7:
What's in
a hug?
by Fae Mooney

When I was a
little girl my Mom
made me a hug-
me-tight. It’s a
bolero-style
sweater with three-

_ quarter length
raglan-type sleeves
knit in a large
rectangle. The
rectangle is folded §
in half length-ways §
and stitched closed
along the sides
opposite to the
fold, but only from
the width edge along the length to one-third on each side, leaving the
width ends and the centre third open. It’s a strange-sounding sweater,
I admit, but on a rainy summer day it’s warm as a hug.

That brings us to the topic for today — hugs.

Kathleen Keating has written an embraceable book on hugging.
The Hug Therapy Book is an affectionate look at the art, skill
and psychology of hugs.

“Hugging is an instinct,’’ Ms. Keating begins, ‘a natural
response to feelings of affection, compassion, need and joy. Hug-
ging is also a science, a simple method of support, healing and
growth, with measurable and remarkable results.’’

The sensation of touch is not only enjoyable, it is necessary for
both physical and emotional well-being. Of our five senses, touch
is the least specialized. But by exercising our sense of touch we
can increase our sensitivity in physical ways as well as emotional-
ly.

Touching, experts claim, is a powerful human need, Hugging .
adds to our health and our joy of living at an individual level and
collectively provides a more moving, nurturing society. A per-
sonal benefit of hugging is the fostering of self-worth and a
desire to take better care of ourselves. ‘‘It makes you more ac-
cepting of yourself... by helping you realize that you are a... a
huggable person.’

What can a-hug do? Therapeutic touch can help relieve pain,
depression, anxiety; it can bolster a sick person’s will to live; it
can help all of us to grow and thrive.

A hug can:

@ improve our outlook

@ encourage unselfishness

@ ease fears and loneliness

@ help curb the appetite (“‘we eat less when we are nourished by

hugs’’)

@ alleviate tension

® condition arm and shoulder muscles

@ help us to sleep better (especially when hugged at bedtime)

@ keep us younger longer

® impart a feeling of belonging.

The power of hugging:

@ it’s energy-efficient

© it’s ecologically compatible and environmentally safe

@ it’s affordable, portable and adaptable

@ it’s non-judgmental

@ 2nd its benefits are guaranteed to last long after the hug has

ended.

Given or received: A hug makes an unbearable day more
bearable; a hug puts a rainbow in a cloudy sky. A hug makes a
happy day happier, a sunny day sunnier, a special moment more
special, a memorable experience more memorable. A hug fills an
empty space. A hug enriches our lives. ‘‘A hug makes you feel
good all day.’’

Kathleen Keating goes on to describe in her book a variety of
hugs. Let’s try out a few of hers, and some of our own:

Bear Hug: Named after those who do it best. In a bear hug the
bodies of the hugger and huggee touch in a powerful, but brief,
clench. Feelings experienced during a bear hug are warmth, sup-
port and security.

A-frame Hug: A formal and polite hug where only the cheeks,
arms and shoulders of the huggers are touching. The sensation of
respectful warmth and gentle caring is felt with the A-frame hug.

Cheek Hug: ‘The cheek hug is a very tender, gentle hug that
often has a spiritual quality. It can be experienced comfortably
sitting down, standing up, or even with one sitting and one stand-
jing, as full body contact is not necessary... The cheek hug often
stirs deep feelings of kindness, especially when participants are
close friends.”’— -

_. Sandwich Hug: A hug for three, the sandwich hug is of the
lesser-known variety. It’s a cozy hug where all three bodies are’ .
snuggled together. It offers a sense of security to the huggee in

~ the middle.
“~ Grabber-squeezer Hug: This one holds the record for brevity.
Kathleen Keating describes it this way: The hugger dashes up to

and throws arms around the huggee, gives a fast squeeze before
letting go and dashing off. The huggee, in order to receive max-
imum benefit from the G-S hug, must give a squeeze in return.
(Makes me think of the proposed G.S.Tax — I don’t think I like
this hug).

