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[editor’s note: Last weekend, I offered a Touch Practice session to a young writer, and following our session, I asked him if he would be interested in writing about his experience for this week’s blog. I’m so grateful that he took me up on the offer! Here is Bennett’s story of his experience in Touch Practice.]

It was a Friday morning. I lay (slightly hungover) in bed, my roommate snoring ten feet away. We’d gone out with friends the night before, and I’d woken somewhat damp with sweat, clutching my pillow in the fetal position. After a quick shower and two Tylenol, I went on Scruff like I do every morning to check if I had any messages, and to check out anyone nearby. I wasn’t looking for sex – what I wanted was mere company. The previous night had been a long one, full of old drama between new friends, and I was beginning to question some of the relationships I’d made in my first few months at college. I felt the need to connect with someone genuine, to tighten some inner-knot I felt had come loose.

“Friendly, snuggly cuddly guy, warm and open…looking for buddies who like to hug and be held,” read the profile. It was almost hard to believe at first – guys on these apps are typically looking for what comes before the cuddling. But a link to the Touch Practice website convinced me, and I could sense what “snugglebud” was offering probably transcended the typical. Also, a cuddle session sounded like just the remedy I needed. So I gave it a shot, and got more than I’d ever imagined.

The hour I spent working with Kevin was at once meditative, rejuvenating, and therapeutic. I noticed at the beginning of our session that my breathing was shallow and uneven – not because I was nervous (I had immediately felt at ease with him), but because I was still carrying so much tension from the night before. Once I established the true “boundary” my body, however, and let it flow into Kevin’s with the standing hug, my breath began to slow and to deepen. By the time we had transitioned to sitting work, I could sense a complete release. Our breathing would occasionally synch-up, and it felt as if each contact point had become a tiny vacuum for negative energy. I could literally feel the stress begin to dissipate.

When prompted at one point to do some “exploration,” it was as if my hands took on a mind of their own – my body felt anchored by its connection with Kevin’s, but my hands felt the need to roam free. Where they landed was not the result of a conscious decision on my part; rather, they were drawn along a certain trajectory by some invisible force. It felt much like playing with a Ouija board – allowing a spiritual presence do all of the maneuvering.

Each transition flowed rather seamlessly, and every new position brought me deeper into relaxation. My favorite position was the horizontal “froggy.” It allowed contact with nearly every part of the body, and facilitated an almost dream-like sense of calm and stillness. It must have something to do with the flow of yin energy touched on in the last blog post…

By the end, my body and mind had been spent. The effect, however, was nothing like actual fatigue or exhaustion. On the contrary, I felt fifty pounds lighter. Every ounce of tension had melted, and that inner-knot now felt tighter than ever. My hour with Kevin was much more than a cuddle session – it was a reaffirmation of the potential bond between two brothers. It was a reinstallment of my faith in new friendships, and physical proof of the intangible thread that weaves us all together.

Have thoughts you’d like to share?

Touch Practice is a sacred practice for me, and part of that is keeping confidences sacred. While a name and e-mail address are required to post a comment, feel free to use just your first name, or a pseudonym if you wish. Your e-mail address will never be seen by or shared with anyone. It is used to prevent spam and inappropriate comments from appearing in the blog. I’d really like to hear from you!