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The salutation as represented in the following illustrations is the "standard" salutation; broken down into its individual segments with a notation of meaning given to each maneuver. The salutation's execution is commonly not performed with such precision and attention to detail as the illustrations. Most typically, the salutation has a variety of variations which are integrated directly into these motions. These variations may vary greatly depending upon lineage. Sometimes these variation may be "signatures" specifically performed for that purpose; but most often these variations are just alterations without specific meaning. Like the form itself, the intent of this book is not to detail these many variations, rather to provide the "standard".

 

But there are some very common variations that seen frequently throughout many practitioners. For example, the scholar and warrior are not often broken into the individual motions. But rather, those motions are mumbled together until meeting at the right shoulder. Almost as a single motion or maneuver. The path with which these maneuvers travel is also often varied. Sometimes, the path moves directly to the right shoulder, other times the maneuvers follow an upward circular path to the right shoulder.

 

Another example is that the first half of the salutation is often executed almost as a single maneuver, without pauses between any of the motions; until the chambered attention stance. This is often carried through to the second half of the salutation, but not always. And sometimes the opposite is true. Most commonly, this variation arises as an attempt to "just to get through" the salutation.

 

These provided examples typically have no real meaning or directed purpose, but are usually remnants from the method in which the instructor teaches the salutation. Really not a purposeful "signature" by that instructor, just a personal preference of execution.

 

One other common practice needs to be noted, although one might not be classified it as variation - the period of time the meditation is performed with the salutation. This length of time can be skipped altogether or can last for as long as a few seconds - but generally not much longer, unless needed. Again, this is typically up to the direction of the head instructor and their method of teaching. But the purpose is always the same: to provide time for the practitioner to become calm and focused in both body and mind; or to reflect upon what was just completed. Because there is no defined minimum or maximum meditation time, length often varies, sometimes greatly, by individual.