The Not So Secret Freemason Handshake

There are about five million Freemasons around the world

. A little less than 2,000,000 of them live in the United States. This fraternal organization has its roots in the late sixteenth century and has prided itself on the use of secret handshakes, metaphors and allegorical references for the past five centuries.

Some say that secret handshakes became necessary because Freemasonry was outlawed in various countries. It was a way the members could use to recognize each other without arousing suspicion.

Others say that it is a means to secretly communicate respect because the handshake a Freemason uses depends on his rank in the organization. In any case, the secret handshake is a subtle way of giving and getting information.

But how secret is the secret Freemason handshake? It turns out that it's not so secret after all. And this article will show you what you need to know to greet a "fellow" member of the organization with the clasp of your hands.

There are three degrees of Craft in Freemasonry. The Entered Apprentice, or initiate, the Fellow Craft, or intermediate, and the Master Mason, or third degree Freemason. These degrees represent the stages of personal development.

When Freemasons shake hands they announce their degree. The Entered Apprentice, which is the first degree in the Blue Lodge, shakes hands by depicting the position of his hands when he first took his Freemason oath. His right hands mimics the position it would be in as it rests upon a bible. And his left hand is in the position it would be in if it was being used to support a bible.

When you shake hands as an Entered Apprentice your thumb should also press against the joint of the first knuckle of the person you're shaking hands with. This grip, the Boaz, is part of some of the ceremonies that Masons are believed to conduct.

Over the years countless other groups and organizations have come to use "secret" handshakes so that their members can recognize and communicate with each other in public. Even political leaders have communicated this way. Many fraternities, organizations and clubs use some form of handshake to tell each other that they have a common bond.

Criminal groups and gangs have taken to use secret handshakes as well. You have to admit, it is rather ingenious, since sometimes the secret handshake may be nothing more than applying a certain kind of pressure when shaking hands.

by: Wendy Moyer

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