my whole body

I meet life with my whole body. ~ Tara Brach

Where a lack of safety in expressing yourself now causes you to pull away from or suppress uncomfortable feelings.

Where an inability to successfully suppress discomfort causes you to be overly sensitive and in constant reactivity.

Where innocent actions of other often translate into experiences of past criticism and hurt.

All of the above scenarios result in a depression that is caused by an estrangement from our own emotions, and at that, the emotions of others. Tara Brach says that in order to wisely re-inhabit our body and heart we first must acknowledge the intelligence of our successful escape. In body work, we look to the felt experience of emotions (𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧) to inform the intelligence of overprotective behaviours, in addition to the unique ways of achieving greater mind-body congruency. Sounds fairly simple doesn’t it? However, the process of unthawing a nervous system stuck in fear takes time, asking for a practiced tenderness in arriving back into our body. Similar to training for a road race, endurance is accrued through time and dedication to the process of getting to know and trust what you feel. By gradually strengthening your own emotional lexicon using the tool of compassionate presence, this will help you to more faithfully endure the inevitable hills and valleys of your own feelings. And in time, this may also grant you the legs to cross the finish line into the heart and feelings of another.

Be gentle with yourself through this process, your dedication and effort is worth it.

You are worth it.