The Dance of touch

I spent a week in West Cork doing the training ‘The Dance if touch’ with two incredible women, Erica Bhavni and Susie Keogh. Each year they host a training at An Sanctoir, a dreamy studio near Ballydehob, about a 6.5-hour drive from Belfast.

I travelled down with my friend David, fizzing with excitement for a week of learning, giving, and receiving bodywork. Over six days, Erica and Susie guided us through the many bodies we inhabit — the earthed body, the fluid body, the ecological body. Their teaching was in-depth yet beautifully slow, mirroring the pace and setting of An Sanctoir. No distractions, no phone, no “mammy duties.” It was the longest I’ve ever spent away from my daughter, and by the time it arrived, I really, really needed it. After a period of personal grief and challenges at home, I longed to be still, to be among fellow bodyworkers, to sit in meditation, and to share organic vegetarian food beneath an epic oak tree.

I stayed in a warm loft room in Dan’s house. Dan built the home with his own hands over 24 years. A kind, generous man, he often cooked for those of us staying at An Sanctoir.

I learned so much that week — to listen more deeply, to sit with another’s stillness, to connect fully, to go slower, to be playful. I remembered the soft stillness inside me, and also the silliness — those childlike qualities I hadn’t touched in so long. During one exercise we placed our hand on our partners sternum- it was for around 10 minutes, but time stretched out and I found myself so connected to my partner - through her fascia, inside her heart cavity, feeling the ebb and flow of the breath. A very special moment for me.

Every day was different. Each body brought different needs and desires. Bodywork is such a vital practice for well-being; to be touched in a safe, clear, and healing way creates ripples that last long after the moment. By the end of the week, after so much receiving, my hips felt like soft caramel, my legs felt long, and my spine felt glorious.

It’s not often you receive 14 massages in one week! — but I did. I left feeling renewed, light, and full of vigour for the wonderful work of massage and healing. Erica and Susie are truly special women, sharing their knowledge with such generosity. On the last night, we sang around a campfire under a full moon and I felt so bloody grateful to have been able to spend some time away to charge myself up and come home with some peace and ease in my bones.