.jpg)
One of the first things that our bodies crave is touch. A new born strives for contact, to be held and touched. It is a basic element of sensing your bodily existence and having a sense of security, warmth and comfort.
With that comes the sensation of the pleasure of being pleasured, touched, tickled, caressed and cuddled. Holding hands. Leaning physically on a friend. Giving a pet on the shoulder. A hug.
And them came social distancing, where all of the above gets the title of DANGER, so we start ignoring our natural necessity of contact and begin avoiding it.
It is so vital to give the body the contact it needs. If you live with family, it can be quite easy and it might not be an issue for you. But what can you do if you live alone? Is that a DIY kind of thing? Surprisingly it can be!
Here are a few examples of different types of touch you can apply on yourself for different situations:
☼ If you suffer from anxiety, start with your fingers and touch them one by one slowly, till you feel your bones or get close to them. The target is the bones. Trace them and go this way all the way up your arm and in to your shoulder, and then do the same on other side. You can also do this on your legs, pelvis and rib cage. This type of touch can create a strong sense of grounding and presence that can calm the anxiety.
☼ If you are stressed, give yourself a massage as if you are kneading dough, only the dough are your muscles. This can be very relaxing.
☼ If you are OK, still ask your body where it would be nice to lay your hands on. sometimes placing your hands on your belly or chest (or both) can give the body the peaceful touch it requires.
You have permission to touch yourself 😉 Your body needs it.
*In the pic, human touch in my yoga class, when it was still allowed…
