Online Engagement Studio
*Chest and Stomach*
Chest
Containment:
Here is where a lot of the props you collected could help you practice. You can do this practice lying down or sitting up but with something sturdy behind your back. On your chest, you can place a sandbag or the rice in the pillowcase or the book you like with a towel/blanket below it or a cat. You could use just a weighted blanket. A heavy sweatshirt. Experiment with how much weight to offer yourself. Breathe normally to figure out what’s most comfortable. If you don’t have any props, you can place your hands there firmly. Play with how much pressure feels good.
Notice whether your breath feels high or low in your chest. Try to sense the contact between your chest and your hand or props above it.
Mirroring:
If at any point this practice makes you feel a little worse, even briefly -- stop.
Place your hand in front of the chest, hovering above it. Tune into your heartbeat, its energy. Notice any change in its energy. Try to move your hand along with the same vibration. Allow your heartbeat to feel met and matched. If you feel high-energy or anxiety, you can add sound -- “Ahhhhhhh!!!!” or use your voice to try to hum or drone with your hand moving above your chest.
Then, if it feels right to do so, slow your hand down gradually. Almost like a slow-motion camera, make your movements deliberate.
Stomach
Containment:
Wrap something, such as a blanket, towel or scarf around your torso. Tie it if you can. Not tightly so that you can’t breathe, but cozy. Try using the heavier items -- again always cushioned by something soft - on either side of you and on your lap against your stomach. You can put the scarf or item around you and hold it above. Tie it with a pillow.
If you don’t have any props: place your hands on your stomach and deliberately clench your belly, if you can.
Notice which part of your belly likes to be held the most. Allow yourself to give that part of your torso more holding or pressure.
Mirroring:
Similar to what we did with the chest, we’re going to wave our hand above our stomach, adding in a hum or drone as well. Jiggling your hand, fast or slow, letting your breathe enter your belly, capturing the intensity of your hand’s movement.
Then, there are two options, the first is more intense than the second:
1 - If you feel your breathe quickening, follow it. Not quite hyperventilating, but allowing your hands movement to affirm how fast it is. If it is slower, slow down with it. If you want to gasp, gasp with some drama.
2 - Notice the mood of your stomach. Is there fear or and try moving your hand while singing a little silly song about it. “My stomach is an empty cavern. Yes, my stomach is an empty cavern.” Notice if you feel anything shift and try singing the next thing. “My belly is a little less scared. My belly is a little less scared.” Singing engages your diaphragm, and the band of armoring around that depth of your body.
Practice Group Questions:
Introduce yourself with your name and geographic location before you begin. Invite the next person to speak in the group. It’s okay to pass it to another person and return to the question later, or say, “I’m not sure.”
Each group member should get an opportunity to share. Please refrain from commenting on one another’s shares or giving any advice. Follow the covenant and ground rules you were offered. Responses should be affirming and supportive.
Turn your cameras off. Do the practices again (only the ones that were a “yes” or “maybe”) for about a minute. Make any adjustments to the practice. Turn your camera on when you’re done and ready to return to the group.
If there is time left, you could take 1 minute to repeat the practice you like bet, before the last question.
Containment:
Here is where a lot of the props you collected could help you practice. You can do this practice lying down or sitting up but with something sturdy behind your back. On your chest, you can place a sandbag or the rice in the pillowcase or the book you like with a towel/blanket below it or a cat. You could use just a weighted blanket. A heavy sweatshirt. Experiment with how much weight to offer yourself. Breathe normally to figure out what’s most comfortable. If you don’t have any props, you can place your hands there firmly. Play with how much pressure feels good.
Notice whether your breath feels high or low in your chest. Try to sense the contact between your chest and your hand or props above it.
Mirroring:
If at any point this practice makes you feel a little worse, even briefly -- stop.
Place your hand in front of the chest, hovering above it. Tune into your heartbeat, its energy. Notice any change in its energy. Try to move your hand along with the same vibration. Allow your heartbeat to feel met and matched. If you feel high-energy or anxiety, you can add sound -- “Ahhhhhhh!!!!” or use your voice to try to hum or drone with your hand moving above your chest.
Then, if it feels right to do so, slow your hand down gradually. Almost like a slow-motion camera, make your movements deliberate.
Stomach
Containment:
Wrap something, such as a blanket, towel or scarf around your torso. Tie it if you can. Not tightly so that you can’t breathe, but cozy. Try using the heavier items -- again always cushioned by something soft - on either side of you and on your lap against your stomach. You can put the scarf or item around you and hold it above. Tie it with a pillow.
If you don’t have any props: place your hands on your stomach and deliberately clench your belly, if you can.
Notice which part of your belly likes to be held the most. Allow yourself to give that part of your torso more holding or pressure.
Mirroring:
Similar to what we did with the chest, we’re going to wave our hand above our stomach, adding in a hum or drone as well. Jiggling your hand, fast or slow, letting your breathe enter your belly, capturing the intensity of your hand’s movement.
Then, there are two options, the first is more intense than the second:
1 - If you feel your breathe quickening, follow it. Not quite hyperventilating, but allowing your hands movement to affirm how fast it is. If it is slower, slow down with it. If you want to gasp, gasp with some drama.
2 - Notice the mood of your stomach. Is there fear or and try moving your hand while singing a little silly song about it. “My stomach is an empty cavern. Yes, my stomach is an empty cavern.” Notice if you feel anything shift and try singing the next thing. “My belly is a little less scared. My belly is a little less scared.” Singing engages your diaphragm, and the band of armoring around that depth of your body.
Practice Group Questions:
Introduce yourself with your name and geographic location before you begin. Invite the next person to speak in the group. It’s okay to pass it to another person and return to the question later, or say, “I’m not sure.”
Each group member should get an opportunity to share. Please refrain from commenting on one another’s shares or giving any advice. Follow the covenant and ground rules you were offered. Responses should be affirming and supportive.
- Is what we are doing so far a “Yes,” “No,” or “Maybe” for your body? How do you know? How/where is your body telling you it’s a yes or no?
Turn your cameras off. Do the practices again (only the ones that were a “yes” or “maybe”) for about a minute. Make any adjustments to the practice. Turn your camera on when you’re done and ready to return to the group.
- Try to feel and identify the sensations in your chest, stomach.
- Sensations can be something like a temperature, movement, numbness, blankness, stillness, contact, pressure, texture, emptiness, fullness.
- Your sensations might also include an image - like a great round ball in your abdomen.
- You might identify a sensation nearby your chest or stomach - those are welcome, too.
- For the chest and stomach, which practices did you like best? Mirror or containment? Do you have a strong preference?
If there is time left, you could take 1 minute to repeat the practice you like bet, before the last question.
- Notice any small impacts: are you a little more relaxed? Is there some softness?
