| Freedom: Choice; Openness; Candor; Free | | | | well worth it! For me, I have found the freedom |
| expression; Abundance; Space; Being Fluid & | | | | to be comfortable in my body, to listen and honor |
| Flexible; Acceptance; Surrender; Playful; | | | | what my body is telling me, to be more authentic, |
| Spontaneous; Pleasure; Lack of restriction. | | | | to feel free to speak my truth, to feel the |
| Lack of Freedom: Restriction; Imprisonment; | | | | deliciousness of loving myself more deeply and a |
| Constriction; Contraction; No Choice; Limitation; | | | | deeper accepting of who I am. Plus, I have |
| Habitual responses; Fear; Stuck; Unworthy; | | | | learned that when something uncomfortable or |
| Trapped: No pleasure; No time. | | | | "restricted" shows up in the body, it is actually |
| Freedom is a word that comes up a lot. As an | | | | good news. Why? Because by going into the |
| integrative Physical Therapist who specializes in | | | | body, we can find a roadmap to our true |
| total mind-body healing, especially emotional | | | | freedom as we release, reclaim and forgive parts |
| & trauma release from the body, I hear | | | | of ourselves that we may have cast aside. |
| statements like this all the time: "I want to be | | | | So, back to my client. What do you think |
| free of this pain & restriction in my body"; "I | | | | happened when we moved into an expanded |
| want to be free of this issue in my life"; "I wish I | | | | place of positive and loving thoughts? Try this .... |
| could express myself freely"; "I want financial | | | | think of something that upsets you and FEEL into |
| freedom;" "I just want to be free of this pattern | | | | your body. How does it respond? Now think of |
| in my relationships". Whether it's work, health, | | | | something positive, fun, something you love... what |
| body image, emotions, you name it, the bottom | | | | happens in your body? (Is it easier to breath; |
| line is that we want more freedom in our lives. | | | | more relaxed; are your muscles softer?) When I |
| Can you relate? | | | | asked my client to do this and speak what was |
| So what does this have to do with the body? | | | | present for her, the first word out of her mouth |
| How can the practice of radical body awareness | | | | was FREEDOM! |
| help us gain the freedom we so dearly desire? | | | | Yes! When we connect to what is happening in |
| Simple ..... and not so simple. The body is a map | | | | our body we find the freedom we are longing for. |
| and as a blueprint it shows us where we are free | | | | By allowing ourselves to slow down, feel inside, |
| or not free. The obvious ways that clearly | | | | embrace what is present, become aware of what |
| indicate a lack of freedom on the physical level | | | | is truly going on for us, we give ourselves the |
| are the places in the body that reflect pain, | | | | opportunity to feel our truth, which then flows |
| tightness, disease etc. Less obvious is that there | | | | into our life. Ah... doesn't that feel good?! |
| is always a corresponding lack of freedom on the | | | | This is not to say that we are going to feel |
| emotional, mental & spiritual levels. Often, it is | | | | fabulous during this process of awakening into our |
| the lack of freedom on these 'other' levels that | | | | Freedom. It is about the process. I know I can be |
| creates the physical restriction in the first place. | | | | extremely connected and in my flow then |
| Here's an example. Recently a woman came to | | | | something throws me off (someone says or |
| my office with pain in her neck and radiating into | | | | does something, I don't sleep well, I have pain in |
| her eyes that was not responding to "standard" | | | | my body) and I get off balance. However, noticing |
| treatment. As we connected with this pain | | | | the reaction in my body and being aware I have |
| through hands-on manipulation, breath, intention | | | | contracted, tightened, feel "off", allows me to |
| and awareness, it became obvious that she was | | | | work with, embrace, feel and listen to it. By |
| holding a tremendous amount of fear in this area. | | | | sensing and feeling my world through my body I |
| On deeper exploration it became clear the fear | | | | am more easily able to assess what is happening |
| was caused by repetitive negative & | | | | to me and how I need to take care of myself. |
| catastrophic thoughts (ie, fear of being in a car | | | | I have deep respect for body knowledge. When I |
| crash, fear of being alone, fear of illness). As a | | | | live my life including my body I feel the |
| result, in her body, she described feeling tight, | | | | satisfaction of living. Most of all, I feel the deep |
| contracted, disconnected, stuck. She felt her | | | | connection to source (mine and Spirit's) and that |
| completely shut down, with no feeling of her | | | | gives me tremendous Freedom. To me, true |
| body, and only aware of her overactive mind. In | | | | Freedom can only come when we inhabit our |
| other words... lack of freedom. | | | | body and live a body-mind existence. |
| I know how she feels. I understand the body | | | | Three TIPS to Freedom: |
| contraction that comes when I get angry or | | | | 1. Take a deep breath and feel into your body. |
| anxious. The body naturally contracts and | | | | What are you aware of? Awareness is the first |
| restricts, when there is pain, disease, fear or | | | | step. |
| judgment at the mental and emotional levels or | | | | 2. Shake your body - shake your body loose. |
| we feel separated at a spiritual level. This is our | | | | When you stop, become aware of the possibility |
| sign to pay attention! When we can bring in | | | | of more open space inside. |
| awareness, compassion, forgiveness and healing | | | | 3. Find a somatic or integrative body therapist to |
| at these levels, we open the doors to gain | | | | work with you specifically with your body & |
| freedom in every part of our lives, including the | | | | health issues. Remember working with the body |
| physical body. | | | | towards your desired Freedom is not a "quick fix" |
| There are many techniques to journey into the | | | | but a process over time. The body holds the |
| body (and a whole subcategory of psychology | | | | truth, and sometimes it takes some extra |
| called body psychotherapy, or somatic | | | | support to get to the core of your healing. You |
| psychology), and I use many of them in my | | | | are worth it! |
| personal and professional practice. The results are | | | | |