As I step out of my familiar surroundings and dip my toe back into the world, I have run into so many people I haven't seen since the pandemic began. Seeing people I adore after so long makes me want to give each and every one of them a big hug. But can I? I'm a hugger by nature but since covid hugging has become taboo and now post vaccinations, I'm uncertain on how to proceed. So every time I see someone I ask, "Can we hug?!' And the answer has been a resounding YES!
And what an amazing feeling it is to hug another human being. I've missed it and I have craved it, and every time I hug someone I realize how much my system has been affected by this basic lack of human connection.
We are relational beings wired for connection. As Dr Perry describes it in his new book with Oprah Winfrey, What Happened To You: 'We are a social species; we are meant to be in community - emotionally, socially, and physically connected with others. If you look at the fundamental organization and functioning of the human body, including the brain, you will see that so much of it is intended to help us create, maintain, and manage social interactions. We are relational creatures'.
Nowhere is this more apparent than in my live yoga classes. When I first returned to live studio classes, I thought I shouldn't touch people and give them adjustments so I kept my distance and refrained from doing it. Then in my next class I decided to ask people if they wanted adjustments and give them if requested. What I experienced was remarkable. I could literally feel people's bodies melt and soften in my hands and I could feel their energy shift. It was like watering a plant after being in a drought and watching it bloom again. After class, every single person was astonished and commented on how good it felt for them. The power of touch and connection cannot be underestimated and as Dr Perry describes it, it is essential to not only our own wellbeing, but for our survival, and it is the biggest determiner in our personal health and healing.
My hope is that as you all step back out into the world, you reconnect with those you love and seek out connections that make you feel seen, heard and understood. It is the ultimate antidote to fully recover and heal from the effects of this last year.
Amy Owen
Yoga Instructor + Birth Coach
