Excerpted from the introduction to Zen 24/7: All
Zen/All the Time, a HarperSanFrancisco publication,
by Philip Toshio Sudo. Order
your copy of the book here.
Zen Handshake
We shake hands so reflexively that we
seldom stop to think what the custom signifies. It
originated, anthropologists say, as a way for primitive
man to show he was not carrying a weapon.
In the Far East, where the custom is
not to shake hands but to bow--an acknowledgement
of the inherent deity in each other--the weaponless
hand has powerful meaning as well. The name of the
martial art karate translates as "empty
hand." It signifies a form of self-defense that
makes no use of weapons, only bare hands. The name
also has spiritual meaning. Karate master Gichin
Funakoshi says the ultimate aim of the art is for
students to empty their hands, hearts, and minds
of material desires, thereby reducing the prospect
for conflict in the world.
As the most socially accepted means
of touching, a handshake is one of the main ways
we exchange energy with others. The next time you
extend your hand, let your energy carry the message
of Funakoshi's karate: That with an open hand goes
an open heart and mind.
Peace.
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