Just as Goldilocks found the porridge that was not too hot or too cold, so this touch feels ‘just right’, not too light or too hard.   The experience for the client is that it feels firm but also gentle and it feels like it effects the whole body at a deep level.  Other qualities are ‘nurturing’ and ‘comforting’ in a way that invites the person to relax and holdings to release.  ‘Gentle’ does not mean a light touch; it refers to the manner in which the pressure is applied.  The speed, smoothness, and intention are important factors.  Likewise, the sense of ‘firmness’ is not achieved only by the amount of pressure but also by how much of one’s hands and body are engaged in the delivery and one’s intention.

To make the touch, the pressing and stretching, ‘just right’ for each client, one must be sensitive to subtle responses to notice where a stretch begins and how far the comfort range extends, instead of just pushing until one is stopped at the end.  Working in this way one can notice more precisely and work more effectively with the tensions and imbalances throughout the body.