Nods and Shakes ~ Origin of nodding and shaking your head
Have you ever wondered where the universal gesture of nodding
your head up and down to mean "Yes" and shaking it from side to
side to mean "No" came from?
No matter what language you speak, country you travel to,
religion you practice, race you claim, your social status,
educational achievement, or economic status, you will likely nod
or shake your head to mean "Yes" or "No".
Why?
The theory illustrates how early habits are formed and that some
things are intrinsic to all humans.
Watch a newborn baby.
Watch the baby when it's hungry.
As the baby seeks its mother's breast, the head nods up and down
searching for the source of nourishment.
When baby finds the breast, it latches on and fills up.
The action calms the baby and calms the mother.
Ask any woman who has breast-fed a baby.
There is little else more soothing for them both.
Look at the same baby after it's full and the mother tries to
push the breast into the baby's face.
The baby shakes it's head from side to side telling mama that it's
full and doesn't want any more milk or comfort from the breast.
The baby doesn't want any milk or comfort, and it won't give
mama any comfort.
That's one theory of where nodding and shaking came from.
Interesting isn't it?
Notice another thing.
Nod and you have a tendency to smile.
Shake your head and you have a tendency to frown.
Try it now and see.
Warmth and comfort given in pure love always brings a smile.
Refusing warmth and comfort given in love always brings a frown
sooner or later.
The next time you nod or shake. . .
Think about that.
It gives the milk of human kindness a whole new meaning.
Peace
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