Touch-Based Activities

Touch-based activities correspond with the Phlegmatic Temperament, Phlegm (Cold/Wet), Water Element, the Tarot Suit of Cups, Summer (Hermetic Golden Dawn), the Soul/Emotional Body, Tree of Life: World of Briah (Creation), Heart (Anahata) and Throat (Vishuddha) Chakras, shades of Blue and Green (sometimes, shades of pink), the Blue and Green Aura Color Personalities, the Emotion of Sadness, Touch and Sound, and VAM (part of God’s name).

We can never have enough hugs and affection in life. Most of us are seriously deficient. Hug someone today. Hug yourself. Do you own a pet? Hug your pet. They love affection, and they love you unconditionally. They deserve hugs.

 

If there's an area of your home or closet that's getting messy, clean it up. It will give you a wonderful sense of accomplishment and boost your self-esteem. It will also get you physically moving. 

 

Intimacy means being close and personal. It is a natural and healthy emotional component of a healthy relationship. You can be intimate with anyone. Intimacy does not imply anything sexual. Intimacy is not merely being close, but also having an understanding or a deep bond. You can be intimate with your best friend, parents, children, and even your dog. Sex, on the other hand, involves romance, love, passion, lust, and a physical expression of all of the above. Unless you have a good reason for being celibate or are under the age of 18, having a healthy sex life is an integral part of connecting with your significant other. It's the most intimate of intimacies. We need this to feel uniquely connected to our mates. Be intimate. Wine and dine, romance, and love your partner. Write it into your schedule, and don't cancel. Show up physically. 

 

Wrap yourself in a cozy robe or blanket and plunk yourself into your favorite chair or bed. Grab a good book (or your pet) and enjoy warmth and coziness. Be grateful for the warmth and coziness (your robe, your blanket, your chair, your bed, your book, your eyes to read with, or your pet who wants only your loving touch). 

 

Give yourself a makeover. It can make such a difference in how you feel about yourself. You can do this yourself or visit a salon. Makeovers also apply to the sense of "Sight". 

 

Visit a day spa. Even if you have to save up, go somewhere for a couple of hours and be pampered like a king or queen. You deserve it.

 

Iron some clothes. Many of us no longer do this. I think it is partly because clothing is "wash and wear." Still, some things could probably use a touch-up. Nothing beats freshly laundered, creaseless pillowcases that look like they came straight out of a home decor magazine.

 

Rearrange a room or cupboard. Sometimes, things don't flow well in the home due to poor placement. Look around your home. What have you meant to change or rearrange? What always seems to be in the way or hard to find? Get up and do that now. Cross it off your list.

 

Do some gardening. Not everyone has a yard, much less a garden, but you can still enjoy planting and watching things grow. Consider planting some houseplants or potting some herbs on your windowsill. Could you hang a window box, plant a tomato, or place a pot of flowers at your entryway? These things help us reconnect with nature and our roots.

 

Wash your face to boost your energy. Don't hurry through this. Take your time and feel your face (which might sound ridiculous, but we often rush through touching our skin while cleansing). Clean your face with your favorite soap or face cream, rinse (and enjoy the water), gently pat dry, then apply a bit of face cream or olive oil. Enjoy a newfound perspective.

 

Smooth some lotion into your skin. Slathering on lotions and creams is like giving yourself a mini-massage. You can also use olive, almond, or vegetable oil. A bit of Crisco vegetable shortening works well on the feet and helps heal dry, cracked skin. Shea butter, coconut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil also work well.

 

Shave (face, armpits, or legs). Even if you usually go all-natural, an occasional shave can be a real pick-me-up. Little changes can offer a big energy boost.

 

Give yourself a body scrub. In a 16-ounce jar or plastic container, mix 1 cup of dark brown sugar, ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Almond or Vegetable oil is acceptable to use), one teaspoon of vitamin E Oil (or open liquid gel caps), one teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and one tablespoon of Honey (optional). Scrub the mixture into your skin (not too hard) and rinse. Save any leftover scrub by covering it with a lid. This recipe came from Paula Dean's son, Corrie.

 

Give yourself a massage. Even if you live alone and have no significant other, you can still get a great massage with your own two hands. Take a shower or bath to loosen tight muscles, then massage every part of your body you can reach with long or circular strokes toward your heart. For hard-to-reach areas, a percussion massager with heat adjustment is the best massage device to own. The pulsating part of a percussion massager doesn't go in circles. It moves up and down, sending small pulses that wake up sluggish blood vessels and increase oxygen flow, which relieves pain.

 

Acupuncture helps remove energy blockages in the body's electromagnetic energy field, thereby reducing physical symptoms. Acupuncture is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in which practitioners insert tiny, painless needles into specific points on the body to open energy pathways. Treatments often include specific herbal combinations to promote overall health. Acupressure follows the same theory as acupuncture. However, instead of using needles, practitioners apply light pressure to specific points to open energy pathways and relieve tension and pain. Other "Touch" therapies include Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Reflexology, Craniosacral Therapy, Watsu, and chiropractic manipulations.

 

Get some exercise. You need two forms of exercise. The first is aerobic (breathing and fat burning). Aerobic exercise increases blood flow and oxygen delivery to every part of your body, which is exactly what you need to relieve pain. The second is resistance training (controlled movements to increase muscle tone). Besides swimming, Tai Chi and Qigong are among the most healing exercises you can learn. Yoga and Pilates are excellent for building toned, limber, and healthy muscles, but they can be too challenging for those out of shape. Save these for after you've gained some muscle tone from walking, swimming, or lifting free weights. Whatever you choose, go for variety and fun. Anything less is absolute drudgery. Variety makes exercise more like play. 

 

It's essential to play. Play with your kids, pets, significant other, and friends. Skip rocks on water, throw a ball, walk your dog, tickle your kids, or run in the rain with your partner. Run, dance, and laugh out loud. By the way, dancing is one of the easiest ways to let your body express your emotions. You don't have to understand choreography. Just put on some music and move however you want. No one has to see. Just go with the flow. If you feel like curling up into a ball, then reaching your arms wide, only to swoop down and do it all over again, do it. It's your dance of life.