Befriending Our Bodies

Our bodies are the tellers, the holders, the sharers, and the teachers. Throughout this past week in session, many clients have named that they are experiencing sensations in their body as “rushed, scattered, spinning, ungrounded, tightly wound, and disconnected from self.” I use the term and imagery as “energy leaving our body,” and as I state this in sessions, I notice my client’s bodies relax into the couch even more. This is the moment of true awareness and relief. A moment that brings light to something that has felt heavy and confusing. These sensations are often linked to our bodies experiencing “survival mode,” linked with “pushing through,” linked with disconnecting from what our body, mind, and spirit truly need during this season.

You may notice an increase in your energy leaving your body around this time of the year due to the rapid rhythm of the holiday season. However, there are many other factors that may be at play behind the scenes. For example, this time of year tends to uproot childhood survival patterns that create ongoing distress, conflict in relationships, and self-betrayal for the benefit and approval of others.  So, I ask you, how do you befriend your body in this season? How do you tune in? Here is one place that you can start with focusing on AWARENESS and SELF-COMPASSION:

  1. Pause for 2-5 minutes when you notice these sensations occur in your body. Sit down if you can, close your eyes, and and thank yourself for noticing your body speaking.
  2. Notice how your energy is feeling at this moment and create the image of what it looks like outside of your body. What motion does it hold? What colors does it encompass? What sensations are present within the energy? What emotions are attached? And, what would your energy be saying to you at this time?
  3. When you have this image, pause, notice, and breathe. Thank yourself for noticing your energy.
  4. Imagine your energy slowing down and changing shape. Try adding colors into your energy as it can be a helpful way to change the shape, motion, thoughts, emotions and sensations that are attached to it.
  5. As you begin to appreciate yourself for your awareness and give space for your body to feel heard, you will likely notice sensations in your body shift. When the shift occurs, imagine your energy coming back into your body through your head and spreading down through your feet and into the ground. Pause. Breathe. Thank Yourself.

As our society propels us forward, our energy is pushing against this pattern as a way to remind us to slow down, choose ourselves first, and begin to align ourselves with our spirit/higher self. Our bodies are incredible information givers as to what we need. It is our job to begin to befriend them, tune into their language, and begin to fully listen to what they are telling us. Becoming aware of the moments that our energy has left our body can be the beginning to realigning with your true self.

Written by Jenna Block, MSW, LICSW

 

Photo: Alissa Nabiullina from Pexels