Unlocking Trauma Healing and Accessing New Levels of Experience

What’s so valuable about developing body awareness?

Our bodily systems hold our memories forever, including memories of traumatic events, (the amygdala has no sense of time); until we reclaim the moments when we experienced overwhelm with attuned, warm, resonate presence. When we intentionally slow down both our inner and outer experiences, mindfully checking in with our body to notice any sensations and/or impulses to move, we open a new doorway of experiencing.  Daniel Siegel describes this as "a new plane of possibility." 

Is it possible to rest in our experience of what is happening in order to see it more clearly? 

When pausing to bring attention to your body, notice the first place your mind rests, this opens a doorway to the Present moment. As you attune to your own inner experience, you can begin to receive the wisdom of your body, notice the sensations in this area, and intentionally take time to become aware of the subtleties within sensations (such as tingling, cramping, hollow, tension, tightness, expansion, warmth, etc.)

To tune into the sensations and intuit the deeper emotional flavor of your experience, (happy, sad, mad, glad, afraid, etc.) Don’t be in a hurry. Mindfully accompany your inner experience of the moment in present time with warmth (this develops your own Compassionate Self-Witness) while acknowledging any thought fields as they sift through your mind's eye.

Observe your breath, (is it shallow, mid-range, or slow and deep into the belly?) As your capacity is developed to welcome with warmth the flow of emotion (energy in motion) it opens a portal to resonate with the needs alive within and around life itself.

This whole process can happen in a moment. As you deepen your capacity to rest in your experience, new layers may begin to be sensed. In my experience it is like whispers of a memory, maybe just out of reach of conscious awareness, yet ever so near.

I have developed a practice of turning gently toward them (in my mind's eye) slowly, and with warmth, to acknowledge their presence in the present moment.

"I see you," my Compassionate Self murmurs, "thank you, for allowing me to accompany you today. I welcome you to remain with me, there is no danger here, you are safe.”

In conclusion, cultivating body awareness and our Compassionate Observer they become powerful tools for unlocking our innate capacity for healing and growth. By slowing down and mindfully checking in with the layers of experience in our bodies, we can access new levels of knowing and tap into the wisdom stored within our bodily systems.

Whether we are seeking to heal from past trauma or simply deepen our connection to ourselves and the world around us, developing body awareness is a valuable and transformative practice that can enhance our overall well-being and quality of life.