I want to share something with you and hope it helps you. In recent weeks I’ve had a culmination of stressful events that left me feeling on the brink of burn out - but first I want to say how amazing it was to be a part of Laura Gates' weekend workshop! Two days of nourishing movement and to participate as a student alongside many of my students, was very emotional for me. There is something quite magical when a group energy shifts from a place of "doing" to "being” sensing our somatic selves shift our nervous system into a more regulated space. This is something I have sensed as both teacher and student and is palpable, in person and online and I cannot help being deeply touched by this collective healing.
Taking part in this I know helped me enormously to navigate some stressful events that have culminated in chronic stress. I began to notice how I was rushing to do everything - even rushing and ruminating during my beloved nature walks, multi tasking more, all with a frantic energy that was leaving me drained. My somatics practices over the years have helped me to have this awareness of these somatic responses - my body was showing me how stressful events were manifesting and I recall as I stood rushing to eat my lunch whilst checking my emails in a frantic state that multi levels of stress had created another form of sensory motor amnesia,
““One of the most striking features of Sensory Motor Amnesia (SMA) is that we are unconscious of muscle contraction while it is going on. It is a startling experience to discover that we are actively doing something without knowing it. “”
and not just in how I felt but in how I was living. I realised in that moment that I did not have to be this way. Even though stressful events have been occurring in my life - I did not have to allow it to live through me. I realised I had a choice. So, in that moment I really felt into what I was feeling the sensation and what was underneath it - I tightened by body, breathing into the sensations to wait to feel and listen to what was beneath it all - what came through was I didn’t feel safe. I placed my hands on my heart and said to myself “It’s okay Liz, it’s okay body, I am safe, followed by lots of yawning and sounding. Throughout the day I watched for when it would creep back in - I'd continue to pandiculate to soften my body - a gentle squeeze of my shoulders up to my ears or tighten my belly and into areas that were holding that frantic feeling and repeat my little mantra. Being more aware of my somatic responses and keeping a gentle watch over them I now feel calmer and the stressful situations look different, less fearful and Laura’s workshop really was the cherry on top!
Similarly, when my dad was dying, I would feel my grief and fear, sense how it was contracting my body and then I’d contract into that pattern even more, allowing it all to be fully felt, allowed in, allowing any sounds and emotions to be expressed. I know it helped me navigate such a painful time.
What I am sharing here is a different layer to the technique of pandiculation, adding a layer of moving into our feelings as opposed to thinking into our feelings.
Thank you for reading all the way to the end! If you want to find out about my offerings this week, read below and if you are interested in working 1:1 with me you can reply to this email.
From my Heart, Soul & Soma to Yours,
Liz 🙏🏻🧡
Just added to the Library - Walk this Way Part 3
When you start to focus on the walking patterns you begin to appreciate how complex this pattern is. This class explore the movements of the shoulders and hips as well as releasing the hip flexors.
In Class This Week - Upper Back & Shoulder Blade Magic
This feels magical and oh so freeing!
Last few places for this Friday’s Sound Bath and Somatics - book here