The Lost Art of Touch
The human need for touch is well documented - - we just have to tune in to what we know through personal experience; seeking opportunities with our partners, through massage therapy, and HENNA. People come for henna for the beauty of it, and also for human connections: safe touch, emotional intimacy and holding space-
Our friend Shante shares her reflection on our recent henna session and The Lost Art of Touch:
Another creative day with @alchemyhenna earlier today and as always quite enjoyable.
I swear each visit is always different and perhaps today of all other visits, the details in my henna design was myriad. Monique did a very intricate design today and somewhere between the trapezoid and proximal phalanges, there were these sensations, (knismesis) tickling like that felt so darn good to me. I smiled as she kept designing and then said to her, "Monique, getting this done is so therapeutic”.
The touch of this and the way you do it feels so good and relaxing. It's rare that I'm receiving this kind of nurturement and these sensations. I'm giving it by doing hair or in some form of dance. Getting your hair done can be therapeutic and there are ways that a stylist can touch the hair and scalp that will put some people to sleep. Like, I don't go and get my hair done, so, THIS is my therapy or feel good moment instead. Touch is so important and we're not doing enough of it anymore these days because we are all tied or attached to a device. The lost art of touch, huh?
Monique gingerly replied to the latter part of my statement, "that's a very poetic way of putting it."
P.S. If you read all of that, don't you go thinking that I am some smart person here by using those fancy words. I sure did google em', plus, I used to do reflexology massages some time ago and used to know that stuff.
Talk about 'out of touch'! Ha!
Photos and Henna by: @alchemyhenna || Words by @shantefagans
Read More Science of Touch and 8 Reasons Why We Need Touch
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