Focus:
A deeper connection with the body, with this protocol, keeping an open mind to the communications from the body and welcoming this next phase of healing.
Repetition:
I am grateful for this journey.
I welcome my intuition, I love all versions of myself, I love all versions of my body, I am at peace with all ways my body communicates with me and I know I am healing.
Welcome to Month Five
Welcome to MONTH FIVE!! This is incredible and you are doing beautiful things for your body! We will learn an inquiry practise this week and begin to apply it to physical communications as well as emotional ones. Normally, this practice is used only for emotions that we feel but it is very helpful in exploring everything from nausea to frustration. You can even use this when nothing seems to be at the surface, it is exploratory and extremely helpful.
The Inquiry Practice
Devote a couple of physical spaces you can use for your inquiry. Have 1 or 2 little spaces inside and outside that you dedicate to this practice, your body will learn when you go to these spots that it is time to explore. Take paper, pen, coloured pencils or any art supplies you may desire.
Ask yourself what is happening at this moment. Observe only for a minute or so, do not problem solve. “This is grief, this is frustration, this is brain fog, this is a histamine reaction, this is anger, etc.” Just sit with it for a moment and when judging thoughts arise such as “if the neighbour kept his cat out of my yard, I would not be frustrated,” or “if I was healing, I would not have this histamine reaction, I bet it was from the meat stock,” or “I cannot heal, I am too far gone,” “I deserve this illness because xyz.”
Keep your thoughts to observations only and be gentle, kind and soothing. Breathe well during this exercise, you can sit with good posture or lie back with no pillow. Experience this feeling, this emotion and anything that surfaces, just be present with anything that happens for at least a minute or two but you may take longer if you feel you need it. Do not assume you know what is happening or come to any conclusions so that your curiosity can be prompted.
Asking the Body
The next step is to ask yourself “What is happening in my body? Where do I feel this is actually located? Does it have a shape? Does it have a colour? Does it look like something in nature? Does it remind me of something? Does it have a voice? Does it have a tone of voice? What does it have to say to me with words or without?”
You may write or draw as you answer these questions, you may sing the answers, you may bring all the answers into the physical world any way you choose. Keep up with any changes as they happen, with the visual aspect of what you have discovered or any other details. If you feel blank and nothing shows up, just be patient and stay. Trust when something does show up, your body is showing you something and it is your present teacher.
Reactions vs. Feelings
Remember that reactions are in the head and feelings are in the body. We want to recognise our reactions are developed by us and our perceptions. A feeling can also be developed but we want to allow the feelings to talk to us, we want to encourage the reactions to pass and we want to welcome the observations and lessons. We want to change the patterns we have developed that are keeping our emotions trapped in our body and our reactions that are trying to keep us safe but actually keeping us in survival mode.
Know that your thoughts will tell you how silly or boring or what a waste of time this is but this practice is going to help you get to know your body on a much more intimate level. Thank your protective thoughts and tell them that you really want to learn this practice, repeat as needed and ask them to relax because you are safe.
Remember that emotions do not hurt unless we store them in our bodies, do not be afraid to feel anything that arises. Our bodies do not necessarily store trauma forever the way we may have learned and we will dive deep into that in the future. Just remember for now, you have a brand new body every seven (ish) years so the body cannot possibly keep any score but the way we REVISIT memories can keep us feeling trapped. And we are shifting microbes and rebuilding our nervous system to be healthy and peaceful. We will unravel all this together!
Releasing our emotions brings healing, connecting with why we feel the way we do and how our reactions can keep us stuck will help us to create new patterns. Connect with the feeling, the images, the sounds, the memories and journal, draw, cry, sing, sculpt, anything that helps you to process this experience and what you have learned. This will become easier and easier as you practise it, be faithful and consistent.
Mealtimes and Chewing
Enjoy your soups and be grateful for the healing they will bring you. Focus on your mealtimes and make them peaceful, slow and a time of deep gratitude. Rest at least a few minutes after you eat, making sure to relax for a while. Begin chewing a piece of raw meat, a very small (the size of a piece of gum so you may want to cut one you find) silicone jaw exerciser or a piece of cartilage for a few minutes before eating, maybe while preparing meals and chew while you are relaxing after.
Welcome to the intense gut healing phase of ARP! Get ready for a brand new you, literally!!