Feel stuck or disconnected? Why it's important to connect with your body
When people come for Craniosacral therapy, it’s quite common to not feel much in the body at first so do be patient and see this as a gradual approach. Years of built up stress and tension in the body can take some time to balance out.
The most common reasons for this are held and stuck emotions, as well as stress and trauma. This can often go back as far as childhood. You’ve probably heard of fight, flight, freeze. Sometimes this state can stay with us for prolonged periods of time and we start to disconnect from the “feeling” and our nervous system activity increases. Physical tensions also play a part.
As you start to connect more with this body you may start to feel some different sensations. Here are some of those taken from my website…..
WHAT MIGHT I EXPERIENCE?
People report a wide variety of experiences during and after a treatment, including the following:
• Relaxation and sense of ease
• Warmth, and tingling sensations
• Feeling accepted
• A sense of harmony and peace
• A feeling of letting go
• Feeling balanced
• Increased energy
• Feeling more fully alive
• Seeing different colours and patterns
• Remembering past events.
• Getting in touch with emotions
• Connecting with a sense of spirit
• Deepening self- and body- awareness.
Self soothing to help connect with the body
Getting out of your busy mind and into a calm, relaxed body are key to helping a stressed-out body and nervous system.
Breathing practice - 10 short breaths outwards – breath in deeply OR breath in 6 seconds, hold 3 seconds, breath out 8 seconds. (repeat for 5 to 10 minutes - daily) - this helps to settle the nervous system, as well as help lengthen the breath.
Practices such as yoga, tai chi, body scan meditations, breath work can all help you connect with your body more. (done regularly)
Tapping/ self massage (Tapping your head with your fingers / massaging the top of your neck and back of head (just under the ridge) and around ears. (do this for 5-10 minutes afterward sit back and feel the effects within your body) (see youtube for guided practices)
Clenching and relaxing (hold for 10 sec) feet and toes and hands technique - For grounding the mind and body, bringing the adrenaline levels down. Helps with connecting with the feelings within the body. Notice the feelings and reactions. (see youtube for guided practices)
Cold showers (Turn the water down gradually from warm to cold and stay in the cold as long as possible before getting out. (Try 1 or 2 minutes to start then increase)
Relaxing massage, Reflexology, Indian head massage can all be helpful.
Breathing
This breath-work technique is designed to open up the energetic channels of your body and help the emotions release.
You first breathe into your lower belly, then take a second inhale into your heart, and exhale. This inhale and exhale are all done through the mouth. This will connect you to your body and help the energy flow. You do not need to force your exhale. Let it naturally fall out of your body like a sigh of relief.
Get in a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed.
Lay somewhere comfortable on your back.Put on a playlist with three of your favorite songs.Close your eyes (you can use an eye mask if you have one) and breathe as per the instructions above to the first two songs. This might feel like work, but just stick with it and focus on the breath. Feel your belly and chest rise. Feel the breath move in and out of the body.Pay attention to what your body is experiencing. After a few minutes you might feel your body tingling. That’s normal.If you feel tightness or tension place your awareness there and breathe into it. There is probably some emotion that wants to release.Once the third song begins release the breath and begin to breathe in and out of the nose. Let your body vibrate here for as long as you like.
People will often feel immediate relief after a breath-work practice, but it can also stir up some uncomfortable, deep emotions. This is a meditation you can work with daily to continue the healing process.
Many of us live in cultures that promote fast results. Healing is a long-term game. If you’re willing to put in the work and be patient, you will begin to notice yourself changing. Sometimes you’ll notice it after one session and sometimes after several. Pay close attention and be very gentle with yourself post session, no matter how you’re feeling.
Hope this helps in some way!
Best regards
Simon