Personal wellness services such as facials, massage, and other spa therapies have reached a turning. The Wall Street Journal as of recent emphasized this trend in a spotlight comparing an AI powered robot massage to a traditional massage therapist. This underscores the evolving landscape of wellness. Advanced robotics, AI, technology and machines are here to stay. These mechanical innovations are playing a feature role in an industry where empathetic touch has been the primary reason participants wanted a personal reboot.
Many of us have felt the ramifications of “techno-stress” in our daily lives. It is now common to take part in some type of “digital detox” as a mental health action. When we turn to a wellness facility for relaxation, a prerequisite is the delivery of a service that is quintessentially human. When I was in my 20’s learning the nuances of the Spa industry I decided to attend massage school. This experience taught me more than how to massage. The knowledge of anatomy, somatic work, energy exchange and boundaries were key teachings. Taking an introductory massage class may expand our understanding of many subjects. No gadget can truly replace the effectiveness of human touch. The mother of all senses; touch is what we really yearn for even in these technological times. We suffer from touch starvation and are essentially wired to be touched from our beginnings.
There is a place for technology to assist rather than replace. As consumers we must ask these informed questions at the time of scheduling wellness services. Aside from massages, now facial services have revealed protocols where most of the work is done by a machine. In a recent facial I found the practitioners use of the machine omitted the facial massage and other tactile steps. As a consumer, communicating to wellness facilities the requirement for touch more than tech is a proactive way to ensure this will be noted.
The “chariot of touch” is a metaphor for our times. In the Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita the body is considered the chariot or the vehicle for how we process the world. The horses represent senses like touch. The mind represents the reins, and the driver is the charioteer.
Our bodies are a vehicle we have been gifted to navigate this world. One key ingredient is the capacity for sensation through tactile connection. In a world racing towards digital advancement lets place heightened importance upon touch and require this from our personal services. These are the services providing respite and tactile connection. Touch is the thread stitching humanity together. Without human touch we unravel.
