The greatest power of healing is touch.

Healing through the simple process of touch has a long history. Touch is something that we are all born with the ability to both give and receive. It is one of the first sensations we feel upon our arrival into the world, and is therefore one of the most important in terms of its ability to allow us to feel the safety and security of loving relationships in our lives. If this sensation of love and security is allowed to thrive with nurturing parents as providers, we set a foundation and begin to learn more about how to both give and receive love… and as mentioned earlier, unconditional love is the greatest power to connect with the divine!

Touch should not be underestimated because it permeates into all aspects of life. From the way we shake someone’s hand to giving someone a hug, we are defined by how we touch or how we receive it.

There are definitely social and cultural norms for touching, though. Reflect for a moment about how touch is regarded in different parts of the world, within different cultures – where there are implied or clear rules about the human touch. We learn the difference between those times when touching is appropriate or when it is not. We become aware of different types of touching and then determine if we feel that the sensation of being in contact with another is a positive or negative experience.

In terms of its ability to heal or promote health, touch plays an important role in how our instincts develop or evolve. This is not something that we are always conscious of, but nonetheless, become part of our hard wiring. This is seen in our ability to use touch for healing or for survival. When we extend a helping hand (touch) to another person in pain or one who is suffering, we are able to provide a sensation of comfort and soothing for the soul. Being able to use touch for injured or sick persons has become a human characteristic that we tend to take for granted.

In practical terms, alternative healing modalities all use touch as the essence for healing. The objective is a higher level of structure, function, and well-being. Rexflexology, CranioSacral Therpay, Shiatsu, jin shin jytsu, etc… are all used for improving structure, flow, function, in a particular body system – energy, neuromuscular, myofascial, meridians. A Therapeutic Touch practitioner would use  “healing touch” or even “Distance Healing” to work directly on the energy centers and the energy body of a client (with their hands directly on or near the body) to manipulate their energy field which promotes healing, energy body balancing and clearing of the blockages in the Auric system. (Reiki, Pranic Healing, etc…) This, in turn, results in better overall functioning and even psychological transformation and disease prevention. In a holistic way of seeing things, every part of our body and every aspect of our being is connected and affects every other part! Nothing in our bodies acts independently or separately. If we alter just one dimension of a system (as in our bodies), there will be a subsequent influence on all of the others. What changes your structure changes your function, and also changes your mind and heart.

References: http://spencerinstitute.com/holistic-life-coach-certification/