I’m often amazed at how people transform once they touch, love, and enjoy themselves. We often take the human touch for granted and all the healthy things it can do for us. I read a study about how volunteers were brought in to gently stroke the skin of premature babies for 10 minutes a day, while another group of babies was left untouched. The stroked babies gained weight and strength faster and were released from the hospital earlier than the babies who weren’t touched. That shows us just how much touch can transform a life.
Unfortunately, many of us are not too receptive to such affection. When we often first meet someone, we give them a brief handshake or maybe a slight hug. It’s interesting that even though there are studies that prove touch is a great healer, we often shy away from it.
If we had more safe, acceptable ways to touch each other, there might be a lot less illness,
sadness, isolation, and violence in the world.
Many of us don’t realize that touching releases powerful endorphins and other feel-good chemicals that help to heal physical and emotional aches and pains, relieve tension and calm both mind and body. While some of us may think it’s best to have a drink of wine when we’re feeling emotionally drained, a simple touch can cure emotional wear and tear.
The Touching Exercise
While we can’t always experience another human’s touch, there are other ways to receive the same benefits.
Let’s try this out.
The key to this exercise is to touch yourself with a real sense of caring for yourself. You don’t want to just touch yourself because you feel you have to. Really feel the motions and put yourself first.
Start by gently massaging your own scalp. You’ll want to rub it with your fingertips all over, paying particular attention to the spots that are a little sore. Most of the time the temples are a focus point or the back of the head in that hollow where the skull meets the top of the spine.
Now tug at your hair gently or with more strength, and use the heel of your hand to rub and stimulate every part of your head. Believe it or not, we store an incredible amount of tension in our heads, so this can feel extremely relaxing. Enjoy the feeling and breathe in and out. Close your eyes if you desire.
Next, you’ll want to give your face a few strokes. Working from the centre of your forehead/middle of your nose/ lips outwards, then massage and squeeze your ears and press in at each side of your cheeks where your jawbone pivots.
Run your hands gently over the front of your entire body. Caressing it in a sense. You can have on a few clothes or naked, before using a towel to rub the entire backside of your body from head to toe.
Now the finishing touch. Give yourself a foot rub in any way that feels good for you, and finish by wrapping your arms around your own body and giving yourself a good hug!
How do you feel now? Hopefully, you’re feeling more energised and calmer. Maybe you feel like a new person who just got a great night’s rest. This is a simple exercise you can do if you’re feeling the need to be touched, but no one is around to assist.
I’m also available for sessions should you need something more extensive.
In gratitude,
Taranga