Dear friends,
I was so thrilled to receive your responses to my last blog post, Improvisation: Building Resilience. Thank you to all those who wrote to tell me that they received value from my insights and reflections. It means so much to know that these blogs are helpful to some of you out there.
This post has a different emphasis. This post has a practical approach. I want to offer you a recording of a movement practice I taught this fall in the improvisation workshop that I co-taught with Judy Greenwald and Madelyn Sovern. I am offering it to you so you can have an experience of a Body Dialogue practice, whether you are in Central Florida and can join us at the Atlantic Center in New Smyrna Beach for the Grief to Gratitude workshop on December 7th, or if you are in your living room.
My observation is that no matter who we are or what we do, we need time to slow down these days and pay attention to our inner dialogue with our body and our thought patterns. We are moving so fast with so much distraction at every moment that I find it a useful practice to get down onto the floor and drop our attention out of our head and into our bones.
Simply giving over to gravity and finding time to open to a deeper breath can alter how we feel, think and act.
This session will provide you with an opportunity to drop deeply into the weight of your bones, to slow down and connect more deeply with your breathing patterns and restrictions, and begin to listen to your inner body dialogue.
My hope is that while you explore this technique you will feel restored and rejuvenated — more connected to yourself and your body. If you take the time, it will actually allow you to listen to those symptoms that might be showing up as aches and pains. Most likely, this practice will connect you to some held emotions that have been pushed down. You might meet some fear, sadness, or grief.
In the safety of your home you can let my voice guide you toward a deeper communion with your inner world.
I like to finish my practice session with a practice of gratitude.
Gratitude for giving myself the gift of time.
Gratitude for all that is good in my life.
Gratitude for those I love.
Gratitude for waking up and being able to simply BE, and feel my whole-hearted connection to my life force
Gratitude to my breath and bones as they help me to release any fear, grief, or any feelings that might be restricting my freedom and flow in life
Body Dialogue requires slowing down. It does not require a lot of time, but it does require the decision to stop and say yes to your self care.
In this process, your body may reveal to you secrets that will make your life richer, fuller and more vital.
Try this practice. I invite you to do this in any way that feels right for you. If you cannot do it all, try a part of it. Invite a friend to do it with you. We all need to drop deeper into our presence so we can bring what is best in us forward.
With grace and love,
Janice