Body Healing with Somatic Exercises

If you're frustrated at the bills showing up in the mail , there's that frustration that is a part of the negative 50% , and then there's the judgment of yourself being in that frustration that adds suffering to the pain of frustration . This way it seems like it's 95% negative .

The suffering we create from the judgment of our negative experiences expands the negative 50% ratio of life . But the 50% of negative in this world is completely natural . You are human and your life is designed this way . This is not a flaw .

But what I wanted to talk about today has to do with releasing the negative emotions and the judgment of them by using our body as a release mechanism . So previously I have published this podcast called Universal Patterns of Change , and in that I describe how the nervous system holds the key to healing .

I also describe how the body , not just the brain and the skull , is the part of the nervous system , and today I want to focus on how we can use the body as a point of healing of the negative emotions , how somatic exercises can create changes in our nervous system and help us relieve the extra layer of suffering that we create for ourselves .

We get into a shame and blame spiral as a result of the judgment of us being human , meaning we get mad at the frustration at the amount of bills we have to pay . So I want to make something very clear there is us being in a negative experience of frustration at the bills completely natural and then there is us getting upset at our frustration .

That's the extra layer of suffering . This extra layer of suffering is the classic work of shaitan because he has us in our judgment of being human . This shame and blame cycle prevents healing , blocks your sense of well-being and is very harmful . Like I said , I will describe some body-based exercises to help release these blocks and emotions .

It used to be that it was very easy for me to go into negative shame and blame spirals and my only solution at that time seemed to be an escape Get out of the situation or avoid the situation in the first place , to the examples of getting bills in the mail .

It would look like me not looking at the bills or walking away from them completely or , in an example of a difficult conversation , walking away from it or avoiding it altogether . Many people consider this a good solution , but I will offer that it doesn't provide closure , it doesn't provide healing .

It provides a temporary relief , for sure , but if the mind and the body is good at creating negative spirals , then they will continue to do that , regardless of how far removed you are from the situation . You can distance yourself physically from all of the negative experiences , but they will follow you in the shape of your mind and your emotions .

And , as the marvelous gift of neuroplasticity would have it , if you do something once , the brain gets better at it for the next time and then each time you do it , it becomes easier for it to reproduce it for the next time . So if you avoid a situation , you get better at avoiding situations .

If you crave sugar and you eat it , then it gets easier for the brain to crave sugar for the next time . If you get into a shame spiral and you escape it , it gets easier for the brain to create it for the next time , and all of the effects of these will build up without letting you heal as a person .

Every time you create a shame spiral , it gets easier for the brain to create it for the next time , unless you interrupt it and provide yourself with emotional safety .

Each emotion you feel is a set of sensations , even shame and guilt , and when that set of sensations are uncomfortable because they're associated with such negative emotions , the brain then interprets it as danger and thus setting off a downward spiral , a type of a vortex , if you will , with a negative regenerating force that drags the personal emotional well being down

. As I mentioned earlier , the body centered techniques I'll be discussing today will be incredibly useful when dealing with the discomfort arising from challenging emotions like self blame , pity , shame , despair , anger , frustration . So the first technique is progressive muscle relaxation , pmr .

It is a therapeutic technique that involves tensing and relaxing the front muscle groups of the body to reduce body tension . When the body starts to interpret the sensations as danger and it goes into a fight light response , then tensing and relaxing muscles by intention helps release this extra adrenaline .

So the technique involves you tensing your toes and relaxing them , then progressively moving upward on both sides of your body . Moving next , you will tense your feet for five seconds and relax , and then you move up the calf , then thighs and abdomen , hands , arms , shoulders .

Each cycle you add a muscle group progressively moving upwards in your body , and each time you tense it for five seconds and then you relax your whole body for ten seconds , moving all the way up to your jaw and your face .

This technique helps you refocus on your body rather than the problem in the environment , and it helps you release the adrenaline and the extra energy that the fight light response creates without being reactive in your actions . This is a very helpful grounding technique . Then , of course , there is deep breathing .

