HUG 

A HUG IS WARMING, SWEET, CARING, AND FULFILLING.

THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT YOU PASS EVERY DAY THAT WOULD GIVE ANYTHING FOR JUST ONE MEANINGFUL HUG.

TAKE A LOOK AROUND YOU, AND IF YOU PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION, YOU CAN FEEL THEM REACHING OUT FOR AFFECTION.

GIVE THEM A HUG...AND THE RECIPROCITY WILL FULFILL YOU AS WELL.

YOU SEE, WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT, THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE LONGING FOR AS WELL...

...A FULFILLING AND HEARTFELT HUG.

TAKE A LOOK IN THE MIRROR.

DON'T YOU LOOK LIKE THE PERFECT RECIPEINT FOR SOME CARING...

...FOR SOME AFFECTION...

...FOR POSITVE ENERGY COMING FROM SOMEONE WHO CARES ENOUGH TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH YOU...

...TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU...

...TO SEE YOU FOR "YOU".

THEN REMEMBER THIS IMPORTANT PHRASE:

"GIVE HUGS TO GET HUGS"

A DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTION FOR HUGGING:

by Mark Katz, M.D., Member of L.A. Shanti's

Advisory Board

"How important are hugging and physical

 and emotional contact for people affected by

 life - threatening illnesses? In my work, I

 have found that people who receive

 nurturing maintain a better outlook on their

 situation -- and historically, positive attitude

 is an important factor in long-term survival.

 Hugging and physical contact make a

 difference in a person's frame of mind, and

 may help their medical condition. Best of all,

 hugging has no side effects and does not

 require a trip to the doctor.

"I recommend at least one hug a day."

"Hugging is healthy: it helps the body's

 immunity system, it keeps you healthier, it

 cures depression, it reduces stress, it

 induces sleep, it's invigorating, it's

rejuvenating, it has no unpleasant

 side effects, and hugging is nothing less

 than a miracle drug. 

Hugging is all natural: it is organic, naturally

 sweet, it has no pesticides, no

 preservatives, no artificial ingredients, and is

 100% wholesome. 

Hugging is practically perfect: there are no

 movable parts, no batteries to replace, no

 periodic check-ups, has low energy

 consumption, high energy yield, is inflation

-proof, non-fattening, has no monthly

 payments, no insurance requirements, is

 theft-proof, non-taxable, non-polluting, and

 is, of course, fully refundable." 

-- Sharon Lindsey  -- 

HOW TO HUG

-taken from wikihow.com

2

• Embrace. Lean forward and wrap your arms around the person.
  
  
  • Family Hug: You can keep talking when hugging; it will not ruin the momentum. Where you place your hands is not important; the hugged won't think it over too much. Press gently; it is not necessary to have head-contact. Stroke your hands quickly across the top of the hugged's back. Smile when letting go.

• Friend Hug (girls): Close your eyes and think about how much you love your friend when hugging. Press as much as you feel like. (But don't squish!) Do not clap the hugged on the shoulders or such; some girls think you don't like them if you do it that way.

• Friend Hug (guys): Embrace strongly, and clap each other on the top of your backs. If it's an emotional moment, keep in the hugged position for a brief moment and do not clap each others backs.

• Crush Hug: Press the hugged warmly towards you. If you are a man, her arms should be around your neck, and you should be embracing her around the waist. When pressing her against you, you can lift her up a bit, pressing her chest and upper stomach against yours. Keep it in that position for a while, and then let go. Look her in the eyes when you separate and continue the conversation naturally. If you are the woman, put your arms behind his neck and press your chest lightly onto his chest.

• Lover Hug: 1) Males: Carefully sliding both your hands down from her shoulders, put them on her waist and slide them around her lower back. Put your head on her shoulder and press her towards you for as long as you like. If you want to, you can give her a small massage with your hands, and try to warm her. When separating, you can look into her eyes, smile genuinely and, if the situation is fitting, kiss her like you mean it and include some hair massage. 2) Females: Extend your arms toward him and hold them around his neck and shoulders. Lean as close as possible and press your torso against his. In situations of extreme intimacy, interlocking your leg in his is appropriate. Avoid holding your arms below his shoulders and/or embracing strongly and tensely, even if you're about the same height as him. It might seem weird but it'll work

3

• Don't hug too tightly. The best way to judge how tightly or loosely to hug is to let whomever you're hugging indicate what they want by how hard they squeeze. If they are soft, be soft back; if they like bear hugs and squeeze tightly, hug back the same way (but don't suffocate him/her).

4

• Don't let go too early. A hug is a powerful way to communicate your caring for another person, as it can feel great and greatly improve one's mood. If someone hugs you, they may want a long, loving hug (maybe they are upset or down), so just go along with it and hug them until they let go or loosen their hold. If you try to end it early, it may seem awkward for both of you.

• A good approach no matter what your relationship with the person you'll be hugging is...walk up to them from a few (maybe 3) feet away, arms open. When you get to them, wrap your arms around approximately their midsection. Hold for a few seconds, then let go.