I remember
meeting a London based architect
who said he had never touched anyone,
or had been touched,
for twenty years!!
He had conducted the formal hand shake
several times a day but .......
he did not mean that sort of touch.
I had facilitated an exercise
with a group of young adults
lots of interaction
fun
self disclosure
games
little activities which increased
into more intimacy -
many of them including informal touching
along the way.
He had been touched
experienced touching
and liked it ........
The finger tip can communicate feelings.
If a big man called Misha from Russia
came into the same room as me right now
he would do two things.
1 he would lift his fingerprint and press it to mine.
2 he would give me a big bear hug
3 he would give me a massive big grin.
He used to be a Professor of the Moscow Officer training college
during the USSR years.
Once an officer now is a key YMCA National leader
for the Russian YMCA.
He is a big man.
Every-way.
Touch can be:-
formal
comfort
support
affectionate
friendly
warmth
gropey
greedy
sexual
passionate
frenzied
and other words you may think of ....
...... or imagine.
Touch can speak louder than words.
"I was touched"
can mean that an experience was
deep and meaningful.
I have blogged in the past
about a 'touching moment'
when I was vulnerable.
When I facilitate
training courses or
games evenings or
developmental workshops,
it is fantastic to create the sort of activities/exercises
when people can touch each other in a non-threatening ways.
Groups seem to kick into a different depth
when they can freely show sensitivity to others
non-verbally.
I have just returned from a festival called
'AS ONE Festival'.
Many young humans there,
most of the beautiful humans there -
have have experienced tough times
in their, still teenage, lives.
Rejection
abuse
damage
deprivation
home - less
family - less
security - less
and maybe many of them
love - missed.
I consider that
we had a collection of
the most
economically poor young people
that ever graced a UK festival
and yet
AND YET
they are rich beyond compare .........
'From its earliest days,
the child had to learn degrees of approach
and withdrawal toward everyone around her.
He had to learn whom he could touch,
in whose arms comfort
and warmth could be sought,
where distance was the safer course.'
Margaret Mead,
Sex and Society
During the early part of the Festival two days
I had some on-stage presence but
mainly was around
colliding with anyone
and everyone -
I had met before
those alongside them
others alone
others in noisy groups
couples kissing
passing people
people eating.
Always a cheery greeting
a little chat
a reminder
that 'you are beautiful'
and other words
with the same message.
By the end of the two days
I had encountered many
little exchanges/conversations
and led a few sessions and
played some great music
from the main stage.
I was aware that I was touching a lot more.
The little encounters helped me feel free
a approach and rub a shoulder
and be met with smiles
and followed by a hug .......
Others more familiar with me
received a little shoulder massage
followed by a high-five.
Loved it.
Only one person shy'd away
when I gave a quick touch of the shoulder.
A developing relationship
and a good relationship
includes touch.
At The Greenbelt Festival
some years ago
in the heady days of 30,000 people
and a main-stage attracting everyone -
I have fond memories of everyone of the humans
reaching out with their fingertips
and touching the outstretched fingertips of others
everyone interlinking
both hands
one finger
one unique finger tip.
A minute of real communication.
A flesh-full
massive net of saying something special.
I have used this
and at the same time
had someone read the unique poem
I created when I worked with the east end teenagers.
(NOW AT THE TOP OF THIS BLOG -click to enlarge)
To touch is to heal,
to hurt is to steal.
If you want to kiss the sky,
better learn how to kneel.
Bono
Research has been conducted
regarding the sensitivity of the finger tip.
But we know that anyway
Touch someone today
bhp
"When we tell stories,
we touch hearts.
If we talk about theories
and speak about ideas,
the mind may assimilate them
but the heart remains untouched.
It is the story of a specific person
that is the way to the heart."
Jean Vanier
.
meeting a London based architect
who said he had never touched anyone,
or had been touched,
for twenty years!!
He had conducted the formal hand shake
several times a day but .......
he did not mean that sort of touch.
I had facilitated an exercise
with a group of young adults
lots of interaction
fun
self disclosure
games
little activities which increased
into more intimacy -
many of them including informal touching
along the way.
He had been touched
experienced touching
and liked it ........
The finger tip can communicate feelings.
If a big man called Misha from Russia
came into the same room as me right now
he would do two things.
1 he would lift his fingerprint and press it to mine.
2 he would give me a big bear hug
3 he would give me a massive big grin.
He used to be a Professor of the Moscow Officer training college
during the USSR years.
Once an officer now is a key YMCA National leader
for the Russian YMCA.
He is a big man.
Every-way.
Touch can be:-
formal
comfort
support
affectionate
friendly
warmth
gropey
greedy
sexual
passionate
frenzied
and other words you may think of ....
...... or imagine.
Touch can speak louder than words.
"I was touched"
can mean that an experience was
deep and meaningful.
I have blogged in the past
about a 'touching moment'
when I was vulnerable.
When I facilitate
training courses or
games evenings or
developmental workshops,
it is fantastic to create the sort of activities/exercises
when people can touch each other in a non-threatening ways.
Groups seem to kick into a different depth
when they can freely show sensitivity to others
non-verbally.
I have just returned from a festival called
'AS ONE Festival'.
Many young humans there,
most of the beautiful humans there -
have have experienced tough times
in their, still teenage, lives.
Rejection
abuse
damage
deprivation
home - less
family - less
security - less
and maybe many of them
love - missed.
I consider that
we had a collection of
the most
economically poor young people
that ever graced a UK festival
and yet
AND YET
they are rich beyond compare .........
'From its earliest days,
the child had to learn degrees of approach
and withdrawal toward everyone around her.
He had to learn whom he could touch,
in whose arms comfort
and warmth could be sought,
where distance was the safer course.'
Margaret Mead,
Sex and Society
During the early part of the Festival two days
I had some on-stage presence but
mainly was around
colliding with anyone
and everyone -
I had met before
those alongside them
others alone
others in noisy groups
couples kissing
passing people
people eating.
Always a cheery greeting
a little chat
a reminder
that 'you are beautiful'
and other words
with the same message.
By the end of the two days
I had encountered many
little exchanges/conversations
and led a few sessions and
played some great music
from the main stage.
I was aware that I was touching a lot more.
The little encounters helped me feel free
a approach and rub a shoulder
and be met with smiles
and followed by a hug .......
Others more familiar with me
received a little shoulder massage
followed by a high-five.
Loved it.
Only one person shy'd away
when I gave a quick touch of the shoulder.
A developing relationship
and a good relationship
includes touch.
At The Greenbelt Festival
some years ago
in the heady days of 30,000 people
and a main-stage attracting everyone -
I have fond memories of everyone of the humans
reaching out with their fingertips
and touching the outstretched fingertips of others
everyone interlinking
both hands
one finger
one unique finger tip.
A minute of real communication.
A flesh-full
massive net of saying something special.
I have used this
and at the same time
had someone read the unique poem
I created when I worked with the east end teenagers.
(NOW AT THE TOP OF THIS BLOG -click to enlarge)
To touch is to heal,
to hurt is to steal.
If you want to kiss the sky,
better learn how to kneel.
Bono
Research has been conducted
regarding the sensitivity of the finger tip.
But we know that anyway
Touch someone today
bhp
"When we tell stories,
we touch hearts.
If we talk about theories
and speak about ideas,
the mind may assimilate them
but the heart remains untouched.
It is the story of a specific person
that is the way to the heart."
Jean Vanier
.
