By Allison Runchey, HTCP, MA in Holistic Health Studies
If you have ever felt worried about a past or future event, you may have been told to “just relax,” or perhaps you have said those words to yourself. How well did that work? Sometimes a quick reminder is all we need to calm down and feel better, but it’s not always so easy. First, it’s important to be in a space where you feel physically and emotionally safe enough to let your guard down. And second, to feel a level of acceptance and trust from whomever you are with at the time–whether a practitioner, a loved one, or yourself. This sense of safety and acceptance can be found in multiple ways, one of which is through Healing Touch.
Healing Touch can be done seated, standing, or lying down, with eyes open or closed. It’s flexible, meeting you at whatever level of tension you may presently feel, and moving toward a frequency of relaxation. By incorporating guided imagery, gentle touch, and clearing the biofield around the body, it builds a memory in your nervous system and an energetic imprint of harmony and ease. This memory or imprint can be drawn on anytime you want to re-experience relaxation later, like when you are trying to sleep or preparing for public speaking. Learning to release tension and tune back into calmness is a skill. Just like playing a new sport or learning a musical instrument, relaxation can become easier and more familiar with practice and time.
Recently a client who was struggling with anxiety and difficulty sleeping asked me, “Do I need to hold still during a Healing Touch session?” The short answer is, “yes and no.” The longer and more complete answer is that while it’s good to move your body as much as you need in order to feel comfortable, it can be helpful to have moments of stillness when your muscles are free of tension. Physiologically, softening the muscles and becoming quiet can be likened to taking your foot off the gas and coasting. It shifts your body and brain toward a state of rest and balance, physically and mentally, activating the parasympathetic nervous system. This type of equilibrium opens energy pathways that promote greater health and well-being, making Healing Touch more effective.