Conscious control of breathing is your built in mechanism of controlling the vagus nerve that is responsible for relaxation sensations . Deep breathing involves taking slow , full breaths , holding for a few seconds and exhaling slowly , all with control , and there are more methods out there to do that than I can count , but here I will tell you about a few .

There is four , seven , eight breathing that consists of inhaling for four counts , holding the breath for seven counts and exhaling for eight counts . There is box breathing that requires inhaling , holding the breath , exhaling and pausing , each of it for equal count , usually four seconds , creating a box . There is alternate nostril breathing .

A technique from yoga involves inhaling through one nostril , holding then exhaling through the opposite nostril and alternating sides . Then there is belly breathing , focusing on deep diaphragmatic inhalations , expanding the abdomen rather than the chest , followed by slow exhalations .

Then there is three part breathing that divides the breath into three segments First filling the belly , then the rib cage and finally the upper chest before a gradual exhale . There is no one size fits all . Let's tell you one technique over the other , but the only technique that works is the one that you practice .

So pick one and stick with it and make it a part of your practice . The next technique has to do with body scan meditation . It is a mindful technique that increases awareness and relaxation by sequentially focusing on different parts of the body .

If you are not used to noticing the sensation of your body , then I would recommend that you start at a moment when there is no negative spiral going on , when you are in somewhat of a positive experience .

Take a moment during that time and notice what the sensations of your body are , and once you have more practice with the technique , then you can use it in more heated moments of your day . The body scan technique allows you to become aware of what sensations you're carrying around in your body , what emotions have been trapped .

A body scan invites you to think about your body and just observe it from head to toe and notice what you feel and where you feel it . It can include sensations in your head , in your face , your throat , arms , shoulders pretty much everything . Any part of your body can be included in this body scan .

The point is that our subconscious mind has a lot of unused browsers and windows running in the background that keep generating thoughts that create emotions at the body's level , and all of that can remain below our conscious awareness .

And with exercises like the body scan , meditation , you bring all of these emotions into light and you close the extra browsers to preserve your energy and your well-being . Then the next technique is very specific . It's called the butterfly hug .

You wrap your arms around yourself , grabbing both of your shoulders with each hand , and when , in this position , you start patting your hands on your shoulders one by one , alternating .

Scientifically , this has to do with trying to stimulate both parts of your brain to become active , rather than a very foveal or tunnel vision that gets activated in a fight-or-flight response , so it looks like at any moment .

If you're looking to create emotional safety for yourself , you can cross your forearms across your chest , grab your shoulders with both of your hands and start tapping one side after another , coupled with deep , relaxing breathing .

Of course there are neuroscientific reasons behind all of these techniques , but you should adapt the technique that works with you that you are able to put into practice . The next one is EFT Emotional Freedom Techniques .

It's well-studied and requires a whole podcast in its training , but it's super helpful when it's used in its basic format to create emotional safety for yourself as a functional adult . So the basic recipe of EFT is you start by identifying the issue or emotion you want to address .

Then you create the setup statement , acknowledging the problem and integrating self-acceptance . For example , even though I have this anxiety about public speaking , I deeply and completely accept myself . Then you start the tapping sequence Using your fingertips . Tap on each of the EFT meridian points , which are beginning with the top of the head .

Tap gently in the middle of the forehead , right above the forehead , then moving to the eyebrow , tapping gently a few times , then the side of the eye , then under the eye , then under the nose , chin collarbone and then the middle of your chest with the palm . All this time you're repeating the reminder phrase that I integrate self-acceptance .

I deeply , completely accept myself with this anxiety and I'm ready to release it , or whatever emotion it is that you're trying to release . So your technique and your practice is going to look different every time and you might be saying a shorter version of your setup statement to release the negative emotion that you're trying to alleviate .

