It is a gesture of phasal, not complete, consent, hopefully augmenting & supporting the other ways that we negotiate boundaries. Here's the steps involved & what it looks like. Try it out & let me know what you feel!
It is essentially a "phasal yes", incorporating an element of appreciating and connecting on the current level of intimacy before opening a discussion of what the next thing might be.
Steps:
1. the asker presents their five fingers to the asked.
2. no matter what, the asked meets the asker's five fingers
3. they press palms in an acknowledgment of the intimacy they are already sharing.
4a. if the asked is interested in opening the next level of intimacy (and whatever discussions might surround defining that), they clasp their fingers around the palm of the asker.
4b. if the asked wants to stay on the intimacy level that is currently being shared, they reverse the palm-finger contact & move away without clasping.
VIDEO link: https://vimeo.com/121927859
password: connex