Functional Integration ~What is "touch" to us? ~
Since our “social distancing” began due to COVID-19 pandemic, I have started to think and learn the meaning of Functional Integration (FI, one on one session of Feldenkrais Method) more in depth as I’m currently in my Feldenkrais training. Moshe Feldenkrais, the pioneer of Feldenkrais Method, defines his FI in his book called The Elusive Obvious, “Functional integration turns to the oldest elements of our sensory system—touch, the feeling of pull and pressure; the warmth of the hand, its caressing stroke.” I also remembered one of my professors at the college saying how our hands—touch were traditionally used to heal a person. Some people may not believe it but as I have been working as a PT assistant in an inpatient setting during this COVID-19 pandemic, I recalled my professor’s words and started to think the meaning of “touch.”
From this “social distancing,” I have been seeing unfortunate changes in mental health among geriatric population while I’m working at an inpatient rehabilitation facility. Many of them gradually decline their cognition. They seek for their loved ones visiting them soon. They are also confused why they are not taken care by their loved ones while their family has been doing “window visit” and or “FaceTime” to connect with them. Some of them started losing their appetite possibly due to depression while others mention that they prefer ending their lives. Few of my patients asked me to hug and kiss them. I have also seen higher mortality rate in the past few months. Although this rate is not directly as a result of COVID-19, (I personally think) it is more likely related to “social distancing” because of unknown conditions.
One day, when I was taking a blood pressure on one of my patients, my hand touched her fingers and she started to touch my hand back. For the moment while she was holding my hand, I sensed how she missed “human” contact and “touch.” I began to wonder what “touch” means to us. Since I started my Feldenkrais training, we have been learning how to process our self organization both our body and mind. At the same time, “touch” is also the biggest theme of our learning in FI. I am learning how to connect people by touching. But what does it mean to“connect?” I think “touch” is to identify ourselves and a way to connect with ourselves and others.
After I realized it, I met a patient who didn’t want to get out of her bed for several days. I asked her why she didn’t want to get out of her bed. She said “Because I’m leaving soon. Grave is coming.” After I educated her benefits of getting out of bed as an activity from a PT standpoint, she agreed to sit up in her wheelchair. When I was working on passive range of motion on her both legs, I organized myself and hands in order to ground myself. I touched her feet like I do during my FI practice. I was “listening” (sensing) to her feet and observing her face at the same time. In few minutes of this work, I was able to see interesting phenomena. She started to look into her foot and looked like she had a moment to think and sense her body. It happened again when I touched her other side of foot. She looked different when I left her room because her face expression became softer and calmer.
At this moment, I appreciated what I have been learning from my Feldenkrais training. I was also excited to see some possibilities/hopes for people. Now my answer to the question of what is “touch” to us as a human is everybody touches each other to feel “better,” don’t we?
Reference: Feldenkrais M (1981). The Elusive Obvious— Functional Integration. p.121. Meta Publications.
