Human Connections Start With A Friendly Touch : NPR

Human Connections Start With A Friendly Touch

Human Connections Start With A Friendly Touch : NPR

Touch is often determined by class and culture. Each culture has a clear concept of what parts of the body one may or may not touch. The basic message of touch in the western world is to affect or control — protect, support, disapprove (i.e. hug- hit, kiss- kick). Touch in the African diaspora is for connecting, healing and nurturing. The concept of touch has been skewed in African culture by the denigrating impact of the Maafa.

• In the U.S., a handshake is common (even for strangers), hugs, kisses are permitted for those of opposite gender or of family (usually) on an increasingly more intimate basis. Most American-Africans will always touch on greeting, often in very sophisticated and elaborate ways, but are annoyed if touched on the head (good boy, good girl overtones).
  
• Africans and Asians generally don’t touch the head unless they are grooming or are intimate (The head houses the soul and a touch puts it in jeopardy).
• Many non-western cultures associate touch with healing. so the Healing Touch or Laying on of Hands is a significant part of cultural life. 
• Islamic and Hindu: typically don’t touch with the left hand. To do so is a social insult. Based on their beliefs, the left hand is used for toilet functions. It is mannerly in India to break bread only with your right hand (sometimes difficult for non-Indians)
• Islamic cultures generally don’t approve of any touching between genders (even handshakes). But consider such touching (including hand holding, hugs) between same-sex to be appropriate.

What is Healing Touch?
Healing Touch is a relaxing, nurturing energy. A gentle touch assists in balancing the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of a person. Healing Touch works with your energy fields to support your natural ability to heal. It is safe for all ages and works in harmony with standard medical care. 


How Does Healing Touch Benefit?

• Reducing stress
• Calming anxiety, depression
• Decreasing pain
• Strengthening the immune system
• Enhancing recovery from surgery
• Complementary care for neck and back problems
• Deepening spiritual connection
• Supporting cancer care
• Creating a sense of well-being
• Easing acute and chronic conditions

 Healing Touch in Reducing Stress


   One of the common reports after receiving a Healing Touch session is one of deep relaxation and a sense of peacefulness.  This has been reported in a number of patient satisfaction surveys and in practice by both practitioners and their clients. In our stressful lives having the opportunity to come to a place of peace and rest is beneficial.  Some of those receiving a healing report that it feels like experiencing a deep meditation without the training and effort... (read More)
http://www.healingtouchinternational.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=177&Itemid=383

  

Anxiety and Depression

  Anxiety and depression are very common in today’s global society. The effects of these disorders can create personal, family, and community hardship. Healing Touch may be able to help alleviate some of that suffering. For example, in a research study with heart patients Healing Touch was shown to reduce anxiety when used prior to a hospital procedure.(1)

Depression is a complex disorder that often times requires medical treatment. In one study symptoms of depression using a standard test were found to decrease faster with those receiving Healing Touch.(2) In an Australian study(3) depression was found to result in a disconnection from self, others and the world. Healing Touch was helpful in providing an opportunity for the patients in this study to experience understanding, safety, trust and positive anticipation in order to reconnect with the self, others and the world.

In other studies that involved looking at these factors positive effects have been found on decreasing anxiety and depression.(4),(5),(6) For example, in women undergoing radiation treatment the Healing Touch group showed more pronounced improvements in their levels of depression, anxiety and anger compared to the group that received a sham or fake healing session.(4) In another study,(6) with patients receiving chemotherapy for cancer treatment, there was a decrease in depression in all three intervention groups (one of which was Healing Touch, the others massage and presence), which suggests that the presence of a caring person may help improve mood and reduce depression. However, they found that the specific intervention effects of massage and Healing Touch suggest that the touch therapies have an additive beneficial effect in improving mood, energy, and reducing fatigue. (Read More)

http://www.healingtouchinternational.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=136&Itemid=384

The above revelations of Healing Touch display how the European corpora-tocracy of imperialism has capitalized on our original knowledge of healing modalities, then has planted the impression that our curative and survival solutions are inaccessible without medical prescription and financial sacrifice. What greatly concerns me is the presence of the pariahs of "Post Traumatic Slavery Disorders" that lurk within our communities, They are reflected in the highest statistics of physical illness, (Stroke, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Heart Attack, Cancers,) also Domestic Violence, Child/ Adult Abuse, Mental Illness, and Black on Black crime statistics. With these statistics, there seems to be a phenomena of great depression, Isolation, self medication and abuse, and desensitization that goes on, in our community. We can always say that "This is by design" all day long, yet, in saying that, we are surrendering to outside pressures and oppression. I for one, refuse to allow my family and community to "go gently into...!"

