LEARNING TO LISTEN

WELCOME TO YOUR SPACE OF SELF EXPLORATION

Each video below will take you through a couple of movements which you’ll follow with the journal prompts listed under the video. This is a self-paced exploration, so you’re in charge. You get out what you put in. I suggest you block off 30 minutes per week in your calendar or an hour if you need to give yourself a little wiggle room. If time to yourself is a challenge to find and actually take, this is your first assignment. You may need to get to bed 30 minutes early one night and set your alarm 30 minutes earlier the next day to have time before anyone else is up. Schedule it in your calendar with alerts of when to go to bed and honor that. Make a promise to yourself to stick to it. Ask someone that truly supports you to help with your consistency for one month. Be realistic about when it’s easiest to have uninterrupted time to set yourself up for success.

With the journal prompts, we’re looking for train of thought answers. Whatever comes to mind first, even if it’s I don’t know or I have an awareness in my left ear or I feel cloudy or I’m thinking of this person in my life. We don’t need it to make sense, but we do want to open up space to listen with compassion. We feel safe to share the stuff tucked away when we don’t feel judgment on the other end. So let’s be kind to these parts of ourself that’ve been quiet. We have no idea what can change for the better when we’re honest about what’s in our heart. If journaling isn’t typically your thing, set a timer for 5 to 10 minutes and just try to see what comes out from the questions. If you prefer voice notes, do that. I recommend you schedule a time a couple of days later to type or write out your notes. When we’re learning, we need repetition for things to land, so the more times you receive the insight, the easier it will be to actually stick. 

As stated before purchase, this series is meant to support your self exploration of what you’re already doing with a therapist. We have no idea what may be stored in our tissues. It’s safer to have more support and not need it, than to be on an island by yourself when memories present. This way there’s a container to process through them safely. The human experience is one that’s meant to be had in community, not isolation. Please email me at bodywork@julietmaris.com with any questions that come up during your process. You’re welcome to repeat the exercises/videos as many times as you’d like. Exploring at different times, in different seasons, years or months apart can offer wildly different responses.

WEEK 1

Am I in a space of openness towards my more tender parts? If not, is there a way I can soften around my hard edges?

If there were one or two things that would feel nice to receive, what might those be?

How can I feel more supported either by myself or by others?

WEEK 2

What’s one thing I can be more honest about with myself?

Is there anything in my life that drains my energy?

If I met up with myself 5 years from now, what would they say about a situation that’s stressful for me right now?

If I gave less fucks, what would be different about that version of me from this version of me? Who do they spend time with, where do they go, what work do they do, what’s their morning routine, how do they invest in themself?

WEEK 3

What’s my relationship with myself like?

What would help me build trust with my intuition?

Does anything get in the way of me listening to the cues my body gives me?

Are any relationships in my life putting a strain on me? 

Is there anyone that drains me? Do I feel really tired or cranky after I spend time in person or over the phone with anyone?

WEEK 4

What are ways I express my creativity? (Even if you don’t think you’re creative, try to look at your life through a different lens to see if there are subtle glimmers of self expression or ways of doing things that feel unique to you.)

How do I tap into my joy?

Are there ways I sooth myself when things feel intense? (This can be rocking, repetitive movements, rubbing fingers or toes, playing with clothes or hair, researching to learn and understand something better, incorporating structure in situations that are stressful, preparing for important events, journaling to get clear on what’s going on in your head, taking a bath after a long day, singing, making art, gardening, taking a shower, etc. 

What can help me come back into the present moment when I start to circulate about something in my head?