Gerald Vest: How Touching Makes you Healthier    
 How Touching Makes you Healthier4 comments
picture31 Jan 2011 @ 16:24, by Gerald Vest

We in the Western world are beginning to discover our neglected senses. The ability of Western humans to relate to fellow beings has lagged far behind our ability to relate to consumer goods and the unnecessary necessities which hold him in thrall--possessd by his possessions. He/she can reach out to other planets, but too often cannot reach out to fellow humans. We seem to be unaware that it is our senses that frame the body of our reality. Ashley Montagu, Touching--The Human Significance of the Skin.

Better Health: How Touching Makes You Healthier
Commented by Gerald Vest, Jan 23, 2011 at 11:46:15 in Health: Huffington Post

“Way to go!!! Everything you suggest is so great for us that we should clone you so that our society can awaken from its sickness and malaise. Everyone should empty their medicine cabnets of any drugs that are not life sustaining and supporting and "Give Touch a Chance." [link]

I have worked in a War trauma center for injured and wounded warriors for the past 3 years and was experienci­ng compassion fatigue without realizing it. Once I discovered these symptoms, I started my daily meditation­, riding my bike and most importantl­y received a deep tissue massage every Sat. on our Downtown Mall. My health and wellbeing, attitude and energy is now at its best and feel the resilience that these integrativ­e health practices produce.

Keep up the good work with these logs....Am­erica needs to awaken our consciousn­ess with touch and overcome the fear and insecurity that it provokes, especially in mental health and aging programs where they have no sense and deprive their customers of safe, skillful and nourishing touch. See our website about how we are advancing the use of integrativ­e health practices and safe, skillful, and nourishing touch with our injured warriors and their families. [link]

Note: Picture is CPT Laura Kennedy, LMSW and me celebrating another successful workshop in our Ft. Bliss Restoration & Resilience Center. Laura is a friend and colleague and one of the terrific Clinical/Holistic and Integrative social workers in the US Army.


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4 comments

1 Feb 2011 @ 12:12 by lynda : Significance of the Human touch
The trauma of poverty and social despair is another consideration when we think about how we can reach out on a daily basis to each other. We have become a self insulated society in an attempt to be less affected by the suffering that we wittness. Whether it be our instant access to world wide suffering on the news, or the virtual suffering we watch on TV for entertainment or wrapping ourselves is a world of suffering as we slay the dragons in a video game. We are learning to encapsulate the pain and grief that we see rather than to approach it on real terms. Why is that? Are we desensitizing ourselves in an effort to feel less helpless? When did we trade off our own healing energies for a pair of blinders? It's not as hard as you might think to lay your hand on the shoulder of a crying stranger and look them in the eye. It may be painful but if you keep in mind that it is taking on just a fraction of the misery that they feel and replacing it with loving energy that can get them through another day isn't it worth it? Whether you call yourself a Shaman, a healer or a guy on the street that cares enough to try it; we are both becoming better at learning to open this gift as fast as we are learning to hide from it. Please visit my page on Cocooning in Washington to see another way of working with our own potential to heal. The human touch is not exclusive to our fingertips but as any lover will tell you it can certainly be one of the most powerful things on this planet. We must learn to risk and to reach out in any way we can to each other. Thanks for sharing this important and timely information. Touch someone today. : )  

1 Feb 2011 @ 15:37 by jerryvest : Thank you, Lynda. I appreciate that your
values and plans relate with ours and Humanity as One. We can make a difference in the lives of others when we have the courage to use our senses, especially Touch or Physical Interaction that is our first to connect with the World and with others responsible for providing safety, security, health and trust.  

1 Feb 2011 @ 20:18 by eduardo : simpathy
Somehow I figure that we all come from ONE single origin, then grow as individuals and, eventually, go back towards our origin. In this perspective, OTHERS can be understood as some parts of myself that I care for and miss.  

2 Feb 2011 @ 01:46 by jerryvest : Yes, I see myself returning to our
Source. In the Taro and Tora, during this lifetime we pass through a process that allows us to learn and develop our being from Innocense through the Ego Structures (historical, image and analytical egos--Ichazo) and return in this State of Freedom without 'attachments--fears, prejudices and ignorance' and with Knowledge, Wisdom, Love and Truth (Laws).  

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