Increasing intimacy with tender touch. By Gayatri
W
hen you think about
someone touching
you, what’s your first
gut response? Is it
an opening into the
possibility of a yummy and nourishing
connection? Or a contraction away from a
potentially invasive and unwanted contact?
Perhaps it depends on who is touching
you and the intention you perceive behindthe touch. For many people in our society,
touch has sexual connotations. The only
touch they give or receive is from someone
they are in a romantic or sexual relationship
with. This can lead us to feel wary of physical
contact. What if there is a hidden agenda?
What if they try to take something from you
that you are not ready to give?
We are becoming an increasingly touch-
phobic society. And sadly, we can miss theTOUCH &
TENDERNESS
nourishment that comes through touch
offered with tenderness.
You see, as human beings we have
awesome super powers that become
activated when we connect through touch;
especially skin-to-skin. The health benefits
of touch have become well-documented:
lowering stress by lowering cortisol and
blood pressure levels as well as increasing
oxytocin, the ‘feel good’ hormone. ThisLOVE YOGA&