Sound massage brings you harmony and balance

The Butterfly Hug

Let’s start with the movement. Feel free to perform the movement while reading to get a sense of the technique. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Cross your arms over your chest, so that your fingertips rest just below your collarbones. Make sure your hands are positioned as vertically as possible, closer to your neck than your arms. You may also interlace your thumbs. 
2. Gently move your hands up and down, tapping the area below your collarbone with your fingertips. You can alternate tapping between left and right or use both hands simultaneously, whichever feels more comfortable to you.
3. Let your hands move in a free rhythm, finding a pace that feels natural and comfortable for you.
4. Breathe slowly into your belly and exhale just a little longer than your inhale. This breathing deepens relaxation.
5. Feel free to close your eyes during the movement.
6. Lower your arms when your body signals that it has had enough. Trust your body’s sense of when to stop.

Mindfulness and Self-Love

The Butterfly Hug is also called the "Hug of Self-Love" because it’s not just about the butterfly-like movement of the hands, but also about the inner attitude during the self-hug.

Combine mindfulness with the self-touch to regulate stress and overwhelming emotions. Mindfulness means observing whatever arises in your mind and body without judgment. Direct your attention inward: to your thoughts, feelings, and sensations. Don’t push anything away or criticize it. Instead, observe what comes up as if you’re watching clouds pass by in the sky. It can help to first focus on your steady and calm breathing.

Maintain this mindset—that everything that arises within you is okay—even after you finish the movement. This practice promotes self-acceptance and self-love.

Why the Butterfly Hug Works

The Butterfly Hug has a calming effect in two ways.

First, the self-hug acts as an effective embodiment of a loving attitude toward oneself. By physically embracing ourselves, we foster a sense of safety and comfort.

Second, this feeling arises because the gentle self-touch promotes the release of oxytocin, which helps regulate stress by calming the amygdala, our brain’s neural stress center.

Additionally, the prefrontal cortex is activated, which also impacts the amygdala. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for processing emotions and acts as our brain’s control center. Through mindful observation and non-judgmental awareness—similar to meditation—we activate this control center, helping to lower stress levels.

How you can use the Butterfly Hug

The Butterfly Hug is a tool that promotes self-soothing, especially in strong emotional states such as stress and anxiety. Although it was introduced in a therapeutic context, it also serves as an excellent self-coaching method for regulating your own stress and emotions.

For example, you are extremely excited before an important presentation or have just received devastating news. In these and many other emotionally upsetting moments, a brief application of this self-hug is a good idea. The length can vary, perform the movement and the inner posture until you feel a clear relaxation in your body.

This technique can also be used in groups, for example with teenagers or children. Stress regulation is an important skill that is a valuable support for our well-being, not only in everyday working life, but at any age and in any situation.

And finally, a little tip: practice the butterfly hug in situations where you don't necessarily need to regulate yourself. If you practice this technique and continue to develop it, it will become even more accessible and effective more quickly in very stressful situations. You can therefore practice this technique.