When Disciplined Practices Become a Hindrance to NS Healing

At the deepest levels of nervous system healing, disciplined practices like meditation, breathwork, & even free-flow movement can become a hindrance.⁠⁠

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Because the most important aspect of meeting the earliest imprints in the nervous system is ATTUNEMENT.⁠⁠

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Which means, having the sensitivity to meet the nervous system with the right AMOUNT of presence, focus, movement, breath, & attention in any given moment.⁠⁠

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The only real “discipline” we need to be focused on, is the deep honouring of what the nervous system needs to feel both MET & SAFE.⁠⁠

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For example: for certain early traumas it can feel scary to be IN the body, but also scary to be completely disconnected FROM the body.⁠⁠

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Scary to feel oneself completely. Also scary to dissociate completely.⁠⁠

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So the dance becomes about removing all force & ideas of what “should” feel safe or what kind of capacity we “should” have,⁠⁠

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In favour of sensing the orientation & intensity that offers the greatest safety - and thus allows for slow & gentle integration.⁠⁠

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For this reason, choosing to watch Netflix or eat chocolate can literally become RESOURCES, not inherently “poor” choices.⁠⁠

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If/when those choices are part of what brings your system stability amidst integrating early NS imprints. ⁠⁠

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Another example: when co-regulating with another person, their deep presence & attention may actually feel overwhelming to the part of you that never received the external presence it needed - AND, for them to remove their attention altogether can trigger feelings of abandonment.⁠⁠

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Although this appears to be an inherent contradiction, it is actually an invitation to ATTUNE to what is needed in each moment.⁠⁠

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More or less intensity of attention from another.⁠⁠

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Wider or narrower orientation of your own focus.⁠⁠

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Awareness of self versus external environment.⁠⁠

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Movement or stillness.⁠⁠

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Surface-level conversation or depth.⁠⁠

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All of these things can either ENHANCE safety & integration, or hinder it.⁠⁠

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Thus the primary PRACTICES in the process of deep NS healing are really...⁠⁠

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Sensing oneself⁠⁠

Honouring oneself⁠⁠

Caring for oneself⁠⁠

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On a moment-by-moment basis.