Social distancing, while necessary, has consequences. I feel lonely, with a deprived sense of touch. My husband and I are getting together for chats with friends, classes, and club meetings using teleconferencing. Shelter in place precludes a lot of hugs hello, pats on the back, and other social touches.
Safety Restrictions on touch have been in place for a couple of months. These restrictions are a significant change in the way we live, and it makes sense to check in with sense care for your sense of touch. If you live alone, please take action to nourish your skin and balance your sense of touch.
Deprived Sense of Touch In Ayurveda
Sparsha is the Sanskrit name for touch one of the five senses in Ayurveda. The air element connects to the feeling of touch. Skin our largest sensory organ receives sensations of contact, the organ of action is the hands, and the work is to hold. Touch used well promotes health, overused, underused, or abused; it can contribute to the disease process.
How Healthy Touch Helps
Touch happens in the skin and hands. Loving touch is essential to grow and thrive. Babies that are touch-deprived can suffer from developmental delays. Contact connects us and helps us feel safe from birth onward. Here are some of the tangible ways loving touch affects our body.
- Connects mind and body
- Decrease anxiety
- Lower blood pressure
- Increase endorphin levels (your feel-good hormones)
- Supports skin biome
- Help you sleep better
Touch is the most fundamental sense. A baby experiences it, all over, before he is born and long before he learns to use sight, hearing, or taste, and no human ever ceases to need it. Keep your children short on pocket money but long on hugs.”
— Robert A. Heinlein
5 Ideas To Nourish Your Deprived Sense Of Touch
If you are feeling touch deprived and still can’t ask for a hug due to social distancing, try some of these ways to nourish your sense of touch.
Aura Brushing
Every morning after your shower, brush your aura. Run your non-dominant hand from your waist down, then from your waste over your arms, torso, heart, and head. Switch sides and repeat. Keep your fingers 2 to 4 inches above your skin. Your energy layers are part of you. They interpenetrate your physical body. Touching your aura calms and soothes the layers. Notice where you feel less or more sensitive. Here are additional ways to care for your aura.
Dry brush
Dry brushing cares for the organ of touch the skin. It enhances circulation in the top layers of the skin, opens pores, and removes dead skin cells and skin debris. Use a natural brush, never brush on, varicose veins, wounds, cuts, open sores, or irritated (sunburn, poison ivy) skin.
Self-Massage
Abhyanga daily self-massage engages your sense of touch, while it nourishes and cares for your skin. With regular self-massage with oil, you develop increased awareness of your form, relaxed muscles, and smooth, supple skin.
Touch Food
Wash your hands before preparing your food, then touch it. Mix or mash by hand where it is practical to do so. Sort beans, make dough or mash sweet potato and feel the texture and energy of the food. Wash your hands before eating, then eat with your hands for a different sensory experience.
Get Dirty.
Gardening, landscaping, or wildcrafting all give you the chance to get dirty. When you touch the earth, you make a connection with the whole that is grounding. When you play in the dirt, always be on the lookout for bugs that bite or allergen plants. Inspect for ticks and wash off thoroughly after you work with soil.
Ayurselfcare’s purpose is to educate on the benefits of Ayurveda. This article is not a substitute for professional medical care, treatment, or advice. All the material here is for learning purposes only. Always share strategy and work with your health care team.
