The Importance of Gathering, Talking, and Touching: What We Can Do Now

As a continuation of the previous post, or perhaps something more,

I would like to write in a bit more detail about what I,
as a Tapping Touch instructor,
have been working on since right after the pandemic began.

I hope to share the effects and changes that have come from practicing "gathering, talking, and touching."

The things discussed at these gatherings also changed as the situation evolved with each passing session.

In the spring of 2020, when the novel coronavirus began to spread.
When the Tapping Touch instructor gatherings first started,

we couldn't conduct our activities.
Schools were closed, and we couldn't see the students. I was worried about the children.
Even with family, it was painful not being able to visit or see them in hospitals or nursing facilities.
Alone at home. Not talking to anyone. Unable to talk.

Nurses, municipal staff, and others were

in a state of chaos with tasks different from their usual work,
unable to rest,
with no time to grieve,
working while colleagues were infected and they themselves lived in fear of infection while accepting patients,
and even though they were completely overwhelmed with stress,
they continued to work without being able to care for themselves.

Feelings that cannot be expressed in front of colleagues or family,
and tears that could not be shed,
can be safely released in the space where our peers gather.

And by letting that pain out,
hope can enter the space that has opened up.

Tapping Touch naturally draws out your inherent strength.

Since it is a Tapping Touch instructor gathering,
the agenda is, "How are you utilizing Tapping Touch under these circumstances?"

Tapping Touch with a friend and their child using LINE video calls

I reported on
how I used LINE video calls to do Tapping Touch with a friend and their child.

Zoom hadn't really permeated society yet.
Usually, I communicate with mom friends via LINE.
With LINE, there's no need to send addresses like you would for Zoom.
You just contact them as usual on your smartphone.
(I just asked them in advance to be able to fix their smartphone in place.)

The biggest concern with the sudden school closures was that children could no longer talk or play with their friends. (Playing outside was also prohibited. The younger the children were, the more faithfully they followed the teachers' instructions. At that time, my daughter was in second grade.)

So, we did Tapping Touch as parent and child over LINE video calls.

The words and actions of peers become a source of strength

I am a junior among the instructors.
Everyone has a track record as an expert (in psychology, education, nursing, caregiving, etc.) and as an instructor, and they are my seniors in life.

I encountered Tapping Touch while struggling with child-rearing,
and because I was drawn to how simple, gentle, yet profound Tapping Touch is,
I became an instructor.

I wanted mothers raising children to feel relaxed and at ease.
When a mother relaxes and smiles, her child naturally becomes happy too.
So, I was using Tapping Touch in my child-rearing support activities.

Because of that, at this time, I started with us—my child and me.
I knew that doing it together with everyone would be even more healing and energizing,
so I did it with close friends and their children.

Then, I sent an email to the association. (Previous article）
“Please help us.”
“There is a limit to what we parents and children can do alone.”
“Tapping Touch is something I want many people to do right now.
However, we can no longer carry out activities outside as we used to.
First, when we instructors care for ourselves with Tapping Touch.
But I cannot do it alone.
I want to gather. I want you to guide us.”

The seniors and juniors who gathered
were confused.
They were full of anxiety.

Even on the small screen of a smartphone,
we were able to connect and do Tapping Touch
together!

With 15 minutes of Tapping Touch,
we were healed.
We felt relieved.

Smiles and laughter returned to the children!
I was able to see parents and children smiling gently at each other.

And by seeing that sight of each other's parent-child pairs,
we felt even more at ease,
and joy welled up.

To my report,
everyone nodded.
Brightness returned.

“That’s right. There are ways to do it, aren't there?”
“I’m not good with computers or the internet, but...”
“Let’s cooperate with each other.”

After that, there were many reports of
not being able to do it
and being in trouble
for several months.

But by holding repeated gatherings on Zoom, everyone got used to Zoom.
The association also started online courses,
and they even held courses for instructors to learn how to hold their own online sessions.

