Finding Safety In Your Body While Healing From Trauma

Cultivating a nurturing inner environment within the body is so important after a time of suffering. In this session, there is a short talk and then a meditation where I will guide you into feeling this supportive holding presence within your body.

Transcript

After we've gone through trauma,

It can feel like our whole ground is shaken up and we can feel subtly unsafe in our body,

Leading us to become disembodied.

This is a very normal reaction to trauma.

We unconsciously want to disconnect from our body as it's the vehicle in which we experience the trauma.

After trauma there can often be physical discomfort too,

Like pain or anxiety or a broken heart,

Which doesn't feel secure and free.

It's essential for us to begin to find a safe,

Free and nurturing environment in which to heal.

We can create this in our outer world by surrounding ourselves with loving and supportive friends and family,

Or by creating a home where we feel comfortable,

Safe and cared for.

But what can feel very rewarding for us is to recognize the body as that safe and free,

Loving,

Inner holding presence that allows us to be just as we are.

And even if your body may have let you down in some way,

It allows you to do what you love and also it will be the vessel that will take you through your journey of healing.

Energy is held or buried in the body after trauma,

But once we can begin to allow that constricted energy to be freed,

Our lives and our psychological well-being can really transform.

And we can begin to experience a greater sense of inner peace and joy.

Having a safe context in which all that is arising and moving through can be held with safety is crucial.

It's difficult to always make a completely safe space where nothing can disturb us,

So sometimes it's about feeling safe enough to be unsafe.

You can begin to enjoy your body again in many different ways,

Through meditation,

Massage,

Exercise,

Being in nature,

Creativity,

Dance or singing.

Today we will simply explore how it is for us to recognize this freedom and safety within our own space in the body.

Before we begin the meditation,

Find yourself somewhere comfortable to sit,

Somewhere your body can relax enough not to be too tight or rigid.

It's helpful to have your back straight and fresh air coming in your lungs so that you feel awake but relaxed.

And as you start to settle,

Bring your awareness in to become aware of your breath.

Notice the natural rhythm of your breath.

Notice the natural rhythm of your breath.

Notice the sensations of the air coming in and out of your nostrils and your throat.

Notice the feelings and sensations of your lungs,

Ribs and abdomen rising and falling with each in-breath and each out-breath.

Notice the sensations of your breath,

Your lungs and your abdomen rising and falling with each in-breath and each out-breath.

You don't need to be trying to do anything here.

See if you can allow yourself to relax and be present and inquisitive.

Noticing the feelings and sensations of the breath within your body.

Now shift your awareness slightly to become aware of your out-breath.

As a resting and settling breath.

Really follow each out-breath down and feel your body relax as you do that.

Notice your body relax deeper and deeper with each out-breath.

Now move your awareness to become aware of the ground.

Notice the feelings and sensations of the weight of your legs.

Notice the sensations of the ground or the chair pushing up from below you.

Notice the feeling of the ground really supporting you as you relax.

Feeling of it almost holding you as you begin to settle.

And notice if you're really allowing your whole body to deeply relax and let go into it breath by breath.

Whenever you become distracted there's no need to judge yourself.

There's no need to try and stop the thought or do anything with it.

Just see if you can let it go for now and then gently bring your awareness back to your breath.

And allow yourself to relax down into the ground again.

Whenever you're distracted you'll probably notice a sense of holding or contraction in your body.

Either subtle like energetically or grossly,

Maybe physically in your muscles.

And if you notice this allow that holding or contraction to settle down.

To gently soften,

Relax and open.

And then gently bring your awareness back to the breath and back into feelings and sensations within your body as you relax and breathe.

You could have a sense that your whole body is breathing like your skin is permeable.

And let that breathing process soften the holding that you have to your sense of form.

So as you breathe let your whole body breathe.

And let yourself gradually become more spacious and open.

Continuously relaxing and letting go.

If you notice yourself trying too hard you'll probably notice a sense of holding or contraction again in your body.

Like a lifting up feeling.

If you do that's fine.

Just allow that holding or contraction to soften and relax again.

And feel your body melt down into the ground again.

And then gently bring your awareness back to your breath and back into feelings and sensations in your body.

Allowing yourself to gradually relax and become more spacious again.

As you begin to settle and touch into an inner quiet and stillness it can feel deeply satisfying.

You might notice something quite pleasant,

Satisfying.

Or fulfilling as you rest in your body.

Allowing freedom and spaciousness.

And the new sense of spaciousness can begin to allow your innate natural joy and love to want to bubble up and shine through into your being.

You may notice sensation and emotions coming up and moving through.

But deeper than that you may notice a sense of comfort and safety that can be found within yourself.

As you rest there,

Notice the comforting feeling of your relaxed muscles and body.

Maybe it feels warm inside your body.

Does it feel safe?

With your eyes still closed you can try for a moment gently massage your body.

It could be your legs or your feet or your face.

And then gently let go and notice how that feels in your body.

Does it feel comforting?

Notice how your breath comes in and out naturally.

And your heart beats.

You don't need to do anything.

It's like your body is there for you without you even having to ask it.

Notice the inner fuzz or vitality in your body as you relax.

Is there something inspiring about this connection to Source?

Notice how your body,

Or your subtle body,

Is a free and open spacious holding presence that holds all these life experiences together.

Do you notice an inner quiet or stillness?

Maybe below the distractions and energies.

And does it bring a sense of safety?

Notice how your body,

Or your subtle body,

Is a free and open spacious holding presence.

Does it bring a sense of safety?

Notice how the form of your body allows you to be in this world.

To go to work.

To make friends.

To love.

To have a family.

To do the things you love.

And to meditate.

You may notice an instinctive holding and contraction in your body as you get distracted by something.

But you could also notice how it's your body that allows the softening and the relaxing.

Your body empowers you to hold your own healing.

Take a moment to feel appreciation for your body.

Both the inner body,

So your subtle body,

As well as your physical body.

And notice how,

Even if it's not perfect,

How it allows you to do so much.

How it's really there for you as a support.

A vehicle to be in this world and enjoy it for all it's worth.

A holding presence to hold all your experiences and allow for transformation.

As we bring this meditation to a close,

Allow yourself to rest with those feelings of satisfaction and peace.

As we bring this meditation to a close,

Allow yourself to rest with those feelings of satisfaction,

Joy or whatever is coming up for you for a little while.

Allow whatever is there to be there,

Just as it is.

Free of judgements.

Free to be how it needs to be.

For some of us,

It may take some time to really rest in For some of us,

It may take some time to really rest in and feel comfortable and safe in our bodies.

There's no rush.

I encourage you to take your time and stay with what feels resourcing for you.

I encourage you to take your time and stay with what feels resourcing for you.

It could be the breath,

The body,

Or spaciousness.

It could be the breath,

The body,

Or spaciousness.

So that you can gradually relax into your body and enjoy its comforts and all it has to offer.

This meditation is from my course,

Return to Joy,

Healing from Trauma,

This meditation is from my course,

Return to Joy,

Healing from Trauma,

Where I take you through the steps that I've found were truly beneficial and rewarding in my journey of healing.

Were truly beneficial and rewarding in my journey of healing.

So please feel free to take a look.

The courses are a great space for you to take the journey step-by-step The courses are a great space for you to take the journey step-by-step and also reflect back at me so that I can deeply support you and go with you on that journey.

Thank you.

Thank you.