The Touch of Starlight

When we touch -- when we let our hands follow their own minds and reach across the lonely spaces and really, really touch -- it triggers our amazing brains to release endorphins: a chemical and hormonal melange more powerful than heroin. These microscopic substances, with no more substance than starlight, can literally change our lives in single stroke.

Endorphins block pain, dispel fatigue, dissolve stress and nurture peace and joy. They are safe, all natural, non-addictive and free. They are accessible and available to every human.

We usually think of the healing power of touch when we receive a massage. But the massage therapist, the giver, also receives an amazing rush of endorphins. The therapist eventually learns, either from experience or from natural affinity, that she is not giving a service, but rather sharing an experience, creating a world. A world where touch is the only reality.