The Sacred Connection: What Touching Hands Reveals About Oneness
Where Energy Flows, Connection Grows
Ahoy Crew Members,
Welcome aboard to Issue #5 of SAILING THE DIVINE!
For our new crew members, here’s how it works: each week, we drop anchor together to reflect on a simple thought or idea, exploring ways to apply it to our daily lives.
Last week, we explored how hockey teaches us about connection. But, connection isn’t limited to the ice or even to the people we know well. Sometimes, it’s found in the simplest most universal gestures - like touching hands.
This week, I want to take that idea of connection - deeper. Beyond the rink, beyond words, and into the subtle magic of human touch. Have you ever considered how something as simple as touching hands can reveal profound truths about oneness, energy, and the sacred bonds we share?
Let’s peel back the onion a bit more. What makes touching hands such a powerful act? How does something so simple hold the potential to heal, connect, and reveal the oneness we all share?
ANCHOR POINT
The Sacred Connection: What Touching Hands Reveals About Oneness
The Missing Connection
I am part of the Cursillo Movement within the Anglican Diocese in my local area. For those unfamiliar, Cursillo is a short course in Christianity that focuses on personal spiritual development and building a strong, connected community.
Our gatherings are filled with moments of praise, worship, and deep connection, but there’s one particular moment that has always stood out to me: the connection of hands.
Before 2020, during our worship service, there was a beautiful tradition where the entire community would join hands so everyone was connected. Together, we would sing and raise our hands in unity—a tangible expression of oneness, love, and shared faith. There was something incredibly powerful about that physical act. It wasn’t just symbolic; it felt like the energy of the room shifted. For a moment, the boundaries between us dissolved, and we became one body, one heart, one spirit.
Post 2020, we still raise our hands, but we don’t physically hold hands. And this year at our retreat, I felt it—deeply.
Why did I miss this so much? Maybe it’s because touch is one of my love languages, so I’m naturally more aware of how it fosters connection. Or perhaps it’s because, since my supernatural experience—where I felt an overwhelming energy of love move through me—I’ve become even more attuned to the energy flowing through my hands.
That moment when our hands joined wasn’t just about tradition or ritual—it was about being together in a way that words can’t fully capture. It was about energy, about presence, and about a kind of love that only touch can convey.
A Desire to Connect
In fact, this awareness often finds its way into my everyday life. I’ve noticed myself wanting to grab people’s hands—to reach out, to hold, to connect. But in our society, where touch isn’t always the norm, I hesitate.
Recently, though, I gave in. During my last visit with my sister, I instinctively reached out and grabbed her hand. In that small moment, something powerful happened. Our energies were connected. It was simple, yet profound—like a silent acknowledgment of, “I’m here with you.”
Isn’t that what touch really is? A way to say, without words, I see you. I’m with you. We’re connected.
Hands as Symbols
It’s no wonder that throughout life—across cultures, traditions, and even quiet moments—our hands have become symbols of connection, energy, and the Divine. Let’s explore what this simple yet profound gesture reveals about the oneness we all share.
1. Touching Hands as Human Connection
Touch is one of the most fundamental ways we connect as human beings.
Holding hands in times of joy, sorrow, or unity says what words cannot: “I’m here with you.”
It brings us back to the present moment, grounding us in the shared experience of being alive, together.
Touch bypasses logic and speaks directly to the heart. Whether it’s the comforting hand of a loved one or the collective joining of hands in worship, it reminds us that we are never truly alone.
2. Hands as Energy Conduits
In spiritual traditions, hands are believed to be conduits of energy.
The palms hold energy centers that allow for the flow of life force (prana, chi, or divine energy). When we hold hands, this energy can be exchanged and amplified.
Practices like Reiki, where energy is directed through the hands for healing, show us that hands carry more than touch—they carry intention and connection.
Since my own transformative experience, I’ve noticed how alive my hands feel—how they can carry energy. And I’ve realized this is true for all of us. When you hold someone’s hand, you’re not just touching skin; you’re sharing presence, energy, and love. That’s why it feels so powerful.
3. The Spiritual Symbolism of Hands
Across cultures and faiths, hands are symbols of creation, unity, and the Divine.
Prayer and Worship: Hands raised, palms open, or hands joined symbolize surrender, peace, and connection to the Divine.
Blessings and Healing: The laying on of hands reflects a sacred act of transferring divine love, healing, or protection.
Unity and Oneness: Forming circles and holding hands represents togetherness—a reminder that we are part of something much larger than ourselves.
When hands meet, it’s as though a deeper truth emerges: we are not separate; we are connected—heart to heart, spirit to spirit.
Raising the Anchor
Whether it was the missing connection of hands at the retreat or that spontaneous moment of connection with my sister, I’ve realized this: touch matters.
It’s more than a physical act. It’s a silent transfer of energy, a bridge to love, and a reminder that we are not separate. Touch holds the power to comfort, to heal, and to ground us in the present moment where connection becomes real.
One of the most iconic depictions of this is Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam. The almost-touching hands of God and Adam symbolize the flow of divine energy. The space between their fingers speaks to the unseen energy that connects us all, both human and Divine.
In a world where touch is often overlooked or avoided, perhaps we are being called to remember its sacred nature. Whether through holding hands, offering comfort, or simply placing our own hands over our heart, touch is a way to embody the oneness we talk about, to feel it, and to share it.
Crew Challenge
This week, I invite you to reflect on the power of touch in your own life:
Can you offer a comforting touch to a loved one?
Can you hold someone’s hand intentionally, feeling the connection and energy flow?
Or perhaps, simply bring your own hands together in stillness and prayer, reflecting on what you’re connected to—yourself, others, and the Divine.
“Where can you use your hands to heal, comfort, or connect this week?”
Until the next Anchor Point,
Fair winds and connected hands,
Your captain, Nicole
Photo by Nellie Adamyan on Unsplash