Welcome to this informal practice experimenting with soothing and supportive touch.
Touch is a powerful signal of compassion,
Not just between people,
But within ourselves.
Soothing touch refers to the tender side of self-compassion and supportive touch refers to fierce self-compassion.
Both tender and fierce self-compassion are forms of caring for ourselves.
This exercise is an invitation to experiment with ways we can calm our nervous system using a physically soothing or supportive gesture.
Whenever we are worried or anxious or engaging in self-criticism,
The threat system is activated,
Triggering the limbic system,
Which releases adrenaline and cortisol into our bodies.
This reaction is popularly known as the fight,
Flight,
Or freeze response.
We can calm our nervous system by giving ourselves soothing or supportive touch.
This physical gesture of self-compassion activates the mammalian caregiving system,
Which releases oxytocin and other opiates,
Generating a sense of safety.
In this exercise,
I invite you to experiment with finding what works for you,
What gestures you find comforting,
Soothing,
And supportive.
To start,
I invite you to gently close your eyes or lower your gaze,
Bringing your attention inward.
I will guide you through a few options of soothing and supportive touch,
But please feel free to adjust or try something different that resonates with you.
Begin by gently pressing your palms together,
Noting the sensations that you feel in your fingers and your palms and your body.
Now,
You can try cupping one hand in the other,
Noticing how it feels to hold your own hand,
Offering yourself the support that you need in this moment.
Now,
Placing one hand over your heart or even both hands over your heart,
Offering yourself loving awareness to this dear heart that beats so strongly for you and feels so much compassion for you.
Now,
Cupping one hand over a fist over your heart,
Breathing in this fierce compassion for yourself.
Another option is to gently stroke your chest,
Perhaps in small circles or side to side,
Noticing what it feels like.
Does it bring a sense of comfort,
Warmth,
Or ease?
If you prefer,
Place one hand on your abdomen or both hands to feel the rise and fall of your breath.
Now,
Taking one of your hands and placing it on a cheek and bringing the other hand to your other cheek to cradle your face in your hands,
Smiling gently at this dear face.
And finally,
Crossing your arms to give yourself a gentle hug,
Stroking your arms if that feels right to you,
Gently rocking or swaying your body from side to side or front to back,
Noticing what this feels like in your body.
If you are finding this exercise uncomfortable,
That's okay.
Some people may feel resistance to self-touch at first,
And that's a completely normal experience.
What's important is that you are finding a way to care for yourself.
Whether it's a different gesture or even imagining yourself cradled in warmth and kindness.
Now,
Taking another moment to explore soothing or supportive touch in any way that feels good for you.
Remembering that this practice helps to activate our caregiving system,
Providing physical support to ourselves during stressful or difficult moments.
And now,
Gently releasing the practice and opening your eyes.
Thank you.
