For context please allow me to briefly introduce myself. I have been in the health field professionally since 1988, initially as a massage therapist then as a Feldenkrais practitioner. In the following years I have been compelled to study with people whose work I find interesting. I studied lymphatic therapy, cranio-sacral therapy, reiki, ho’oponopono, myofascial release, and glymphatic therapy to name a few.
As a child I remember falling down quite often. Most times when I got up mom was there, ready to give my “owie” a kiss to make it all better. Moms and dads know this. Humans need touch. Like water or air we can’t live whole productive lives without it. Touch transcends words and says “I care”. We see an amazing sunset, listen to a symphony, watch dancers in all their splendor and say that performance, that symphony, that sunset “touched” me.
I am sure you also remember always moving as a child. A sand box to dig in, monkey bars to swing on, trees to climb. Movement was life. There were school desks and church pews to squirm in. How many times did I hear “sit still”? How many times did it go in one ear and out the other?
We thrive when we are touched as we move through this life. As we age the thriving begins to give way to the survival in the equation. The kids move out, a spouse passes on, friends and neighbors move away and we are touched less often. We sit more and move less. Our movements become smaller and our gazes scan the ground looking for a runway to land should we trip and fall. Those aches and pains transition from occasional to more often to constant. Our range and quality of movement diminish.
Facing these inevitabilities is an invitation to empower ourselves. As intelligent human beings how can we begin to make a difference and steer our own ship towards wellness? Our innate qualities of curiosity and playfulness are wonderful places to begin. Honest and genuine curiosity stimulates the creative juices to see that which our eyes have not seen and hear that which our ears have not heard. To paraphrase Marcel Proust, true discovery comes not from looking for new landscapes, but looking with new eyes. While curiosity opens us up to new possibilities, playfulness provides the environment of discovery.
As infants we learned how to crawl, walk and talk in an atmosphere of playfulness. When new information was introduced to us, our innate curiosity kicked in and our brain neurons began to fire and wire together in new ways. Effort and judgement only impeded this process of neural plasticity.
Squirm more, touch and be touched more. We are here to learn and we are here to share. Look with new eyes, abandon judgement. Give yourself the present of presence. Hug yourself. If you see someone without a smile give them yours. Listen and know that you are worthy. Go for the joy and be well.
Please check out Henry’s website at www.coherent touch.com. He teaches workshops throughout the West and has a private practice at Natura Health and Wellness in manual therapies. He can be reached to schedule appointments at 406-239-4817 and henrycloud48@gmail.com.