Even if it’s just 15 minutes a day, or one hour a month

If you had to compare your mood today to a fruit, what would it be?

What kind of animal are you today?

The gathering begins by having each person answer questions like these
as a way of greeting.

Even if you are feeling down, you tend to hide it from friends or at work, don't you?
Sometimes you don't even want to admit it to yourself.
But it is important to know your own mood for the day.

By doing this without getting too serious,
“If it were an animal...?”
“If it were a fruit...?”
Through associations from there, it can become fun.
I think it's also good that it's not just a binary choice between feeling good or bad.

Also, don't you get curious about what others are doing?
It becomes fun, doesn't it?

And,

We will all do one form of self-care called 'Arm-Only Walk'.

Even if you have slept well, doing the 'Arm-Only Walk' will make you yawn.
That is how much it relaxes you.
Conversely, if you are too relaxed, it will activate you.

We will share those realizations from today.
We will report on our recent situations.

When we gather and talk, mysterious things happen.

Synchronicity occurs.

Reports from people in completely different fields or with completely different circumstances,
create a chain of hints and realizations.

There is no such thing as unnecessary talk.

I believe the people at the Dream Consultation Room are holding chat sessions,
because they truly understand these things.

And then again,

Finally, we will do the self-care 'Cat's Paw-Stepping Version'.

When COVID first started and everyone was struggling,
Dr. Ichiro Nakagawa, a clinical psychologist and the developer of Tapping Touch, guided us.

Ichiro Nakagawa wrote the following text in March 2020.

And since the instructors have started to feel more energetic, we have been taking turns guiding each month.

The foundation of Tapping Touch is mutual tapping in pairs. We take turns being the one who receives and the one who gives. (The giver also feels very healed. In the beginning, I actually preferred giving over receiving.)

However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are alone. Not only do we have to keep our distance and cannot gather due to COVID, but many people are working from home alone, and even those with families may find it hard to ask them to join in.

Even our instructor gatherings are attended by each person individually from their own homes, so we do self-care together.

Is the effect doubled when we do self-care together?

Perhaps it is because a veteran instructor is guiding us, or because we take the time to do it properly (don't you find that even if you set aside time at home, you end up worrying about chores or work? The effect of taking that time to participate in the gathering—to take time for self-care—is significant. Also, while it's easy to end up doing a simplified version when you're alone, having a trained instructor guide you allows you to fully enjoy the benefits of Tapping Touch).

Even though it's the same self-care, it's different from when I do it alone.

Even though I'm alone, I'm not alone. It's great to do it with everyone.

Every time, many participants share that sentiment.

I often participate with my daughter, and people tell me, 'Just watching the two of you moving in sync on the monitor is healing,' or 'It gives me energy.'

Let's share the time to gather, talk, and do Tapping Touch with everyone here on note too!

Maka's Membership

I would like to share the time to gather, talk, and do Tapping Touch with all of you on note every month.

So, I'm utilizing note membership! I'll be starting in September. Thank you for your support.

The benefits of Tapping Touch are not limited to what I wrote last time and this time; there are psychological, physical, and relational effects based on scientific data.

I would like to talk about those things slowly as well. I would like people to participate even if it's just because their shoulders and necks are stiff from using computers and smartphones for long hours.

Self-care done with everyone is wonderful, but when I did self-care by myself every day for a week, my chronic neck and shoulder stiffness disappeared. (This is a personal impression. Tapping Touch is not a treatment but a method of care, and the developer always tells us that the importance lies in taking time to care for yourself and others, rather than seeking results.)

What about the September Dream☆Consultation Room☆Chat Session?

Tapping Touch used in all kinds of situations

There is so much I want to share.

There are many videos I want to show you and many things I want to talk about while seeing your face.

And above all, I want you to experience it.

It can truly be done with peace of mind by everyone from babies to the elderly.

It is also used in corporate training and the like.
(It is not just for mental care, but because it has an effect on relationships, it can also help workplace communication become smoother and more active.)

Please feel free to contact us!