The Need for Mindful Non-Sexual Touch
Touch can heal a multitude of problems .
• Non-sexual touch is healing , calming , and important for connection — sexual or otherwise .
• Modern American culture may discourage non-sexual touch .
• Non-sexual , appropriate touch within relationships can help people be less emotionally reactive , creating warmth and connection .
" Nothing is as healing as the human touch ." — Bobby Fischer I teach a class on sexual mindfulness , and what often surprises participants is the large amount of time we spend on mindful , non-sexual touch . My team learned just how important non-sexual touch was when we taught our couples a practice called mindful hugging . The idea is that couples stand and support their own weight and loosely hug each other . There is no talking , just a focus on their own breath and an awareness of how it feels to be embraced by their partner .
Sounds simple , doesn ’ t it ? Well , it is . But it is also emotional . After about a five-minute mindful hug , partners put their foreheads together and talk . They talk about what emotions arose for them , what anxieties they experienced ,