Feeding The Flow Of Connection

Another hug study has come out. This one gives guidance to the pacing-challenged huggers among us, those who don’t know how long (or short) the greeting hug should be. We now have the official results: according to a recent study at the University of Dundee, the average hug lasts three seconds. That’s about half a breath, unless you hold your breath when you’re hugging. Enough to make contact, not enough to commit your whole future. Other studies have confirmed that hugs that bond, the hugs that nourish you and light up a cascade of pleasant brain chemicals, take twenty+ seconds. We call these wonder hugs.

I’m pleased to say that my informal observations indicate that hug greetings, even when meeting a new person and between men (and in Europe), are becoming more common. This could mean that the California demonstrative tendencies are spreading. It could mean that our increased focus on virtual communication is throwing nurturing needs out of whack, and humans are compensating by hugging more. How are your hugging habits evolving, and are you feeling nourished by your hugging choices?

One of my favorite moves in the world is to melt into Gay and feel our energies weaving as we hug, Something about standing and letting warmth, breathing, and real molecules meld together totally refreshes me. We hug a LOT during the day. Research indicates four hugs a day for survival, eight for maintenance, twelve for growth. I’m wondering if the twenty-second bonding hug counts for six of the social hugs? Ahh, where the mind goes…

To encourage your hugging, here’s one of our hug videos to remind you of the basic moves--in case it’s been a while.