Blog

Dear Reader:

Welcome to my very first blog!

This blog represents the next step of faith in a journey I never could have imagined ten years ago, a path full of unexpected turns, rich discoveries and shared connections—personal connections to some of you who might be reading at this very moment, as well as a larger sense of shared practice, kinship, and brotherhood with many of you whom I will never meet.

What I now call “Touch Practice” began as an effort to explore and heal my own body. I thought of it as something I created, something invented or made up, just for me. I slowly realized that while it was profoundly healing for me, it also seemed to have tremendous benefit for others, and so it became something for “we” rather than something just for “me.” I began to think of Touch Practice as a form of partnership.

Next, I understood that something I imagined I had created or invented myself actually existed before I found it— Touch Practice is more accurately something I discovered, something I became aware of rather than creating. I came to understand that this aspect of touch has probably existed in an infinite variety of forms for, no doubt, thousands of years. I have begun to understand its relationship to other forms of healing touch, such as massage, partnered yoga, Reiki, and plain old everyday hugs.

My experience today is that Touch Practice has a life of its own, a life seemingly beyond my direction. Quite by accident, I found myself holding a few men who had served recently as soldiers, and began to understand another facet of the healing aspects of touch. The work has taken me at one point to erotic edges I never thought I would be comfortable exploring, and it has also taken me into a realm of fully-clothed, non-erotic practice which has been more profound than I might ever have imagined.

While this specific expression of touch— what I have come to call Touch Practice— has some unique and authentic connection to me personally, I do not see myself as the inventor, creator, owner or designer of this work. It existed before me, and will have a life of its own both during and after my lifetime. I am but a caretaker for the work, a carrier, a practitioner, a partner. My goal is to practice in this life with integrity and commitment, advance the work, make others aware of it, and hand it off to those who will come after me. I welcome you on this fascinating journey into our bodies.

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!