Other types of Hugs: Self-explanatory are the Group Hugs.
The Side-to-side Hug is a mutual hugger hug. The side-to-side
hug, an embrace executed with each hugger’s arm around the
other hugger, is usually indulged in while walking, waiting or just
standing. And then there is the Back-to-front Hug, also known as
the Waist-grabber Hug. And the Custom-tailored Hug: the |
custom-tailored hug is the hug that fits and feels best. A Proxy
Hug is for when no hugger is around for a huggee. In this situa-
tion the huggee becomes the hugger and the proxy huggee isa
pet. When accompanied by a happy thought and patting and
stroking of the huggee, the proxy hug can still be beneficial.

Give yourself a Hug: You can give yourself a hug by embrac-
ing a fond memory, a past success, a cherished moment, a
dream... Even an imagined or anticipated hug can affect us as
strongly as the real thing.

Send a Hug: Knit a hug-me-tight for someone you miss.

The best of the Hugs: Considered by expert huggers to be the
highest form of hugging is the Heart-centred Hug. Says expert
Keating, with the heart-centred hug the hearts embrace as well as
the bodies. ‘‘The hug is firm, yet gentle... is full and lingering,
caring and tender, open and genuine, supportive and strong.”

The best time for a Hug: “Some are morning, up-and-at-‘em
huggers. Some are evening, thank-heaven-the-day-is-over huggers.
Some like to hug at high noon... The feelings that bring on a hug
— affection, sympathy, caring, just plain joy — can happen at
any time of day... And hugs scattered through the day will help
to maintain a sense of well-being, belonging and self-esteem.”
When is the best time for a hug? Now. Any time. Hug often.
But...

‘May I have this hug?’’

Hugging is for everyone, but not everyone may want a hug.
Here is some hugging etiquette:

_ First of all, and most importantly, a hug is not a lovers’ em-
brace. It’s a show of compassion, not passion. A hug should be

- comforting, supportive, friendly, even playful.

As hugger, be sure to ask permission of the huggee before giv-
ing a hug. .

It is perfectly acceptable as huggee, when you feel the need for
a hug, to request one. |

Slogans for a happier life:

“HUG FOR HEALTH” ©
“BETTER HUGS THAN DRUGS!”
“HUGGING PREVENTS WARS!”

Blessings: William Butler Yeats wrote, ‘‘If soul may look and
body touch, which is the more blest?’’

‘“‘To know the deep, deep pleasure of a warm embrace,’’ is
Kathleen Keating’s answer.

Mine too. Hug me tight.

— orthwest

Ride for

Sight nets |

$7,500

by Harriett Fjangesund

There’s no final tally for

money raised by the nation-wide
Ride for Sight, but local figures
are in — $6,276.25 was collected
in donations, and just over
$1,000 was raised at the auction.
The Terrace Roadrunners
Motorcycle club then decided to
round that figure off by making
a donation of their own, bring-

ing the final total up to-$7,500.

The interim total for B.C. is
$21,800.

Top money collectors in the
Northwest were Gary McAvoy
of Terrace with $1,118 and Pirjo
McPhail of Vanderhoof with
$811. Co-ordinator James
Gilham said they had excellent
support from over 60 businesses
who not only donated items for
the auction, but also made the
public aware of this year’s Ride
for Sight sponsor, the Terrace
Roadrunners Motorcycle club.

He added that he hopes na-
tional figures will be in soon, but
that these things take time
because of all the individuals in-
volved in collecting and submit-
ting figures,

Donor money raised at the.
Ride for Sight goes to the RP
Eye Research Foundation that
supports scientists working in
Canadian universities and
teaching hospitals to find a cure
for Retinitis Pigmentosa, a pro-
gressive degeneration of the retina.
Canadian scientists are recognized
worldwide for their work in this
field of research.

30% OFF

almost everything
in the store

@ dresses

@ co-ordinates
@ casual wear

@ housecoats

2? for 1

on selected hosiery.

Roses Poop

635-4550

Summer Clearance and —

Pre-moving Sale
Starts July 23rd

4605 Lazelle Ave., Terrace 7 -

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