Cuddle party

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A cuddle party (also colloquially known as a cuddle party ) is an organized event in which strangers in comfortable clothing often cuddle for hours on laid out mats without pursuing sexual intentions. The cuddle party has its origins in the "Cuddle Party" from New York . The often up to fifty participants are on average between thirty and fifty or more years old - there is no upper or lower age limit - and the ratio of the sexes is almost balanced.

history

The Cuddle Party was invented in New York in 2004 by the sex therapist Reid Mihalko (* 1969) and his partner, Marcia Baczynski (* 1978), who works as a relationship counselor. The original goal of the inventors was to bring new momentum to the already existing relationships of their clients, since the daily personal physical contact between the partners had been limited to a minimum. For the first Cuddle Party, Mihalko and Baczynski invited musicians, producers and actors who were friends to Mihalko's New York apartment. Today Mihalko and Baczynski work as trainers for cuddle trainers from all over the USA. In Germany, the first cuddle parties were held in Berlin in 2005 . There are also cuddle parties in Switzerland and Austria.

Germany

In Germany there has been a form of joint leisure activity known as A-Freizeiten since around the mid-1980s , in which a so-called cuddle meeting is a very central event. The first cuddle meeting took place on a Freizeit in 1995. This cuddle meeting is very similar to the cuddle party in form and content. The cuddle meeting combines cuddling and closeness with the opportunity to share feelings and experiences. In the form of a go-round, each participant has the opportunity to say something about themselves. At the beginning the rules (similar to rules 1 to 8 of the cuddle party) are read out. The A-camps arose from the need to deepen the positive growth impulses of guests of the clinic in Bad Herrenalb in everyday life and to repeat the feeling of security and warmth that was experienced in this therapeutic community. One of the pillars of the Bad Herrenalber model is the bonding developed by Daniel Casriel . It is assumed that the experience of bonding in Bad Herrenalb was at least the “godfather” for the first cuddle meeting. Today there are cuddling parties, especially in the commercial sector.

society

New York has the largest single share in the United States. The slow disappearance of large families, the anonymity of large cities, and longer working hours with little free time in the US can lead to feelings of loneliness in people. Touching one another in an informal way can therefore have an almost therapeutic effect on many people . There are now different types of cuddle parties: Depending on the target group, there are parties for men, women, mixed audiences, older audiences and singles. The inventors' findings can be summed up in a few statements: First, men would not go to cuddle parties to "hit on" women, but only to cuddle. Second, women radically changed their behavior towards men and asked for dates without fear of rejection. Third, touching each other strengthens the immune system and prevents the stress hormone cortisol from being released .

procedure

Every cuddle party is organized differently, but there is a common basic pattern: first exercises to get to know and get closer to each other, then the creation of physical familiarity and finally cuddling together. "Cuddle trainers" or moderators guide the exercises and monitor compliance with the cuddle rules. They ensure a loving and secure atmosphere in which all participants feel safe and relaxed.

Similar initiatives

  • Competence center for pedagogical fighting : In Freising near Munich, a public event called Gaudiraufen took place for the first time in 2003 . In the same year the local adult education center offered a course "Fighting is fun". At the end of 2004, those involved founded a "Raufakademie" as a competence center for pedagogical wrangling .
  • In Laughter Clubs Yoga Laughter technique of laughter yoga used as a form of therapy.
  • In the Australia-based “ Free Hugs Campaign ” ( free hugs ), followers have found themselves equipped with a cardboard sign (labeled “Free Hugs”) to hug willing passers-by for free.
  • Water cuddle party
  • Dance and cuddle party

literature

  • Gerhard Schrabal: Cuddle up happily! The healing energy of cuddle parties. Schirner-Verlag, Darmstadt, 2014, ISBN 978-3-8434-1131-8

Web links

supporting documents

  1. ↑ Cuddle Party Rules Rules for cuddle parties
  2. ↑ See Gerhard Schrabal: Cuddle yourself happily! , Darmstadt 2014, part 5, in it contributions by cuddle trainers from different places and their first own experiences at a cuddle party p. 186 ff.
  3. ↑ http://www.fight-for-fun.org/akademie-muc/index.htm
  4. ↑ Gerhard Schrabal: Cuddle up happily! The healing energy of cuddle parties. Schirner-Verlag 2014, p. 72 ff.
  5. ↑ People of all countries, hug yourselves! The "Free Hugs" movement comes to Germany via Australia, America, Israel and China , Der Tagesspiegel, December 1, 2006
  6. ↑ Gerhard Schrabal: Cuddle yourself happily p. 74 f.
  7. ↑ Gerhard Schrabal: Cuddle yourself happily p. 76.