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Raising hands is a gesture involving lifting either one or both arms above one's head, which has a number of possible meanings, depending on the context of the gesture. The action of hand-raising is involved in a number of greeting hand gestures, such as waving, salutes, and high fives. The raised fist, an action used mostly in left-wing political endeavours and by oppressed minorities, is a symbol of defiance and solidarity. The Nazi salute is demonstrated by flattening the right hand, straightening the arm and raising it just above one's shoulder. A 'show of hands' is defined as a vote wherein people raise one hand to demonstrate their support for or opposition towards an idea. Hand-raising is also involved in actions of other disciplines. One such discipline is yoga, which incorporates many poses with one or both arms extended into the air, such as Urdhva Vrikshasana, which translates to ‘raised hands pose’. Origin Although the origin of hand-raising is not known, it has been recorded throughout history. For instance, in the era of slave-owning, when slaves accompanied their masters to public events, they were required to hold their hand up if they needed to be excused for any reason until they were acknowledged and given permission by their masters.Likewise, the origin of the phrase ‘a show of hands’ has not been fully ascertained. The first written documentation of the voting method occurred in the early 20th century, one such example in The Pacific Commercial Advertiser (1905); "Dowsett seconded the motion, which carried 8 to 4 on a show of hands." In religion The Bible In the Bible, there are many references to hand-raising, clapping, and raising both hands in prayer. Some ancient inscriptions found in Israel also refer to lifting hands in prayer. When Moses raises his hands to God, this action expresses him seeking divine help and is linked with prayer. The first letter Paul wrote to Timothy expresses a desire that "men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." Studying the gestures and body language mentioned in the Bible can aid understanding of its meaning. The Israelite gesture of raising both hands to pray is referenced in 24 biblical passages through six different Hebrew idioms, each of which can be translated to "lift up the hands". This action demonstrates adoration in the context of religious worship. One such reference; "Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to our God in heaven", indicates a connection between hand-raising and heartfelt worship.One specific example from the Bible conveying the importance of hand-raising comes from Exodus 17:8-13, in the battle between the Israelites and Amalekites. Moses tells Joshua he will stand upon the hill holding the "staff of God" during the battle. "As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning." When Moses grew tired, Aaron and Hur helped him to keep his arms raised until both the day and battle ended. Art and crucifixion A number of pieces of Ancient Levantine art depict prayer through the raising of both hands to just above the chin, with the figures either standing or kneeling.The symbol of the cross itself, representing Jesus’ crucifixion, is another reference to hand-raising, as Jesus was nailed to the cross with his hands raised. This event has been depicted countless times in art, architecture and jewellery. In Islam In art The Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty, which can be found on Liberty Island in New York City, is a very well-known sculptural art piece depicting a woman holding a torch with her hand raised in the air. The sculpture was built in 1886 and stands 93 metres tall, representing freedom and welcoming immigrants who arrived by boat to the USA. King of Kings The Solid Rock Church, a Christian megachurch, had a statue named King of Kings, which depicted Jesus with his arms raised in the air. The statue was destroyed on 14 June 2010 after being hit by lightning and burning down. It has now been replaced by a new statue depicting Jesus standing with his arms held out in front of him, named ‘Lux Mundi’. Christ the Redeemer Christ the Redeemer is a large-scale statue overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, located on the peak of Mount Corcovado. It depicts Jesus standing with his arms outstretched and palms of his hands raised to the sky. Although the massive artwork clearly portrays religious ideals, it does not represent this alone. In fact, one of the fundamental members of the original project, Count Celso, described it as a "monument" to both science and art, as well as religion. In education From preschool, children are generally taught to indicate they have a question to ask their teacher or that they wish to answer a question posed to the class by raising one hand above their head, with the palm open and facing forwards. "Hand-raising is a conventional behaviour learned early in school and apparently never forgotten." Benefit of raising hands Hand-raising is important in enabling interaction in group contexts, as it enforces order and turn-allocation. The gesture also demonstrates respect for others, as one is not obligating the teacher to pause whilst giving instruction or teaching, or interrupting other students. However, it may be unnecessary in some teaching settings, such as during an informal conversation, a classroom party or in the playground. The times at which students choose to raise their hands reflect their teacher's expectations in different situations. Students are highly capable of shifting between answering questions spontaneously and raising their hand while waiting to be chosen by the teacher to speak. Hand-raising reflects the "organised dependency" of students, seeking permission from their teacher, so they can each be given a fair chance to contribute. Students have identified raising their hands as a key discussion skill which is partly responsible for creating a ‘Safe Space’ in their classroom, alongside a teacher who is encouraging of class participation and peers who are respectful and exhibit good discussion skills.  Raising hands in the classroom There is another body language typically expected of students in the classroom environment, including directing their gaze and facing their body toward the teacher to show they are listening. However, expectations of student behaviour may shift throughout a lesson. Different teachers will also have different expectations, which strongly influences the way in which their students answer questions. Some students will raise their hands, but instead of waiting to be called upon, simply call out their answers, while others will not disrupt and will remain silent with hand raised, even when their impatience is visible through facial expression and handwaving. One study on hand-raising illustrated that students almost always looked directly at the teacher when raising their hands, and only .... Discover the Rachael Bloome popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Rachael Bloome books.

Best Seller Rachael Bloome Books of 2024

  • The Promise in Poppies synopsis, comments

    The Promise in Poppies

    Rachael Bloome

    In the picturesque town of Poppy Creek, Cassie Davis's peaceful life takes an unexpected turn. Entangled in a battle to save the beloved library from an unscrupulous developer, Cas...

  • The Unexpected Inn synopsis, comments

    The Unexpected Inn

    Rachael Bloome

    Sometimes the unexpected leads us to where we belong… An emotionally riveting new series by the USA Today bestselling author of the beloved Poppy Creek novels.Abigail Preston never...