Skin, Therapeutic touch and the Nervous System

Touch is so powerful.

Whatever the modality- be it Deep tissue, Gentle massage, or Fascial techniques, the more I grow in my work, the clearer it is to me that what I’m doing as a manual therapist is having a conversation with another person’s nervous system.

In the earliest stage of our embryonic development, the skin and the nervous system develop from the same tissue layer– the ectoderm.

You can’t really separate the two as they are being made at the exact same time.

 Through life, skin is our interface with the world.

It is how we feel, receive and resist the outside.

When I’m massaging, my first (and really,only) layer of contact is with skin. Whenever I want to effect a change in a muscle pattern or connective tissue, it is through attuned touch that I have to ask the nervous system to allow the tissue to soften and relax.

It's a lovely perspective- I’ve started to experience the skin as a kind of messenger between the nervous system and muscular system.

 The wisdom of the Autonomic nervous system is used extensively in Ayurveda as part of its fabric, it's fundamental makeup, of how to facilitate healing in a person.

Lately, I find myself reflecting on how several Ayurvedic herbs that are Medhya rasayana (nourishing to the brain and nervous system) also happen to have indications for many skin issues.

Herbs like-

Brahmi, Guduchi, Shankhapushpi, Jatamansi, Sandalwood, Saffron, Rose, Lotus, Anantamul, Manjistha, Yashtimadhu...

For now, I just wanted to end with the thought that the sense of touch is governed by vata dosha which is also the main dosha involved in a large part of the nervous system’s functions.