in the here and now

Happy Wednesday, friends.

Recently, I took a four-day training in Somatic Experiencing™.

It was the first of eight intensive sessions that I plan to complete over the next few years to become certified as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner.

Developed by a guy named Peter Levine, Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a body-oriented approach to healing trauma and other stress-related conditions.

In a nutshell, stress and trauma accumulate in our bodies and nervous systems. Because stressful things happened to us and we didn’t have a chance to resolve them in the moment, we remain stuck in patterns of fight or flight.

SE is a tool to help us complete and release these energetic cycles.

When we’re able to complete and release old patterns, we become healthier and more resilient to future stresses.

As a new student to SE, one thing that stood out to me was the focus on being in the present moment.

We can’t heal trauma if we don’t feel safe and available to the present moment.

Being in the present moment is the first step in any somatic work.

While ‘be here now’ is a spiritual catch phrase, presence as daily practice is easy to overlook.

Want to put this to the test?

While you’re reading this, I invite you to notice your breathing…in and out.

You don’t have to manipulate your breathing…just notice it.

You might notice the sensation of air coming in through your nostrils, and leaving through your nostrils.

You might notice the temperature of the air coming in and going out.

You may notice the contact you’re making with your chair.

Or the feeling of your hands.

You may notice sounds in the room, or outside. Or you may notice smells.

Whatever in your surroundings you pay attention to, you have to be present in order to do it.

Your mind can’t be in a lot of places if you’re feeling a present-moment sensation.

You can’t be processing a million thoughts and also be tuned into what’s happening right now.

So I’m curious…was this little exercise new for you?

If you’re already doing this in your day…either deliberately or by accident, wonderful!

If this feels new for you…or if you remember doing it a long time ago, (like when you were little)…but you haven’t done it much lately, don’t worry.

You’re not alone.

Our complex human brains can process so much at once that true presence isn’t always required.

But practicing presence pays dividends.

When you’re really present, you might just start to feel ALIVE.

You may find joy in the simplicity of the present moment (even when nothing terribly exciting is happening).

The practice of presence can bring a jacked-up nervous system back into balance.

When you are aware of being alive in this moment, you soothe a nervous system that’s been under a lot of stress.

My message today is short and sweet.

Why not take some moments today to just tune in and notice?

Soothing your nervous system is especially important in this time that can feel so stressful.

Can you take a moment and notice how it feels to sit in your chair?

The more you practice presence, the more calming it becomes.

And the gift of presence…the awareness that you’re ALIVE…becomes a resource, an anchor, and a respite from stressful thinking.

Let the present moment become your resting place.

Could you use some support? Click here to schedule a free 30-minute connection call with me. And for more juicy life stuff, check out my podcast, coming home (to yourself). As always, may your week be filled with self-love and rich insights. With love, Amy ♡♡♡