of the head or slightly higher.
The gesture was adopted by the Romans, from there he went to Germany. Apt to emphasize rituals and symbolism, as well as appreciating pathos, Hitler used the greeting along with his followers.
Pioneers and the military
People who are occasionally with their hands up can be called military men, and before that they were also members of pioneer organizations.
Military salute, expressed by giving honor with a bent arm with an elongated straight brush held to the head, looks different in different countries and has several versions of origin - from picking up knights or covering their eyes from the dazzling beauty of a lady, to holding a bulky headdress when bowing or, conversely, replacing it with hands on the head.
Pioneer salute. The movement of the raised hand is like a military one, only the limb is brought out in the face of the saluting one. It is a symbol of readiness for active work and honor (performed in solemn occasions).
Raising hands in the process of communication and posture of sleep
The observation of a gesturing expert can tell a lot about people with their hands up. The decipherment of the interlocutor’s behavior depends on how exactly this happens, to which parts of the face or body the hands are brought, one or both, whether they perform some active actions with the fingers, combinations with the general posture.
Sleep poses also need a holistic interpretation of the position of the whole body, however, extended arms extended upwards are considered an expression of passivity.
Raised hands in Christian symbolism
In Orthodox worship and icon painting there is a position of “orant”, when a person with his hands raised up is depicted in the picture (most often it relates to the Mother of God) or the clergyman throws up his slightly divorced hands at especially solemn moments of the ceremony.
The word means “praying,” came to the fore at the beginning of Christianity, but the history of the gesture of intensified prayer dates back to the times of the Old Testament. It was in this pose that the Mother of God was painted on the most ancient icons.
In worship, it is used only at the most important moments, showing the strength of the clergyman’s prayer and the call of the parishioners to it (for example, an appeal about the Eucharistic sacrifice - the conversion of wine and bread for communion into Christ’s blood and flesh).
Dab position
This word refers to a fashionable modern gesture and dance movement. The young man raises his arms at an angle. One of them is stretched to the side, the other is bent, is in front of the head, the direction is the same.
Means the successful completion of something. However, due to prevalence at the meme level, it is used in a wide variety of situations.
Born dab (deb) in a hip-hop party, and who owns the authorship, it is unlikely to know exactly. His athletes and the thematic clip from the collective Migos Look at my dab have glorified it.
High Hand Records
The most famous person with his right hand raised about forty-five years ago is a resident of India, Mahant Amar Bharti Ji, and the Internet is full of his recognizable photos. People with raised hands, inspired by his peculiar worship of Shiva, can be called followers, although their success is still of little significance in comparison with the record of the initiator.
It is believed that Amar Bharti has not dropped his hand for four and a half decades, despite the pain, atrophy, deformation of the limb.
Benefits for the body from raising hands
Daily raising of hands is normally very good for human health.
It is carried out by pulling both upper limbs above the head at the same time, you can fold them "into the castle" or keep parallel. You can achieve the best effect by standing on tiptoe and stretching up after your hands.
This helps to stretch the spine, improves blood circulation, tightens the abdominal muscles, corrects the position of the internal organs, has a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract, elimination of fluid and overcooked food, is one of the ways to prevent osteochondrosis and other problems caused by immobility and improper planting.