Somatic Release For Stress And Strong Emotions

When a stressful situation triggers a strong emotional response, stepping away for six minutes can be the difference between reacting and responding.
This practice guides you to name what you're feeling, locate it in your body, and stay with it — giving the emotion the 90 seconds of full attention that science suggests will allow the chemical reaction of an emotion to complete its course in your body. From there, intentional movement and shaking help the body physically release what it has been holding. Shaking is a natural nervous system reset that even animals use in the wild to shift back into the parasympathetic state. You return to stillness, clearer, more grounded, and more able to meet the situation with compassion.
Bookmark this audio so that you can use it whenever you feel triggered — after a difficult conversation, in the middle of a hard day, or any time you need to come back to yourself.

Transcript

This short practice will help you to deal with strong emotions that get triggered in stressful situations. Take the next six minutes to step away from the situation, Do this practice, And return able to communicate from a place of compassion and understanding, Rather than reactivity. If you are comfortable doing this standing, I invite you to stand so that you are free to move your body, But take whatever position feels right to your body now. Rock back and forth and find a sense of balance and strength in whatever posture you've chosen to take. You've got this. I want you to name the emotion you are feeling. It might be anger, Or frustration, Or sadness, Or disappointment, Or something else. Name the emotion. You might even be feeling multiple emotions. Name as many as come to mind. Now I want you to name where you feel the emotion or emotions in your body. What is the physical sensation that you are feeling? It might be clenching in the stomach, Tightness in your cheeks or jaw, A feeling that your heart is dropping, Or something else. Name as many physical sensations as come to mind. Science shows that the chemical reaction in your brain that you interpret as emotions only runs for 90 seconds. If you feel your emotion lasting longer than that, Perhaps something triggered you and you're angry and in a foul mood the rest of the day. That's because you've attached a story to the anger, One that you're replaying over and over again without letting the emotion run its course. Pick the emotion that is the strongest for you right now and the physical sensation in your body that it corresponds with. Give it your full attention. Hear what it has to say. Let it express itself and make sure your attention stays with the emotion and the sensation in your body. We're going to be with it for 90 seconds starting now. Feel what needs to be felt. If it moves or wants you to move, Move with it. Punch the air. Wrap your arms around yourself like a hug. Emotions are energy in motion. Let it move. Now I want you to let the emotion float away from your body. Let it feel like a weight is being lifted from your shoulders. And now I want you to shake your body. This may feel uncomfortable and that's okay. Embrace the discomfort for 15 seconds. That's it. Shaking your body to literally shake it off. When we shake, We are cueing a biological response in the body to release. Let's go. Shake your hips, Your legs, Your arms, Your shoulders, Your head, Your fingers, And your toes. Almost there. A few more seconds. Shake, Shake, Shake, And let it go. Find stillness. Notice if anything has changed in your body. Notice any areas of tension or relaxation. Notice your breath. Notice what inner wisdom has made itself known to you during this practice. Take a gentle, Easy breath in with an audible sigh out to let the practice go. As you transition back, Move with gentleness and ease. And know that anytime you need help being with the intensity of your emotional experience, This practice is here to support you.