Emotion Regulation: Sway Like A Tree

Are you feeling stressed, anxious, irritable, disconnected & depressed? What if I told you there’s a simple tool that can help transform these challenging emotions into feelings of calmness, joy, playfulness, presence & groundedness? If that sounds like something you need, then I have just the technique for you to try.

In this track, I’ll guide you through a practice called sway like a tree. You can use this technique before, during, and after a triggering situation. To experience maximum benefits, consider incorporating it into your daily routine, such as during breaks at work or before sleep.

A gentle reminder: Regulation techniques aren’t about avoiding feelings: as soon as you notice that you’ve been triggered, you can use this technique to lower the intensity of your emotions to a more manageable level, allowing you to feel and process what’s going on inside fully.

Music: Our Peaceful Ocean by Music Of Wisdom

Transcript

I saw a tree dancing in the wind,

And it said to me,

I am not doing this to entertain you but to remind you what life is,

A dance in the wind.

Michael Bessie Johnso Hello wonderful beings,

I am Aneesha and thank you for choosing me to be your guide today.

In this track first we will do the practice together and then I will explain why it works,

What are the benefits,

When to use it and when not to use it.

But before we begin the practice let's check in with ourselves,

Take a moment to turn your attention inward and notice how are you feeling right now,

Name the most dominant emotion present in your body,

Now consider the intensity of this emotion on a scale of 0 to 10,

0 means complete absence of this emotion and 10 means the highest intensity of the emotion,

So how good you rate the strength of this emotion,

Very good,

Now that we know where we are let's start the practice,

If possible you can position yourself in a place from where you can see a plant or tree,

Feel free to pause this audio to go to such a place and if you can't that's okay too,

You can do this wherever you are.

Begin with standing comfortably with your feet shoulder-width apart,

Feel the ground beneath you ensuring that your weight is evenly distributed,

This position helps you establish a solid foundation promoting stability and balance similar to a tree.

Now if you feel comfortable gently close your eyes and imagine roots growing from the soles of your feet into the earth,

Visualizing that these roots are anchoring you firmly to the ground,

Now begin to sway gently like a tree branch or plant in the wind,

Your arms are relaxed at your sides and your body is starting to gently sway,

Allow your body to move in different directions,

Your body might be moving forward or backward or perhaps diagonally or maybe it is moving in circular motion,

Trust your body's wisdom and gently lean in whatever direction your body wants,

Keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground deep and slow,

As you continue you can either keep your eyes closed and imagine the wind moving your body or you can open your eyes and look at a plant or trees in front of you and sway with them,

Do whatever feels comfortable to you,

Swaying or moving in different directions mimics the natural movement of trees promoting relaxation and fluidity in your body,

This movement helps releasing the tension and enhancing your body awareness,

After swaying freely in different directions,

Gently come to stillness,

Noticing the effects of what you just did,

Now when you feel ready begin to sway gently from side to side,

Keeping your arms relaxed,

Imagine your body moving like a pendulum,

Shifting your weight from one foot to the other as you sway,

So this time we are taking some control over the direction of movement which is swaying side to side,

As you sway continue to take deep and slow breaths,

Breathing deep and slow,

Whenever you are ready to come back gradually bring your swaying to a stop,

Stand still for a moment feeling the sensations in your body,

Transitioning to stillness allows you to integrate this whole experience,

Take a moment to notice how are you feeling right now,

As your emotional landscape shifted since we began,

Are you still feeling the same emotion that you were feeling initially,

If you said yes then notice whether the intensity of the emotion has changed in any manner and if you said no,

You are no more feeling the same emotion then name the new feeling that has emerged,

Now to end this practice bring both of your hands to your heart and thank yourself for taking this time to make your nervous system feel safe and calm,

Say to yourself thank you.

As we reach the end of this meditation,

If your eyes were closed then gently open them and take a moment to notice your surroundings,

You did great,

Now let me explain why and how this works,

So this practice shifts individuals from a state of hyper arousal that is fight or flight,

Hyper arousal that is shut down and free state which is the state in between them to a more balanced state,

It draws upon the principle of grounding,

Mindfulness and proprioception that is awareness of our body position,

Grounding helps counteract the feelings of dissociation or disconnection by allowing the body to move freely we begin to break the rigidity associated with the freeze response.

Allowing the body to move in various directions encourages spontaneity and self-trust which ultimately enhances our emotional resilience,

Additionally incorporating the deep and slow breaths while swaying activates the parasympathetic nervous system which is the rest and digest system.

And those side to side rhythmic movements helps regulate emotions by providing a physical outlet for stress and anxiety,

That swaying motion allowed you to feel your emotions without becoming overwhelmed,

It created a dynamic space where feelings can be acknowledged and processed rather than suppressed or ignored,

So you can practice this for 5 to 10 minutes in one session,

Please feel free to replay this track 2 to 3 times a day and practice with me,

I would highly recommend you to practice this technique for the rest of the week,

This way you will develop a habit of regulating your emotions in a healthy manner and it will become easy for you to use this technique immediately in times of crisis.

Regularly practicing this can offer several advantages,

It reduces the stress and anxiety by lowering the cortisol level which is a stress hormone,

It also increases flexibility,

Improves balance and coordination and boost your mood.

While swaying like a tree is generally a gentle and grounding practice,

It's always essential to listen to your body cues,

If you experience any discomfort or fatigue while doing the practice,

It's advisable to reduce the duration or intensity of the movement.

And if you have any mobility limitations or if you end up experiencing intense emotional distress,

Then it would be better to find another grounding technique,

Remember everyone's journey to inner peace is unique,

While this particular technique offers a powerful pathway to that peace,

It might not be the perfect fit for everyone.

So,

If this doesn't work for you,

Then don't worry,

There is a tool out there for you,

Feel free to explore other techniques on my profile to find the right fit for you,

Thank you for listening to me,

I will see you soon,

Take care,

Bye-bye.