Hello First name / herb angel,
With the upcoming retrogrades, eclipses, & full moon, I've been thinking a lot about embodiment practices to anchor me as we move through it all. Further, it fascinates me how the brain isn’t the only area where memory is stored. It is also stored in our DNA, muscles, & memory T Cells of the immune system.. aka all over the body! Tuning in to how our body is processing & storing experiences can help us build some body awareness!
Trauma & stress can also get stored & built up in different areas of the body. This can result in feeling stuck or unwell mentally, burnout, emotional exhaustion, physical discomfort, & stress complications. It can also make it super challenging to be in the present moment if our bodies are flooded with memories of past stressors & moving in response to those traumas (aka survival mode!). That response is our body's way of protecting us, which is beautiful, but overtime it prevents us from connection.
I wish release practices & overall body knowledge education was valued & built into our lives as a society. Fortunately, there are lot's of resources, practitioners, & tools out there to help us reclaim this communication with our bodies. We can learn how to speak body language to our bodies to unlock patterns of stress & release stored trauma. I've plugged this podcast episode before & I'ma do it again! Burn Out & How to Complete the Stress Cycle discusses 7 different ways we can release the effects of a traumatic experience or stressful event from our bodies & return to a feeling of safety & ease. It has been super transformative for me to remember to dance it out, color, or laugh deeply after something even mildly traumatic or stressful occurs. Here are the 7 methods that are further discussed along with the science in the podcast:
-physical activity
-creativity
-laughter (especially with a friend)
-crying
-socializing
-physical affection
-deep breathing
It's a Western take on what I'm positive various Indigenous cultures around the world know & have traditional practices around. Take what resonates & leave the rest!
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Sometimes releasing stress in the body can be on the simpler end of the spectrum ie: stress of being short staffed at work or catcalled at the bus stop. Other times, we are dealing with years or decades of compounded stress, structural harm, &/or huge traumas that require a lot of support & resource to release. It's important we don't try to do some of the heavier lifting alone & make sure to arm ourselves with complementary tools & seek trauma informed practitioners. Below are a few practices & resources to support you in your embodiment journey:
-Free or Reduced Cost Mental Health Care for the Black Community
-Breathwork
-Acupuncture
-Myofascial Massage
-Trauma Informed Yoga
-Art Therapy
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We talked about memory, trauma, & stress above. Emotions can also be stored in the body & we can tune into what emotions may be stored where to cultivate body awareness. I tend to clench my jaw a lot & learning that anger & resentment are often stored there has helped me tune into how I deal with & process these emotions. An exercise my beautiful artist friend shared with me, is to draw or paint or color whatever you think your body is trying to communicate to you. For example, if your back has been tense lately, you can ask it to show you what’s going on and create a visual with art supplies as you tune in & listen.
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Herbs to support movement & flow in the body:
-Violet
-Calendula
Water is a lovely conduit for herbs (yay tea!), & is super necessary for hydrated movement, release, & restoration. Whether you're taking them in tea or tincture, be sure to drink lots of water! Sending lot's of love as we collectively move through the transits in intentional communication with our bodies.
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Joy, bliss, neutrality, & pleasure can also be stored & conjured up in the body. I just wanted to end on that as a reminder of what's possible as we release stress & integrate trauma along our healing journeys. <3
