THE THING THAT BRINGS HUMAN VALUE BACK

“THE THING THAT BRINGS HUMAN VALUE BACK TO EXPERIENCE IS THE TOUCHING OF IT WITH HUMAN PRESENCE” ~ Steve Gilligan

Sometimes I wonder why I am so insistent on our field not dismissing the energetic as well as the physical effects of massage. During the recent world events, it’s become clearer to me than ever that humans’ inhumanity to each other and to nature is the central problem of our time – not because it didn’t exist before, but because there are now so many of us that our impact on the world is amplified.

So an over-emphasis on massage as a form of physical therapy misses part of the precious birthright, opportunity and responsibility of human touch. Of course, we need to continually advance the medical efficacy of massage and the science underpinning that. Yet, equally in this troubled world, we need the power of touching with human presence to bring human value back to our own experience and to those around us.

As we address the issue of self-destruction as it manifests in individual and social dis-ease and dispositional challenges, through the application of this most direct form of compassion, may we help humankind fulfill its important destiny – to consciously manifest love and kindness in our inner and outer world.

*                  *                  *                  *                  *                  *

I was just thinking also about the so-called “humanities” in education. Today there is an over-emphasis on technology, computers, science and math and a corresponding discount of the importance of the humanities. People, it’s called “Humanities” for a reason!!

We ignore the humanities at our peril. Only in a world where humanities and science proceed hand-in-hand can we proceed as balanced individuals and as a society.

Massage is a field that uniquely supports that knowledge. Every touch that embodies humanity and science helps build a world that is trustworthy, open and clean.