Physician Health and Well-Being: Mindfulness of Your Hands
By John A. Patterson MD, MSPH, FAAFP, ABIHM
Founding co-chair LMS Physician Wellness Program
Massage was one of the first complementary therapies widely accepted by the general public, health professionals and insurers. It is no wonder that ancient healing traditions and modern science both have high regard for this most basic of human needs. We are social creatures. Human touch is central to our very survival as infants. Touch deprivation is a risk factor for physical and emotional conditions in infants, children and adults.
The social isolation of Covid created a pandemic of social distancing, touch deprivation, emotional stress and isolation. Many are delaying massage appointments until they feel safer with such physical contact.
But if you have one or two hands that function properly, you have the tools to promote your well-being using ancient forms of self-care, self-healing and self-compassion. Here are some simple and gentle suggestions for connecting to your own inner resources for healing.
Begin with an intention– You can maximize the therapeutic benefit of self-touch by stating a clear intention, aligning with your inner resources and remembering why you need self-care. Simply acknowledging your worthiness for self-care and your intention to honor your self-care needs is not selfish. Rather, you might dedicate this practice to the benefit of your patients, family, friends, pets, co-workers and all of Creation.
Filling up your cup– Despite our best intentions to serve others, we are limited by our own physical, mental and emotional well-being. You can’t pour water from an empty cup. But if you fill your own cup first by nurturing your own well-being, you can sustain your ability to serve others. Fill your own cup first so it can overflow in service to others.
Contemplating your hands– I learned a beautiful practice from Sister Emily Nabholz, former president of Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Bardstown KY. She had graduate degrees in nursing and public health and was an early exponent of holistic health of body, mind and spirit. She believed we humans are not physical beings with a spirit but spiritual beings with a body. She was also a reiki master, practicing a form of spiritual energy healing using hands on or slightly off the body. She taught me and my medical students the practice of contemplating hands prayerfully at any time. You can do this by simply gazing into your hands, looking at your hands with eyes of compassion, seeing your own acts of kindness done with these hands and seeing your mother, father and all your ancestors right there in the palms of your hands. Then rubbing your palms together until you feel warmth generated in your palms, place your palms softly over your eyes, feeling the intention to be kind to yourself. Feel your own worthiness of this time for yourself- not in a self-centered way but serving yourself as a foundation of selfless service to others.
Self massage– You deserve your own kindness. You deserve your own compassion. You deserve your own gentle, loving touch. Feel yourself being kind to yourself as you allow tight muscles to relax. Use whatever techniques that appeal to you- perhaps gentle light touch over the eyes and face, long strokes over the arms and legs, deeper kneading of the feet and careful stroking of the abdomen. Even 5 minutes can connect you to your intention of self-care, your own worthiness, your own kindness, your own stress-related chronic conditions – and add a palpable dimension of kind intention to your touching family and patients.
Be kind– It is said that the truest measure of our progress in our quest to live an ethical, empathic, compassionate life is the degree to which we are becoming increasingly kind. Kindness begins at home, with yourself. As you touch and stroke your body, remember that you can search the whole world over and not find another creature more deserving of your kindness than yourself. Allow yourself to feel this permission and intention to be kind to yourself.
Mindfulness is heartfulness– All religions, spiritual paths and wisdom traditions share a common theme of heart-centered reverence, contemplation, prayer, meditation, friendliness, generosity, service and kindness. Ancient symbols for mindfulness can also be translated as heartfulness. As you mindfully practice self-touch, periodically bring your hands to your heart, connecting to your heart center, to your own kindness and self-compassion.
Mindfulness is remembering your heart, anywhere, anytime- this moment, this day, this life, this breath, your deepest heartfelt desire, meaning, purpose and values. You can do this by
mindfully contemplating your hands, touching yourself with kindness, filling your cup of kindness and letting it overflow in service to others.
May you be well.
Resources-
I have recorded several guided mindfulness practices (including loving kindness) you can access at the Mind Body Studio website
http://www.mindbodystudio.org/?page_id=1594
About the Author–
Dr Patterson is past president of the Kentucky Academy of Family Physicians and is certified in family medicine, mind body medicine, integrative holistic medicine, mindfulness-based stress reduction, physician coaching and yoga therapy. He is on the faculty of Saybrook College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences (Pasadena), the Center for Mind Body Medicine (Washington, DC) and U of Rochester’s Mindful Practice in Medicine. He operates the Mind Body Studio in Lexington, where he offers classes, consultations and coaching to manage stress-related conditions and prevent burnout. He can be reached through his website at www.mindbodystudio.org
