The exercise for this month has transformed the results I’m able to get with my clients. It brings you back into your body, slows your brain down and eases that initial layer of bracing tension. It’s pretty clear by now that I can’t shut up about the nervous system. Everything I’ve learned about the body after 14 years in the field has led me to understand that the nervous system is key in making change. In order to affect the nervous system positively, safety is the way.
I unknowingly started to address it with my nervous system reset back in 2018. Maybe my witchy senses knew that something big was about to happen and we needed to prepare. Since the pandemic and our current president took his second term, I’ve seen and felt more bracing overall in every nervous system I come in contact with, including my own.
The newest thing that I’ve started to understand about the nervous system is that when we change the pressure around the rib cage, that outer layer of tension is released. I’m teaching you a simple breathing technique that everyone can benefit from in this video. The ball I’m using costs $13 + shipping and you can absolutely get it from the supplier instead of that company that that doesn’t pay their taxes. I’ll be sharing other exercises with this ball in the future, so if you’re interested in simple ways to release tension in your body yourself, it’s a smart investment.
My friend Jill shared a video about her experience in ballet class with an understanding of the heart space and posture. Her description of where the heart and lungs sit and how they move and support each other was excellent. If you’ve ever brought your shoulders back to “stand up straight” I’d love for you to watch this. It’s even better if you stand up to check in with how your body feels, focusing on what you notice around the heart and the rib cage, do the exercise in October’s video and then watch Jill’s video. She sped it up, so her voice is a bit cartoonie to get through all her insights in less time which makes it playful.
After realizing this exercise would be the best one to share for October, I thought about the connection to the seasons and Chinese medicine. When I was in massage school, I thought I was a metal type. The five elements of fire, earth, metal, water and wood symbolize the phases of our life and the relationship of creation and transformation. Metal splits open the planet which creates space for water and springs.
A metal type can be any version of the following:
Walks deliberately
Strong voice
Erect
Light, clear, dry skin
Oval face
Broad shoulders
Strong, built body
Independent
Meticulous
Rational
Well-organized
Likes ceremony/discipline
Reserved
Ideally we want to be a balance of the 5 elements, but we’re all human. Understanding where a person’s tendencies are can help practitioners support them. We add energy to areas of deficiency and calm areas of excess. The season of metal is autumn and the emotion is grief. Since the organs associated with the element are lung and large intestine, it’s great to focus on breath and elimination. When we avoid our grief, the chest can hold more tension. Moving through our emotions and feeling our feelings helps this area (that’s the least flexible in the body) be more pliable.
Resilience requires a bounce back. We can experience challenges and remind ourselves that we will get through this too. The most youthful people I know aren’t afraid of the reality of life. They feel into what’s up, go through their process and remind themselves that tomorrow is a new day where anything is possible.
When we get rigid in thinking or in restrictions in our body, we’re in an extreme. In my reading for school, it’s repeated how humans are wired for connection. As babies we need to be cared for and that external support helps us navigate life. This is a reminder that asking for and receiving help can only help us grow. We’re not supposed to live life solely independent. When we don’t have connection to others, our mental health severely declines. Try going one full day without talking to, seeing or touching another person and check in with how you feel.
Fall has always felt like a season of transition for me. It’s actually my favorite time to be in New York although to me, each season has a glimery peak point. In my reading for my child and adolescent class last week, there was a part about transitions that connected some things for me.
Most humans have a hard time with transitions, even if they like change or need it for novelty. We don’t know what we don’t know and the next moment is totally new to us. The unknown is scary and we can unconsciously have resistance. We can explore ways that feel good for us to self soothe in those times to soften the hard edges.
Things that can help you regulate:
Rocking, dancing or repetitive movements (rocking helps your nervous system feel safe)
Singing or humming (the sound of YOUR voice is relaxing to YOUR nervous system)
Rubbing a soft fabric (could be your shirt, a blanket, a pillow or a stuffy)
Putting your hand on your heart and breathing (pay attention to how soothing the warmth of your touch feels)
Massaging your ears, jaw and scalp (whatever feels good, don’t be shy to explore)
Slow breaths (make your exhale longer than your inhale and allow your breath to be easy as you expand)
What would you add to the list? This is a great thing to be curious about best practices for YOU! I like to have things written down in my phone for easy reference when I’m overwhelmed. When I know a stressful week or day is coming up, I’ll set alerts in my calendar to remind me to breathe or slow down or close my eyes and check in with where my body is drawing my attention to. When I get a strong pull of something that happened for myself or in a session, I’ve started sharing it on instagram. I try not to be on the app often, but sometimes it feels ok to scroll a little. GIve me a follow if you think these reminders might be helpful to you.