Have you noticed that almost everything you do involves your hands?
The five phalanges and the palm of each hand make a lot of little things happen in your life.
From the moment they grab the steering wheel in your car to take you into your day until they pull the covers under your chin as you drift into sleep, they are your body’s “soldiers”.
(“phalanges” is from a Greek word meaning “the army formation in which soldiers stand several rows deep”.)
My question to you is this: How often do you pay attention to your hands? Do you perform a self-care routine on them? Take a look at your hands right now and notice them for just a moment. What do you see?
Let me offer you an exercise and a self-care routine you might find useful:
First, the hand and fingertip exercise: Bring one hand near your ear and notice what you hear or feel; then, repeat this action with your other hand. Finally, bring your thumb to the pinky side of each hand and slide it up across your fingertips. What do you feel? What do you sense? It’s almost as if your fingers have a mind of their own; isn’t it
If this exercise feels a little awkward, it’s okay. Actions that make us stop and notice can be awkward at first. The intention of this activity is to notice your hands – in the present moment.
Now for the hand-care routine: I do my intentional 30-minute hand-care routine on the weekends after preparing my morning coffee. I make a concoction of natural ingredients (yogurt, honey, and a blend of essential oils) and rub my hands and arms with it. As I do this, it feels almost as if these appendages of mine are somehow separate from me. I experience a sense of appreciation of what my hands and arms do for me.
See how the hand / fingertip exercise and a little hand self-care can help you be more aware and appreciative of your hands as you type on your keyboard, swing that golf club, grasp the handlebar of your bike, turn the pages of a book, or stir the sauce cooking on your stove.
Your body is alive and communicates with you. It tells you when it’s in pain and when it’s feeling good. The key is to listen to what your body is telling you and respond.
I first understood this notion of the communication between ourselves and our bodies in a new way when I read a book by Jon Lieff, MD, called The Secret Language of Cells. In an interview when the book first came out in September of 2020, Dr. Lieff said this, “Everywhere I looked cells were talking to each other, just like brain cells, and these conversations determined biological activity throughout the body, not just in the brain.” A reviewer of the book put it this way, “Your cells are talking about you…Join the conversation.”
At Nature’s Whisper Healing Arts, in the month of December, I’m offering you a gift – a complimentary, one-time-only, 15-minute hand massage to care for your hands during this time of year when your hands’ workload increases – all that wrapping and carrying of packages!
Take advantage of our free offer by adding it to any massage of your choice, or simply come in for the hand massage alone.
You’ll notice that, on the website of Nature’s Whisper Healing Arts (https://www.NaturesWhisper.Life), under the massage tab, you can schedule your session directly from there. Or, if you prefer to call us, we can schedule your sessions via phone at 925.838.3188.
