Allowing the body to unwind and let go
When we think of self-care, do we think of having a pedicure, going for a walk, doing some Yoga? These are all good for us in that we are taking some time out, focusing on our needs, be they emotional or physical, and allowing ourselves to acknowledge we are worth spending time and money on. But do they get to the heart of the matter? And what is the ‘matter’?
Our lives are far from simple these days. I am currently working hard to simplify mine by decluttering, putting ‘stuff’ away but making sure it’s only necessary ‘stuff’ that I do that with(!), and creating a gentle routine to my start of day by meditating then spending 20 minutes on my yoga mat saying Hello to my body and letting it unwind and let go of whatever tension is in there. (Also see blog on pandiculation – link below). This is definitely the best way to start the day – there are plenty of free meditations available on YouTube, and a yoga mat can be replaced by a soft carpet for this purpose.
Hang on, I hear you say, did you say you let your body ‘unwind? Yes, unwind. As a therapist I worked out what I called Body Unwinding decades ago. As I moved into the world of fascia[1] I realised others were on the same path but called it Fascial Unwinding (see references below). If we put our hands gently onto a client’s body and put our attention there, this can facilitate the client to move gently, except that in this case it is the body moving, not the client consciously moving. If we do that for ourselves, putting our attention on an area of tension in our own body, again the body can start to move. By doing this, the body replays ‘patterning’ or its memory of tension/injury patterns, and in this way can let go of them and any emotions associated with them.
Below is a link to a gentle way of unwinding head/neck/shoulders. Read it carefully, turn off the phone, and give it a go. You will be surprised at what the body can do when given the chance to self-heal. It can give profound relaxation and put us in touch with our bodies in a very different way.
I have also given you the link below to Dana Bregman’s article on ways to help your fascia stay healthy.
Explore and enjoy!
Fascial Unwinding: how to release your neck and head tension
How we can help you: As a therapist or movement educator you may find my course in Fascial Unwinding and Energy Awareness useful – these are run once or twice a year in the UK: https://www.bodyinharmony.org.uk/events
References/Further Reading
https://thefasciahub.com/blog/healthy-fascia-takeaways-2 by Dana Bregman
https://thefasciahub.com/blog/what-is-fascial-unwinding-and-how-does-it-work-2 by Jan Trewartha
[1] For information on fascia and what it is see https://thefasciahub.com/faq