Many of the healing benefits of massage are derived not only from the emerging science of therapeutic techniques but also from the essential and primal power of TOUCH. The brain stem, our "reptilian" brain, is exquisitely attuned to threatening stimuli and readies the system for fight-or-flight by revving up the sympathetic nervous system. The same part of the brain is also responsive to the opposite set of stimuli such as safety, comfort, nurture, and pleasure to turn off the "alarms" of threat by stimulation of the parasympathetic system.