Healing Breath
Somatic breathing helps you connect your mind and body by bringing awareness and control to your breath.
Light of the World
You have lovingly
held my hand
in the darkness
for many years
In your patience and wisdom
You only illuminate for me
what little specks of your glory
my finite mind and heart
can experience
Slowly,
in awesome tenderness
you have been growing me
a forest floor fern
living in the darkness
stretching out
the atrophy of my
creativity
cultivating my divine femininity
Repairing and preparing
the roots of my soul
In, through, and all around me
your Love Light
hems me in
Teaching me in holy patience
to trust the light even when the dark
feels so familiar
Together
hand in hand
Spirit to Spirit
breath to breath
We tip toe out of the darkness
into the light
of a new day.
Amen
Be In Your Body
Somatic breathwork has been transformative and deeply healing for me. Somatic breathwork is a therapeutic breathing modality utilizing conscious breathing to regulate and activate the parasympathetic nervous system (say that 3 times fast!). Simply put it is breathing that helps you connect your mind and body by bringing awareness and control to your breath. It is a highly effective method of nervous system regulation especially for trauma survivors whose nervous systems have often been ‘stuck’ in fight, flight, or freeze. The practice can be deceptively simple but simple does not mean superficial.
This practice has taken me to a deep place of healing while also helping me name my pain. As a beginner I usually only practice for 5-8 minutes. I begin in a quiet comfortable space where I feel safe. Sometimes that is still sitting in bed first thing in the morning.
In a seated position with your back tall and your airway open, take a deep breath in breathing into your belly for 4 seconds then exhaling nice and slow for 4 seconds.
After breathing in this pattern for 10 breaths or so I bring both hands to my face, gently cupping my cheeks. I hold myself. I am caring for myself in a way that others could not or would not. It’s okay if emotions arise and you find yourself crying in this practice. That is a release for your spirit and your body. You are in control and may stop the practice at any time. You can also pause the practice and return to it when you are ready.
As a trauma survivor I have found adding the affirmation “you are safe” allows me to take this practice to an even deeper level of healing. I often mentally repeat the phrase on each inhale.
You are safe in your body and breath. You are more healed and more whole than you were yesterday.
I am so proud of you.