TOUCH, TRANCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
The great writer on art and society, John Berger, simply defined his primary aesthetic question as “does this work help or encourage people to know and claim their social rights?”
Massage isn’t commonly thought of as bringing about a better world with more social justice. But perhaps we all should ask ourselves, “How does my work (whether it’s massage or house-cleaning or any kind of right livelihood) help or encourage people to know and claim their social rights?”
The psychologist, Charles Tart, put forth in the book “Waking Up” that all states of consciousness are trances, and that what we call "normal" waking consciousness is just a "consensus trance".
Often during a significant bodywork session, the client will go in and out of a trance-like state induced by touch. Ideally, during and after the session, the person will have reawakened to a more compassionate view of their body, mind and heart. They will then, I pray, tend to have more compassion for their fellow humans and nature.
Indeed when we look at some injustices that persist in our society - they seem to be trance-induced. Too many people think there is an us and a them. Too many people identify their strength with their anger. And we cannot argue a person out of this trance. Touch, however, is a medium that enhances compassion for self and others usually without evoking mental or emotional opposition. As one of my students said, "A good massage is a conversation with a part of the mind that existed long before we started naming things."
Similarly any service provided with the spirit of generosity and compassion – whether it’s auto-repair, music-making, or therapy - reawakens the part of us that wants to give and to receive care. Every good work is some form of touch, some sensitive contact. The ways we touch are infinite.
Massage embodies that realization. It is one of the non-verbal humanities. It is the language that existed before we could speak.
Get deeper into touch and exploring how the ways you touch this world may help and encourage people to know and claim their human and social rights.
Love says, you are worthy, you matter. This world is a better place because you are here. Though we may touch only one person at a time, there is no definable limit to the centrifugal force of love.
“Although attempting to bring about world peace through the internal transformation of individuals is difficult, it is the only way.”
- H.H. Dalai Lama
