Exploring the senses is a journey for the mind, body, and soul. Today’s post is all about our sense of touch or tactile perception. I was thinking about how something feels and I realize that each physical sensation of touching brings about a thought, an emotion, and a feeling or need. An example is to think about the sensations we experience in relationship to hot, heat may warn us of danger as in burning ourselves, it may signal us to seek a cool shady spot, take a dip the nearest body of water, or to simply rehydrate. So with that in mind think of all the things that touch your body and what sensations are created by the tactile connections you make in the world.
When we are cold, we seek the warmth of a soft blanket. When we feel pressure we begin to experience a sensation of constriction in our bodies, our mind responds with stress, and finally our emotions begin to take over with anxiety leading the way. Some ways to ease pressure is to breathe deeply, be mindful of your body position, and locate the source of your discomfort. Pain is a physical sensation that is often caused by emotional triggers or outside pressures such as the atmosphere or medical conditions. We need to be aware of all the reasons that we may be experiencing these senations in order to choose the best course of action. We often seek comfort or take the plunge based on our connections through these feelings.
Tactile connection is so important to the human spirit, it provides us with a sense of being loved, comforted, and accepted in the world. I understand for some people it is a sensitive subject due to the inappropriate actions of others, for all of you who are experiencing that disconnect, I send you healing thoughts and kind understanding. Be patient with yourself if you have been neglected or abused seek counsel if you need or want to talk about your trauma. Everyone deserves to feel the nurturing love of another through the loving touch of trust, knowing when you are ready to receive healing.
When we are open to touch we make discoveries about ourselves and the world around us. We begin to incorporate and become engaged with all of our senses. Take the time to write about your sense of touch and your feelings. When you do this be sure to include both the emotional and physical responses that you experience. Try joyful experiments of touching surfaces both indoors and outside creating an opportunity for Inspired Learning, Listening, and Living.