JOURNAL

 What is asking to be reclaimed?

(Set aside at least 30min to do this exercise… No rushing the body, she likes is sloooow & sweet!)

  1. Close your eyes and take a few grounding breaths. This is simply an opportunity to bring awareness into your body.

  2. Next, gently scan your body with your awareness… moving slowly… starting at the top of your head, and slowly moving down until you reach the bottoms of your feet. As you do this, note any symptoms you’ve been experiencing, and the ones you feel now. (That pain in my jaw, the acid reflux Ive been having, the tightness in my chest…) The purpose of this scan is to take note of every symptom. This can be tough if you are used to ignoring or downplaying symptoms, but I want to encourage you that noting your symptoms does not mean anything about you (you’re not weak, or wimpy!) You are trusting that your symptoms are there for a reason… perhaps for the first time.

  3. After the body scan… open your eyes and write down as many symptoms as you can recall. Give a little space between each one as you are going to write more about them.

  4. Now you have a list of all of the symptoms your body is using to talk to you. Let’s go a little deeper… We’re gonna take each symptom one-by-one and take a little time to connect with where you feel this in your body. As you do this, notice how it feels. Any sensations, feelings, images, even thoughts or words that come up as you tune into this place in your body… For example, perhaps my neck has been bothering me. I might write: NECK: tight, hot, clenching, pulling back…’get away!” Go through this process with each symptom listed. IMPORTANT: There may be a tendency to judge or second-guess what’s coming up— DON’T. Go with your first instinct. We are working with the instinctual body here, not the logical mind— the mind will be helping us later on.

  5. This is where the mind gets to play— you get to be a detective. Read through all of your symptoms and what showed up as you tuned into them… you are looking for a ‘ping’ of knowing. A throughline connecting these symptoms. Though they may