I have shared in my first blog the understanding that our body sensations as messengers. So you have been curious about your body and wanting to connect more deeply to it? I can help you to understand how you can better relate and respond to your body and what it is telling you.
Pain can be interpreted in many ways and our nervous system is the place where all that information is being processed and expressed through our body. When we are in a regulated and safe place within our nervous system, our responses and sensations in our body feel good and should not be alarming or creating stress. However, the times when we seek help from a therapist or doctor is when something in the system is going awry and it gets our attention. Our system is doing a great job at letting us know where we need to bring our focus. Most of the time, our system is doing its best to protect us from more harm.
An old injury or persistent pain may come to light and be more uncomfortable as soon as we start to slow down and have time to regulate our system and its needs. A lot of the time, we will consider that as something harmful, but in reality, it is evolving and doing exactly what it is meant to. We then have the ability to become more aware of these sensations and be with them and let them release in their own time. It is safe to say that even pain and the deepest triggers are transient and can and will shift!
Our body needs to feel safe and know that with some guidance from a therapist, it will shift and change and your body will begin to respond in a more desired and pleasant way.
One of the main directions is to stay focused and patient throughout your journey.
Remember that any sensation or discomfort is a messenger and we can improve our connection and relationship with that part of us with time.
So what are some ways you can help to regulate your own nervous system and settle more into your body?
1) Try to ground yourself in your surroundings – colours, shapes, what are you sitting on and in the space around you
2) Take five deep breaths and feel the sensation of the air or other quality, ie. hot /cold, shallow or deep
3) Mindful awareness of your body – lying completely still and noticing what you are feeling in your body, ie. hunger, relaxed, tense
Check out some of the resources on my website for more ways to help connect yourself to your body. There are guided meditations to help with pain, and relaxation, restorative stretches, visualizations and imagery, and also Qi Gong exercise. The key is moving your body slightly differently than what you are used to help you move into a restful state.
Find me at Aria Wellness Centre for in person appointments to help guide you into a better state of well-being and holistic health!