We must take back our healing modalities and then apply them to our own families and communities. If it can be said that the wealth of a civilization, society or culture is manifested by there investment in their Children and Elders... then we have a long way to go to divest from a society that "eats their young" and institutionalizes their elders.

http://electronicdrum.wordpress.com/2004/07/17/minding-the-baby/


http://electronicdrum.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/some-thoughts-on-the-benefits-of-massage-in-relationships/

"UP YOU MIGHTY RACE!" African American Matriarchal Traditions

African American Roles in Misogyny

Many have expressed objection to the male characters of "preacher," "Mr." and "Albert"etc.,  in  Novel "The Color Purple," as a "brutal misrepresentation" of the Afrikan male image and the relationships of the African family... Yet, you can't tell me that what was depicted in this novel did not go on for real in our communities  in the US,-then and now!

I would agree to the unacceptable PUBLIC parade of negative images, or shall I say the lack of positive depictions of our people in movies, media and TV Boobs like Jerry Springer, Judge Judy and Maury Povich etc.! Yet we still continue to to appear on the airwaves to air our dysfunctions! Also, the "hip-hop"videos still characterize our Afrikan Queens as superficial objects and exposed body parts in the media, with their lyrics composed of misogyny, curses,and depictions of base underground economy. The only thing people had to say about "Precious" was that she was too FAT! As if they were completely insensitive and oblivious to her plight of molestation, rape and rejection by her dysfunctional Mother!!! This is also a gross display of dysfunction- even with the heroes (heroines) being gay.

The point I am making is, this US race supremacy society has played a demonic role in maintaining a culture of enslaved and downtrodden people depleting their economic capacities, and rendering them from an early age through the school to prison pipeline and the prison industrial complex, Illegal Drugs,poisoned and nutrient depleted foods to foster care and low wage jobs, then to release them back into their families and neighborhoods. The traumatized, perverted, and depraved ACTIONS that are continuing to metastasize and take place on our Men, Women, Youth, and Elderly of our communities in a never ending cycle! We have been severely suffering with PTSD- Post Traumatic Slavery Disorder! We continue to pass down a legacy of sick behaviors onto our girls and boys, who grow up to act out these illness in so many ways! We keep our secrets, hidden and unchecked. We also normalize these demented behaviors, as if these dysfunctions are accepted and consensual! It is NOT normal for women or men to be beaten, and for girls and boys to be molested and raped! WE ARE DOING THIS TO EACH OTHER! Black on Black! By our loved ones and family, the very people whom we should trust! So the physical chains are off but our minds are still in shackles. We have racism- Yet now we lynch ourselves! Our men and women are also being released from prison, only to return to our communities to act out demented acts on their families, that they learned while they were incarcerated. Statistically, white males, above all other males of any race, have sustained the highest rate of incest, rape and abuse. So, it is not in our nature as a people to treat our women and children in this way.

I've been watching John Henrik Clarke's film "Christianity Before Christ." He made a profound statement about the order and civility found throughout the African diaspora. He stated that there was no word for "orphanage" in their language because their communities embraced all children. They did not have "old folks homes" because our elders' leadership was highly regarded and respected and they were treasured within their own communities. There was no word for "Prison," or "mental institution." Women could walk safely down the streets, Children had freedom to roam...They were in their own natural element, by their own design...

Our people who are community leaders, pastors, etc... are getting away with committing dysfunctional acts of incest, molestation and abuse FOR YEARS without any accountability or responsibility for their actions by family or community! From the pulpits of "black" churches, they espouse the platitudes and edicts of their slave-masters, who taught them their religion. The act of beating our children, is still thought of as an acceptable discipline and determent. We perpetuate the idea of beating the child so that the slave master won't have to. This continues the status quote of slave mentality. There is no counsel of elders to stop a man or woman from beating their spouse or child. We don't practice our rites of passage and initiation for our children, We live in a community of strangers toward each other.

To continue the status quo, the few Black businesses that exist in African American neighborhoods, provide inferior-overpriced goods services, often bought wholesale from alien producers and manufactures, and not from the community of African Americans or even African resources.. to their own people, and there is no community actions to regulate this. Then, we look outside our community for assistance -this only adds to the problem. -the city police, county and state offices don't have our best interest in their minds. In fact, all of the outward systems promote and perpetuate the poverty and school to prison pipeline. Other cultures have councils in place- Hispanic, Oriental, Muslim... We are still trapped in an alien assimilated mind and way of life. This "euro", middle class value system is an inappropriate model to follow.

One solution is to return to our own Matriarchal, communal, moral, cooperative familiar ways and Live autonomously and divest completely from our oppressor's system. The knowledge is out there now, in abundance.

Marcus Garvey was on the right path- (that is why they imprisoned and subsequently exiled him unto death!) We have taken on the alien nature of our oppressor! It is NOT OUR NATURE to be abusive, greedy, materialistic, and competitive!

We need to grow our own food , speak our own language and make our own toilet paper!
We will only survive if we return to our original roots to CO-EXIST with this planet! We don't own the earth-We have no right to take without asking(manifest destiny.) If we continue we will be expelled like any virus!