Namaste and welcome.
Thank you for your presence and attention.
Many of us who experience or witness trauma don't feel safe in our body.
One of the strategies that I share with my clients is a personal safety check and self-holding technique that I'm sharing with you today.
If you notice that you have been triggered or you are starting to feel anxious,
This process helps us to return to the present moment and connect with an internal felt sense of safety which is the key to healing from trauma.
An internal felt sense of safety is essentially that place inside that we experience as being okay no matter what else is going on.
If you are listening to this I imagine that you are in a safe environment but if you are not then you need to attend to that first and then begin to retrain your body and nervous system to recognize when you are in fact safe from any kind of harm or relatively safe.
For some of us complete safety is not possible but relative safety is and that's what we're aiming for today.
This process is based on the work of Stephen Porges and his Polyvagal Theory,
Somatic Experiencing by Peter Levine and Dance Movement Therapy.
When we practice this process we create new neural pathways and integrate an internal felt sense of safety no matter what else is going on in the world.
So let's begin now by finding a comfortable position,
Preferably sitting down with a tall and elongated spine,
Letting your shoulders roll down and away from your chin,
Feeling your feet flat on the floor and your hip bones pressing into the surface that you are sitting on.
Take a couple of conscious breaths noticing the sensations as you breathe without changing anything,
Just be aware of the breath as it flows in and it flows out.
Let's begin with the body.
In this present moment are you physically safe from harm?
Take a moment to notice that you are safe.
Place your hand anywhere on your body,
Inhale and exhale slowly as you take a moment to register that you are physically safe from harm.
Next we're going to check in with our emotions.
In this present moment are you emotionally safe from harm?
Emotional harm includes any form of emotional abuse or violence whether that's emotional blackmail or manipulation.
Take a moment to register that you are emotionally safe.
Place one hand on your heart,
Inhale and exhale slowly as you take a few moments to register in your body that you are safe from emotional harm.
Now let's shift our attention to your psychological safety.
In this present moment are you psychologically safe from harm?
Psychological harm may include all forms of gaslighting,
Shaming or verbal threats.
Take a moment to register that you are psychologically safe.
Place a hand on your forehead,
Inhale and exhale slowly as you take a few moments to register that you are safe from psychological or mental harm.
Next let's focus on your energy.
In this present moment are you energetically safe from harm?
That means are you safe from any energetic attacks or from anyone draining your energy?
Take a moment to register that you are energetically safe and place a hand on your lower stomach,
Inhale and exhale slowly as you take a few moments to register that you are energetically safe from harm.
As we come to the end of this process,
Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly or wherever you felt the most comfort.
Feel the sensations where your hands make contact with your body.
Allow your body to be held.
Invite your body now to find a gentle rocking motion,
Either swaying from side to side or forward and back as you gently rock yourself to safety.
Take as long as you need here.
Allow your body,
Mind,
Heart and soul to come together in this gentle rocking movement.
You can stay here as long as you like and when you're ready to end this process,
Allow your hands to drop down and take a moment to just be present.
Thank you again for your presence and attention.
Go gently.
Hari Om.
