Desperately seeking hugs!

Apologies for the delay in today’s post. The activity of yesterday simply caught up with me and I couldn’t keep my eyes open (great sleep is seeking me out)

I slept for a short time yesterday or perhaps it is better described as a nap but whatever it was the significant thing is that this time it was on a couch other than my own. Yes I managed to extricate (I like the way that word sounds) myself away from the comfort of the living room and daytime TV (I do however confess to watching Diagnosis Murder but that was when I came back in so maybe that doesn’t count) and leave the house.

This power nap took place on the couch of my therapist. That sounds so American where everybody who’s anybody from 0 to 90 has one. No I am not having my head examined although I can see the merit of that. I did have an MRI scan of my head and brain recently and they didn’t find anything. I’m still not sure if that diagnosis is a cause for concern  my therapist is a Reiki practitioner amongst other things.
Just in case your knowledge of Reiki is as deep as mine was before I had my first session here is a short explanation. Reiki practitioners channel energy in a particular pattern to heal and harmonize. Unlike other healing therapies based on the premise of a human energy field, Reiki seeks to restore order to the body whose vital energy has become unbalanced. The healer places the hands above the recipient and it is the recipient that draws the energy as needed. Reiki energy has several basic effects: it brings about deep relaxation, destroys energy blockages, detoxifies the system, provides new vitality in the form of healing universal life energy, and increases the vibrational frequency of the body.

This was only my second session but it really relaxed me and if putting my charkas (the body’s energy centers) in alignment can do that then I just need to do this aligning thing more often. My session took about three hours in total (I’m not sure that it is supposed to take that long) but then I’ve got a lot to say and talking is always part of my treatment.

My therapist is a very warm and generous person and she always gives me a hug when we meet and when we say goodbye. Not one of the cold unfriendly kinds, a warm and generous bear hug. I love hugs; there is something about them that leave me with a sense of being loved, feeling connected and a general air of happiness. Now you’d think if something is this good that they would have found a way to bottle it by now. After all a hug (if administered sincerely) is free from additives, it’s organic, it can be obtained from anywhere, it creates and supports relationships, it creates a win-win situation, it has no negative side effects, it does not discriminate, no one has died from it and it’s free. I guess that’s why they haven’t there’s no money in it.

So that got me thinking. In a society plagued by ills and disease, why don’t we as individuals take advantage of this free panacea? I’m not sure about the answer to that one, maybe it’s we are just too busy pursuing individual lives to stop for hugs. Make my day and give me a hug



give Carole more *HUGS*
*HUGS* TOTAL!

I did some research into the benefits of hugging. According to Paddy Kutz, US Mental Health Association “hugging is a miracle "medicine" that can relieve many physical and emotional problems. Researchers suggest that hugging should be a part of treatment for pain. They have also discovered that hugging can help you live longer, protect you against illness, ease the symptoms of depression and stress, strengthen family relationships and even help you sleep better.”

And all of this for free.

I can picture it now every time I get a hug it’s a slap in the face for mr lupus, and a hug before bedtime…the possibilities are endless, how can I possibly resist that?

So I’ve decided I need hugging on a regular basis and I don’t care who knows it. In fact the more people who know it, the more hugs I’m likely to get. When last were you properly hugged? If you have to think about it then it was too long, so I’m writing you a prescription for one good hug a day. This can be taken at anytime of day, with or without food, but must be taken regularly. If you miss a dose, it’s okay to take a double dose the next time.

Suggestions to get you on the road to hugging.

Ask for a hug. You will know who to ask by your interaction with them. Listen to that inner voice

Treat a hug as just that it does not have to lead to anything else

Same sex hugging is okay

Learn to hug yourself for those times when you are on your own and a hug is all you need

Start a hugging chain with your family and friends. If it makes you feel good then chances are it will make them feel good too

If you don’t like physical contact ask yourself why and either introduce hugging slowly with a supportive friend or find your own version of hugging. Whatever way you chose remember the benefits out way any negatives.

Thought for the day
Four hugs a day will keep the doctor at bay