Our sense of touch must be one of the most delightful parts of existing in a physical body! Not only does it bring us pleasure, it also alerts us to danger and notifies us when something is not quite right.

Touch as a sense is experienced by touching something but in my opinion also by being touched. Thus when we are thinking about how to incorporate the sense of touch more into our lifes we can also think about  Swedish massage, reflexology, shiatsu, acupressure and much more.

If you have a furry friend as a pet, I am sure you are familiar with the immense sense of calm that is experienced when stroking them or the warm fuzzy feeling when your cat rubs itself against your legs. Some textures are more pleasing than others, it’s true, I wouldn’t want to get up close and personal with a hedgehog, that’s for sure!

So how can we use touch to bring us into the ‘now’ and benefit ourselves mentally and physically?

Massage.

Massaging in your body lotion (sense of smell) after a bath or shower is a good time to explore the sense of self administered touch. Really put thought into your movements and spend a little extra time on areas where your muscles feel tense, besides helping you relax, this exercise also puts you more ‘in touch’ (excuse the pun!) with your body.

Alternatively, book a Swedish massage or other bodywork modality treatment at least once a month. If your budget does not stretch to this then do a ‘massage swap’ with a friend or partner, you will notice the benefits, trust me!

Non-visual visualization.

Use your sense of touch to guide your mind, for example, hold a small pebble from the beach in your hand while you meditate. Just holding the pebble will make it easier for you to take your mind into a visualization where you are sitting on the beach in the setting sun. Put a bowl of body temperature water by your desk at home and put your feet in it when you start getting that ‘frazzled’ feeling. Believe me, it works! You can even put some smooth pebbles in the bottom of the bowl and imagine to yourself that you are walking in a stream.

Nature’s touch.

Feel the texture of the bark of a tree and then let the lower leaves brush your hands or cheeks. Take off your shoes when you are walking on the grass and you’ll be surprised and pleased to discover that you feel much more ‘grounded’ after walking this way for a short while.

Comforting touch.

Wrap yourself in a mohair blanket or wear silk pjs when you need to feel just that little more comforted. Make a cocoon in your duvet or snuggle into your favourite jersey. It sure beats the calorie count in a bar of chocolate!

Be conscious.

Allow yourself to touch and be touched, take someones hand and give them yours. Be aware of your intention when touching or being touched and be willing to experience your world in a more ‘hands on’ way!