This week's Moved to Heal practice offers the same reclining and seated movements as last week in a slightly different order. Sometimes the sequence of movements changes the way we experience them. I hope you'll give either or both of these 10 movement practices a try, perhaps as a way to connect to your body in movement. Or just as a break from the rest of your day!
Listen to "preparing for calm: 10 reclining + seated movements"
The 10 movements in the "preparing for calm" episode
- Reclining bridge, arm lift + lower
- Reclining, hug legs in
- Bridge, lift hips (hip bridge)
- Reclining, leg windshield wipers
- Sidelying, arm open + close
- Sidelying, press up to sit + lower back to floor
- Sitting cross-legged, twist the torso side to side
- Sitting cross-legged, side-bend the torso side to side
- Kneeling seat, hug or cross arms
- Kneeling seat, fold torso forward (child's)
I guide you through this practice step by step, and you can choose to skip or stay with any area you like.
What makes this trauma informed?
Noticing what you feel. I regularly invite you to notice whether you feel anything during a practice or movement. I invite you to bring attention to sensation, breathing, and choices. The intention is to allow you to develop a greater awareness of yourself, your body, and what you need moment to moment. Some days, sensation might be just sensation. Some days, sensation might be a revelation. There are no expectations, simply attempting to be in the present moment. You can always choose how to make use of invitations to observe and notice. Where you direct your attention is up to you.
Integration suggestion
After listening to the episode, perhaps take a moment to check in: did you notice something that you want to remember or follow up on? If yes, maybe jot it down in a notebook or record a voice memo to help you remember.
Be moving, be true, be you
photo credit andrew buchanan, found on unsplash
This week's Moved to Heal practice starts lying down and gradually moves up to seated. It could be useful as a gentle way to tune in to your body, or perhaps to take a break from a long period of sitting at a computer --something most of us can relate to these days!
what's in this episode of moved to heal?
The week's episode builds on last week's practice, but you do not need to do both, and you can start with either.
The 10 movements in this episode
- Reclining, hug legs in
- Reclining, leg windshield wipers
- Reclining bridge, arm lift + lower
- Bridge, lift hips (hip bridge)
- Sidelying, roll side to side
- Sidelying, arm open + close
- Sitting cross-legged, twist the torso side to side
- Sitting cross-legged, side-bend the torso side to side
- Kneeling seat, hug or cross arms
- Kneeling seat, fold torso forward (child's)
I guide you through this practice step by step, and you can choose to skip or stay with any area you like.
What makes this trauma informed?
An invitation to move. In fitness and many yoga classes alike, movements are instructed in such a way that most of us will feel compelled to follow --even if it's not what feels good or safe or right to us. Sometimes that can be what you want --say to help you get through a difficult workout that you want to do, and know you're comfortable with, but don't feel especially motivated to power through. But at other times, that kind of instruction is less a help and more of a hindrance, getting in the way of listening to ourselves -- of noticing what we need in the moment. Noticing and being able to choose what we need, knowing that's ok, is essential to healing traumas and hurts of all kinds.
Integration suggestion
After listening to the episode, perhaps take a moment to check in: did you notice something that you want to remember or follow up on? If yes, maybe jot it down in a notebook or record a voice memo to help you remember.
You can give it a try when you're ready
Listen to "10 movements reclining + seated - ep 16" on Spreaker.
Be moving, be true, be you
photo credit ambrose chua, found on unsplash