The Art Of Therapeutic Touch: How We Have Lost Human Connection, And Why It’s So Important Now

Yesterday, I took a class (which was three of six in a monthly seminar series) on how to use essential oils for therapeutic use in my private practice. (In case you’re asking, yes, I’m already starting to incorporate all that I’ve learned into my Acupuncture and Reiki treatments!) This involved a practicum where we used different blends and applications on each other. Some applications simply involved a dab of the newly made blend to an Acupuncture point, whereas others were really worked into the body. It was a new way for me to receive the beauty of essential oils.

When my turn came to be practiced on, I laid on the table, and put full trust in Spirit that I was going to receive some much needed relief! I was lucky enough to pair up with a young woman who was still going to school at my alma mater, PCOM-NY (Pacific College of Oriental Medicine-NY Campus). Even though she had not graduated yet, I could sense that she was going to be a great practitioner someday. I felt her open and present heart, as well as her wisdom of “old” knowledge (the kind of knowledge and natural talent one has due to their gifts, talents they’ve cultivated in a past life, or just being in touch with ancestral knowledge). I told her I thought she’d be a great practitioner someday. She smiled and said, “How do you know?” I replied, “You have a great heart.” She smiled and thanked me.

She’d made a delicious blend of essential oils for my specific purpose (to give my temporary Qi stagnation some flow!) And, after the application on strategic Acupuncture points and areas, we were instructed to stimulate the points and channels strongly with hand techniques.

I love therapeutic touch, and thoroughly enjoy receiving wellness treatments from my fellow practitioners! My body just melts into healing.

In some circles, therapeutic touch also refers to energy field therapy or biofield therapy, and can be described as a technique where hands are used to direct human energy for healing purposes, without actual physical contact. I’m not sure if I support this technique of therapeutic healing, since it describes a transfer of healthy excess energy from practitioner to patient. This type of healing, where you source your own energy in a treatment, can become quite draining. When doing energy work, it is best to act as a channel of universal energy, rather than using your own as a source, since universal energy is limitless, and ours is not. Reiki is an example of energy work that incorporates this concept of channeling universal energy.

In my book, therapeutic touch involves any physical touch that is done with the intention of healing. Many Reiki practitioners, Acupuncturists, Massage Therapists, and other healing modality experts practice this. As with all professions, you’ll have some people who approach their work with healing intent, and those who do not. When they approach their work with healing intent, and with physical contact, therapeutic touch fabulously results!

And fabulous therapeutic touch is exactly what I experienced during the practicum. My San Jiao/Triple Burner, Liver, Gallbladder, and Lung channels and points were vigorously stimulated, sometimes very deeply. Although it was intense, my eyes winced a couple of times, and a few faint beads of dew emerged above my upper lip, I could feel the stagnation in my channels breaking up, opening, and releasing from deep within towards the surface! I could feel the instant relief of the mixture of essential oils, carrier oil, and hand techniques. I tell ya, my body felt a bit sore in some areas from the manipulation. But, boy, did I need it! I slept easily and well that night.

Aside from the efficacy of essential oils (which have physical, medicinal, and energetic properties, depending on how they’re used) and hand techniques, it was the therapeutic touch that really drove the healing home for me.

In modern society, we’ve forgotten about the power of human connection and touch. Some of us find it too much a display of affection to hug one another, or find it inappropriate to have meaningful physical contact, unless it’s deemed part of a wellness treatment, such as Acupuncture, Reiki, Massage, or otherwise. We’ve become more paranoid about lawsuits and reputation, both of which are legitimate concerns. However, when we shield ourselves off from showing care to others in meaningful, physical ways, we are the ones who lose out. And, I’m referring to interpersonal communications where there is an understanding of care and love, which ranges the gamut between friends, BFF’s, romantic partners, family, some colleagues, and all spectrums in between and beyond.

Caring human touch has been a source for healing and community-building in various cultures for eons. Of course, other aspects, such as meaningful words and conversations, actions, sounds, and intentions are all important, as well.

So, as we’ve strayed from human connection, and lost ourselves in the matrix of smartphones, tablets, and have resorted to valuing connections mainly through Facebook “likes”, following Instagrammers, and other social media, not only do we no longer make important human eye contact with those we want to connect with, but we create virtual relationships, and lose touch with our sense of touch.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love my smartphone, and engaging with my virtual community! But, I make it a point to connect in person with folks who mean much to me, and I’m lucky that I get to go to a job where I incorporate meaningful touch with my patients on a regular basis!

It’s all about spreading the love and linking with an integral part of what makes us connect on a human level.

When’s the last time you enjoyed therapeutic touch, or had meaningful physical contact that helped you connect with others?

Humanly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

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