Body Language:



Body language, yes,that fascinating use of space and nonverbal communication between us that says it all without speaking a single word. Do you pick up on every little, and no so little, signal that's sent you way?

According to the experts, our non-verbal language communicates about 50% of what we really mean, voice tone contributes 38%, while words themselves contribute a mere 7%. And yet, many people are simply unaware of how loudly they communicate with their bodies.

So, this woman looks directly at a man, walks slowly over to him, licks her luscious lips, smiles, and says, "I was wondering if you have the time?" Well, hot damn it! She wants to know if he has the time all right, but let me tell you, she's not the least bit interested in his watch!

On that note, it's interesting to note, that research shows that most men need to have body language repeated up to three times before it actually registers. While women tend to pick up on it immediately. Why might this be so? Is it possibly because women perhaps tend to note and pay more attention to small details? E.g. Did any of you men out there realise that I've just used the word 'note' three times in this paragraph?

Men may be slow to pick up body language, but they certainly know how to perform it. The stroking of the tie is a classic. He may be rather proud of his impressive silk accessory, but that's not the reason he's fondling it so fondly as he's trying to chat up that hot babe. No, he's much more focused on something further south, and he's desperately hoping she will be, too, before the night's over. Yes, body language speaks, and that one just screams phallic!

You often see men performing body language en masse, too. A gorgeous woman walks up to a bunch of them, and immdediately they all take a deep breath, suck in their bellies and puff out their hairy chests. Why, you can almost hear the collective rush of the air during this mighty 'mansoon'.

Of course, our use and reading of body language is largely unconscious. We send out messages constantly, and yet we don't always recognise that we're communicating. A gay friend told me he can always spot other gays immediately. I asked him how. He said, "When I make eye contact with a straight man, he looks away. A gay man doesn't." I'm sure hetro men don't give it a second thought, but what their actually 'saying', at this point of contact, is "Sorry, mate, I'm straight."

It can be as subtle as that, or as blatant as the tie titillation, but either way it's telling others something about us. It's the message about what's really on our minds. So, are you in touch with the bodies and body language around you? Do recognise the difference between a come hither glance and a go slither glare? Are you in tune with the most secret and powerful language of all?

I leave you to ponder.