Healing Touch (Unlocking Our Superpowers)
Healing Touch
Author Gary Chapman wrote a monumental book called The Five Love Languages. The book explains the 5 primary ways humans give and receive love. In no particular order, they are : 1. Words of Affirmation 2. Acts of Service 3. Gifts ( giving and receiving ) 4. Quality Time 5. Physical Touch
The book supports you to identify which is your primary love language. This is the form of love that makes you feel loved most deeply.
I’ve found that my primary love language is Physical Touch. I believe physical touch is extremely crucial to the development of healthy humans. If a baby is not touched / held enough during its first days and weeks, it can develop many disorders and potentially die.
As infants, we experience the sensation of being loved through physical touch far before we can comprehend any of the other four love languages. For this reason, I believe that receiving loving touch affects us at a Subconscious Level and helps our bodies to relax and feel at peace. When we don’t experience a regular amount of physical affection, it leads to a variety of coping mechanisms.
Personally, I know that my parents loved and still love me deeply despite us speaking different love languages. Both my Mom and Dad demonstrated the other 4 Love Languages regularly, though cuddling was not something we did very often. I believe this led part of me to feel unloved and unlovable. As a result, I often felt afraid and created scary scenarios in my imagination. I thought that monsters, ghosts, aliens, robbers, and everything in between were out to get me. I truly believe that if my parents had just held me more often, I would have felt a deep sense of peace instead of being worried about all these boogie monsters. I choose not to blame my parents, or myself, for the way my childhood unfolded. I believe our souls chose each other to learn certain lessons so that we could each grow in unique ways.
Since discovering this “wound” within myself, I’ve been finding ways to nurture myself and help my Inner Child to feel at peace. Receiving massage and Reiki from others is very beneficial — and especially giving it to myself. Also, having a conversation with my Inner Child helps him/her to feel like his/her voice and needs are heard. ( I explain this process later in this chapter.) I probably wouldn’t have discovered the depth, beauty, and power of all these tools had I not experienced a lack of physical affection growing up.
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Directly tied to Healing Touch is the Healing Power of Sharing Breath. I know this may sound odd at first, but my experience has shown me that feeling someone’s breath directly is deeply therapeutic. Our breath carries the energy of our “Spirit”, which is why breathing is called “re-spir-ation”. To be filled with spirit is to be “in-spired.”
Our breath carries a warmth — an energy that can be shared with those we are closest to. When mothers and fathers hold their children, feeling the breath of a parent reassures the child on a primal level that they are held, safe, and loved. I know my parents loved / love me deeply, though I wish I had known how much I appreciate feeling the presence of breath as a kid so I could have communicated that it was very important to me. Now as an adult, I am remembering and honoring my breath and those that I share it with.
Especially with an intimate partner, you can practice breathing directly into each other’s mouths, as if you are underwater! I know it may sound weird, but I invite you to give it a try. Also, it’s key to realize that this Mainstream Strangedream has conditioned us to be very judgmental of our breath. In my healing journey, I’ve had to shed layers of conditioning to reconnect with the natural and sacred smell / feeling of my breath, and being breathed on. When you eat nourishing foods, and have good dental health, your breath will carry a beautiful, natural aroma.
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The Breath is also a key element in both giving and receiving massage. After receiving some powerful Bodywork at a Festival, here is what I wrote on October 1st, 2014 @ 6:07pm :
The revolution will be massaged! Out of all the healing modalities and complex meditations I’ve explored, good ol’ Human-to-Human massage is probably my favorite. This Ancient Art balances the Mind, Body, and Soul, and reminds me that all 3 are actually 1 unified whole.
I’ve traveled to many transformational festivals this summer, and one of the things I am most blown away by are : The Healing Zones. Massage Therapists and Healers of all sorts come together to form a collective. They set up a sanctuary space in a Geodesic Dome or massive tent. During every day of the festival, participants enter this Sacred Space to receive a brief, yet powerful treatment.
As I hung out around the Healing Dome at Rootwire and Gratifly, I got to see so many “before” and “after” faces. It was truly astonishing to observe the shifts that would happen in people after a 20 min. Thai Massage or a little Reiki Healing.
If everyone on Earth received regular massage, our planet would become more peaceful in the blink of an eye. I’m sure of it. And the fun thing is that giving massage is healing too. As we give massage, we open ourselves to be conduits for healing chi / prana / energy.
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Bodywork / Massage
Massage and Bodywork help muscle tissues to relax as well as integrate any previously blocked energy that you moved during your Healing Practice. It is usually beneficial to use light pressure after doing a lot of exercise so you don’t overtax your muscles, though sometimes deep pressure is the way to go. There’s nothing better than a good butt massage after an intense workout. This also helps to break up the lactic acid in the muscles. I recommend exploring these 3 types of massage :
Self-Massage : I enjoy massaging all different parts of my body throughout the day whenever I feel inspired, and I usually do a more in-depth session before bed. I often use Coconut Oil to get deep into a specific muscle area. A little bit of self-massage every day can make a huge difference in your state of well-being.
