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Healing Touch for Babies

Healing Touch for Babies course is coming to Penticton, BC. Sat & Sun. November 7 and 8 2009 More details

Healing Touch for Babies - A True Delight
by Rita Kluny, RN, CHTP/I

The experience of birth is truly one of Remembrance -- of the miracle of creation, of love, of Divine Presence. When looking into the eyes of a newborn, something in us stirs so deeply, perhaps the memory of our own innocence, the recollection of our original integrity.

In that moment, we are invited to drop the outer world, and let ourselves be brought back to Being. Yet, living from this state is a huge challenge in our speed-driven society. The added factor of the medicalization of the birthing process makes it difficult for a mom to stay grounded and become connected. The whole system is set up to “keep it all moving”.

Along with creating the Healing Touch for Babies (HTB) workshop, I work as a nurse, part time, in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. One day I went to the Transitional Nursery to help out. What surprised me was the standard practice routine for “normal” births. Babies scream during baths and exams, probably lamenting the abrupt separation from their moms. Once vital signs stabilize, the babies go out to moms who are recovering from drugs, and still not fully present to be able to connect to their babies.

Again, due to our fast cultures, I witnessed how painfully moms reacted when their babies did not immediately latch on, in the first moments of breastfeeding. Most of my attention went to the mom, and as she relaxed, the baby did as well, and even though I was not performing any Healing Touch techniques, I was “holding their hearts”.

It has become increasingly clear to me that baby and mom are energetically one and the same, from conception until about one year of age. So Healing Touch for Babies has expanded, like creation itself, and has deepened and matured. What started out as a modification of Healing Touch techniques has evolved into including prenatal and perinatal psychology, case studies about infant consciousness, and how the baby grows, develops, and communicates. The communication part is sophisticated and surprising as to how much a baby is aware and what they perceive.

My newest caveat, from my studies at the University of Spiritual Healing and Sufism, focuses on the awakening of the heart to be in constant Remembrance to the Love that created us. During the workshop, we practice deepening our spiritual alignment, our sense of being. This is especially crucial for the baby. This is all they want from their moms: to be with, to connect to, TO LOVE HER.

This in turn, feeds her heart and reminds her of her True Self. Often times, this happens of its own accord. Yet, we can deepen the impact when we focus on Intention. The act itself is the same but effect is more transformational. I am perhaps preaching to the choir, yet it is still worth mentioning. It is still very tricky even for me NOT to get too caught up in the doing and to remember to slow down and be. This really helps the baby; it is a more coherent energy to grasp than speed. So I remind myself to be deeply intentional, loving their presence, knowing that they are very much in relationship with me.

From changing diapers to feedings, I am paying attention, going slow, not multitasking. They need that. This example really illustrates the kind of influence you can have, even when you think that you don’t have time to be healing (for those of you who work in busy environments).

One mom sat with her baby who had been so premature that she had only seen him asleep during his visits. During this particular visit, he was wide-awake, and she was calling it to the attention of the other moms and nurses. There was nothing wrong with this, but I knew that more could happen if she gave him her undivided attention so I approached her and put my hand on the back of her heart. I silently set the stage with my intention, and she actually fell quiet. I bent down and softly told her how beautiful it was that he had so much love for her. She was taking it in now. Then I said, “Did you know that the chemistry in your baby’s brain starts developing, just by looking into his eyes with the love that only a mom has for her baby? That is how deeply your love feeds him.” Her eyes filled with tears. I left her side, and witnessed a mom transformed. It was a sweet tableau of mother and child as one heart. So rich, and so necessary, that allows this baby to have the capacity to attach, and to relate to others in the future.

When I watch the news and see so much pain and anguish, I wonder if this kind of intention would help. A study done in Scandinavia revealed that over 95% of the prisoners had history of birth trauma and/or prolonged separation from their mothers. This is not to say that one thing leads to another, but more to realize that early wounding that is not healed can create a lifelong template of pain in the future. And this is where my own deep intention lies.

Education and experience for the ultimate in healing. The HT Babies workshop is a rich journey into the essence of your own heart to fulfill its longing to live in Unity, which is how we start out. Broadening the understanding of what babies carry and what they need opens doorways that heal the past.

Whether you are a caregiver, a grandmother, midwife, mom, it holds a lot of relevance for deepening your love. The weekend workshop is two full days, first day being mostly Healing Touch basics, techniques, giving and receiving, and modifications for the babies. There is also deep experience into the focus of the heart.

The second day is devoted to baby consciousness, and perinatal psychology, a pioneer field that might actually result in true preventive healing. (Fresh wounding is so much more easily treated than chronic wounds!)

The second afternoon is devoted to practice: I do a demo after lunch, then volunteer moms/dads come with their babies, and everyone gets a treatment. No one wants to leave, the parents feel so nurtured by the healings. I will end by sharing some comments from students: “I learned so much about infant consciousness.” “I feel this is very valuable work.” “I learned a whole new way to interact with babies that really makes a difference in their levels of anxiety.”

Comments from volunteer moms who came to HTB:
“My baby was less fussy, and slept longer during night. Thanks for introducing us to HT.” “I saw my baby being able to relax more, even though it was past her naptime. For me, the HT healed my back!”

I invite you to participate in this healing frontier. There is still so much to learn about the mystery of life.

By Rita Kluny, Texas, USA

WHAT DOES 'HTB' DO?