Power of Touch

I'm fascinated by the power of touch, how some touch can be healing and some touch can be abusive, how one persons touch can literally take your breath away and someone else's can turn your stomach, how you can yearn for a special someone's touch and yet inappropriate touch by somebody can feel like an invasion on the deepest level. Out of all the five senses touch is essential for life, we can't survive or thrive without it. As a massage therapist I'm endlessly intrigued as to what affect my touch is having upon any one specific client, what is happening to the skin and the layers underneath that I'm touching and what deeper effects are occurring because of my touch. When we say we are touched by something it goes beyond the level of the physical. Touch is similar to a fingerprint each persons is unique and holds a certain quality. Depending on the intention of the person doing the touching it can feel beautiful or it can feel creepy or anything in between. On training courses it always amazes me how each individual persons touch is completely unique like a signature, we will all be learning the same technique but each persons touch will all be so different. On one training course we did a round robin where we got to experience working on lots of different bodies and later on that day one of the ladies came up to me and said "that was you who massaged my thigh wasn't it, I could tell it was your touch." Touch can be such a beautiful, transformative experience but it all comes down to intention. A hug, a hand being held, a massage, stroking a dog, holding a newborn baby or child close to your chest, being in the arms of a loved one, a reassuring hand on your arm and skin to skin contact all create a sense of intimacy, a bond, fosters trust and joy and deepens connections with those around us. ​