Partner Trade : I like to trade massage with one of my friends at least once a week. We get to practice intuitive massage and explore any techniques we have studied. It is a unique and fun way to connect with a friend on a nonverbal level. Depending on your preference, you can use a massage table, chair, or simply lay on the floor.
Professional Massage : I sincerely recommend experiencing a professional massage every once and awhile. Depending on your budget, you can choose how often you want to go. I see it as a positive investment in the health of mind, body, and spirit. I’ve experienced profound transformation on all levels through receiving professional massage.
Personally, I love Deep Tissue and Thai Massage the most. Through receiving weekly Thai Massages for 1 month from my friend Sol in Peaceburgh, my spine came into better alignment, my posture drastically improved, and I felt about 2 inches taller! Thai Massage is unique because it is usually done lying on a mat on the floor, and the practitioner essentially puts your body in yoga poses and utilizes the force of gravity to do most of the work. As you get folded into a pretzel, your body and mind relax into a state of bliss. :)
3 Questions on Bodywork / Massage :
1. When during your day can you schedule self-massage?
2. How can you integrate more partner massage trade into your life?
3. What style of Professional Massage do you feel most drawn to?
Other Healing / Massage Modalities
Reiki / Energy Healing : Reiki means “Universal Energy”, and we all have the capacity to tap into it. One person simply places their hands on, or just above, the recipient, and allows this healing energy to flow where it needs to go. I recommend sessions last anywhere between 5 and 75 minutes.
It is beneficial to receive a “Reiki Attunement” from a Reiki Master, though I’ve met plenty of people with the gift who hadn’t had an Attunement. You can direct Reiki Energy to yourself, a friend, a pet, or even a turbulent situation between people.
I’ve experienced deep healing through receiving Reiki. I sense that this Universal Energy helps to awaken dormant “Junk DNA” within the body, so that we can function at our highest potential. As this process happens, we gain greater awareness, sensation, and functionality in our BodyMind System.
The Orbital Buffer : I first witnessed this incredible tool at Burning Man Festival. I watched in awe, as two dusty fellas pushed this spinning power tool into each other’s backs. Originally designed for detailing cars, they repurposed a Ryobi Orbital Buffer for giving massage. I was a little intimidated to try it out, though a few weeks after the festival a friend gave me a massage with one, and I was changed forever. Pure magic!
The Buffer spins very fast, and vibrates every cell in whatever area of the body it’s pushing against. It essentially melts and dissolves tension with incredible efficiency. Afterwards I feel like a blissful pile of jello. You can buy a “6 inch Ryobi Orbital Buffer” at Home Depot for around $25.
3 Important Things about the Buffer :
1. Be very careful around long hair and necklaces, because they can easily get caught in the buffer, and lead to serious injury.
2. Sometimes the skin gets itchy during or after a “Buffing” This is usually because the blood is being drawn to the surface and the body isn’t used to receiving that much pressure. This itchiness can be avoided by drinking lots of water before and after. Also, I recommend moving the buffer around continuously, not staying in the same area for more than 10 seconds.
3. It is good to rest the motor for at least 3 minutes for every 7-10 minutes you are using it. This makes sure that the Buffer doesn’t overheat.
Octopus Body Massager : Also referred to as “The Tingler” or sometimes “The Orgasmatron,” this amazing device is a powerful tool for relaxation. Many people only think it feels good on the scalp, though I advocate exploration of the whole body.
The Octopus Body Massager looks like an octopus and is made of an aluminum rod, with 12 rounded aluminum prongs tipped with a soft resin coating. It often catalyzes goosebumps all over the skin of whoever is receiving it. I jokingly call it the “Goosebump Inducer” and the “Road Rage Reducer” because I often use it in the car to relax.
Beginning in 2012, I started ordering OBM’s in bulk online, and then selling, trading, and gifting them as I traveled the country. Between 2012 and 2015 I estimate that I distributed around 1,000 massagers, and most of them were exchanged with individuals to whom I personally gave an “Activation”. It is truly an honor to witness someone receiving an OBM for the first time. They usually light up with a childlike joy and often burst into laughter. I am grateful to be able to share this healing tool with the world! There are many different styles you can purchase on Amazon or Ebay.
Soothing Skin Technique : The technique is to very gently caress over the skin, and aim to only touch the hair follicles on the skin’s surface. If you’re practicing it optimally, then you or the recipient will get goosebumps. :) This simple practice works wonders for relaxing the body and mind. You can do it on yourself or with another person. You can experiment moving a few centimeters away from the skin, or going closer and actually touching the surface of the body. The key is to move slowly and be very present with the sensations as you are giving or receiving touch. The goal is to catalyze goosebumps and a deep, peaceful state of relaxation. ( Some people also call this technique “Feather Touch.” )
I truly believe that this technique can help to heal or lessen PTSD symptoms. As I’ve worked with PTSD within myself, I find that the Soothing Skin Technique dissolves my anxiety, and seemingly cools down my “fight or flight response,” which is usually overactive in people with PTSD. I pray that Holistic Techniques like this will grow in popularity and eventually replace pharmaceutical treatments for PTSD and other Mind-Body conditions.
Thanks for reading. The next section to check out is “Inner Child Healing.”
