The True Magic of Touch
By Richard Gordon

For decades, physicians and psychologists have been praising the tremendous value and importance of touch. Studies have shown that babies who are not touched will not grow as quickly as their counterparts who are held regularly.

Beyond slow growth, these babies often have weakened immune systems and are more subject to illness. Babies who are profoundly deficient in their need to be touched, may also suffer severe emotional damage and even violent behaviour. Psychology studies have also shown the devastating impact of not being touched in experiments with monkeys take away from their mothers.

If touch deprivation is abusive, then it stands to reason that abundant touch would be healthy and beneficial. In Jean Liedloff's excellent book, 'The Continuum Concept', she discussed how children of the stone age Yequana Indians, living in a 'primitive' community in the Brazilian jungle, were held constantly when they were young. As the children grew up, they exhibited no violent behaviour.

In her two and one half years with this tribe, she realized that children willingly obeyed their elders, and that toddlers played peacefully together without arguing or fighting. Consider that in our 'modern' society, it is still a common practice for babies to be separated form their mothers at birth due to medical intervention in maternity wards. These isolated babies hear nothing but the crying of other newborns. Away from the arms of their mothers, they cry themselves to sleep.

The question I am raising is this: What is touch, and what makes it so important? If touch were merely physical contact, a mechanical rocker and a moving piece of rabbit fur could provide a baby's touch needs. But I do not believe that the value of touch is merely physical. I believe that it is much more than just he mechanics of being stroked. In my opinion, the true value of touch is the life-force energy and the love - in that touch.....

Healing work is all about love, and the practitioner learns to hold a vibratory field of this love. To clarify my terms, when I say 'love,' I am not speaking in the traditional sense of the sort of love that a mother has for a child, a husband for a wife, or about a winged cherub with a bow and arrow. I'm speaking of a more basic form of love - one that is more innate and intrinsic.

Have you ever watched children play? They seem to always say 'Watch me!' So whether you are from the child's culture or any other culture, whether you speak the language or not, if you sit there simply watching that child he or she will feel loved. Simply giving your attention to a child is automatically experienced as an act of loving.

This is what I call nonenculaturated or nonassociative love because it has nothing to do with your background, your race, religion, politics, or other beliefs you may hold. Quantum-Touch is about being present, which is an expression of your essence.

I would call this kind of love 'preconditional' and believe that your very nature and essence is made up of the fabric of love. Whether you believe it is there or not (in my opinion) is irrelevant. This love is the essential nature of your being that comes through your hands regardless of our mood. Your fundamental, instinctive, and most basic energy is that of love.

You don't have to work at it - it is who you are. As a rock doesn't have to try to be more 'rocklike' and water doesn't have to try to be wetter, we don't have to try to have more essence of love. We can, however, endeavour to acknowledge how much love there really is.

Intent is something that happens so automatically, most people just miss it. When you simply walk across the room, you have already generated the intention to do so. You see, love and intention are among the most natural qualities we have. So don't worry. If you are reading this book to learn to do healing, you already have sufficient love and intention to do a wonderful job.

This is an edited extract from Richard Gordon's book Quantum Touch - The Power to Heal published by North Atlantic Books, ISBN 1-55643-393-X For more information on Quantum Touch and practitioners in your area visit the main web site at www.quantumtouch.com