And , like everything else , this is not all inclusive . There are many methods out there with similar techniques , but I want you to pick one and continue . And then the last step of this process of EFT is evaluation . After several rounds of tapping , pause to evaluate the intensity of your emotion and you give it a number on a scale from 0 to 10 .

If it's anything higher than what you want to tolerate , then continue tapping with repeating the release statement until the intensity decreases significantly . So this is a basic recipe . There are many more , like I said , and I only recommend for you to incorporate one and then build on it if you need .

So the next technique has to do with physical discomfort or pain . It's called chasing the pain technique , and this is very much related to the EFT , because as you tap on the different meridian points , the few that I described before . You notice any shift in the pain's location and quality .

You chase it out of your body with your tapping technique until it reduces or disappears . You can tell a story or a movie . During your EFT . You narrate a troubling memory or event as a story .

As you progress through the story , tap on the points , the meridian points that I discussed , whenever you feel emotional intensity or discomfort , focusing on those feelings until they decrease while you release them . I absolutely love EFT . There are coaches who just practice EFT to create change in their clients and this is a very successful technique .

These coaches are able to help clients create a monumental change . I incorporate it in my daily emotional safety techniques to create grounding for myself and I teach it to my clients . Then there is guided imagery that you can use . You can have someone else guide you or tell yourself a different , believable story until your emotional state shifts .

It requires creativity . If you're not a visual person , then this technique might not be for you . Then there is artistic expression . You draw , sketch , paint , whatever your artistic outlet is until you have created an emotional release for yourself . Stretching is an excellent release of trapped energy . Any mindful movement , walking , intense exercise , slow exercise .

There are countless methods out there . You can create your individual practice at a self-help level or you can request a professional's help . You can request a professional's help and invest in yourself , because , trust me , the return on this investment is monumental .

You can create a more profound and predictable change with professionals and you can monitor your own progress more diligently . Now I want to come to prayers as a somatic technique , because this way we use prayers and the connection to Allah to deal with our negative emotions .

I myself interrupt many of my emotional storms using calming dhikr , remembrance of Allah , and I invite you to do the same . Shift the focus from the situation to the bigger picture of the divine .

The brain is designed to hang on cues of danger , but mostly the danger is not a real threat but the creation of a brain , and the brain will fight to keep your focus on the presumed threat . And in any of these techniques , it is up to you , with your practice level , how successfully you are able to come out of it . And the same applies to prayers .

Salah is a supercharged way of creating a calming connection . In creating emotional grounding In these acts , we are redirecting the brain to focus on acts of the prayer , the recitation , the connection of the law , and this refocus has the potential of being extremely healing .

And I am not going to even pretend that I can tell you about all of the benefits of your acts of prayers , especially Salah or your five daily prayers . But when done with the intention of creating your own healing , you will see a change in your well-being .

What blessings you get , what rewards will be unlocked for you as an answer to your prayers in this world and the afterlife , and all of the apparent unanswered prayers that have been answered in the afterlife . I cannot sum up the benefit of it all and I don't intend to .

What I am saying here is that the emotional safety aspect , the well-being and the general sense of comfort gets overlooked if we approach prayers just strictly as a transactional act , something that is prescribed and something that needs to be done . Remember you need to pray to Allah more than Allah swt needs your prayers . He actually doesn't need them at all .

But your act of prayer is a blessing for you and a gift to you . With prayers lies the opportunity for you to co-regulate your nervous system with the divine Start creating emotional safety , a sense of calm in your prayers , the movement that are integrated in your prayers .

The refocus of attention , the discipline , the dependability , the predictability All of that will create emotional safety , and this is all for your benefit . All of the Semitic techniques I describe are integrated in your worship . Seeking spiritual support in your worship is the best way to regain equilibrium . I rely heavily on the grounding techniques of Dura .

When my thought cycle stirs up restlessness within me , I interrupt it with an invitation to recite a prayer of peace , focusing on the comforting words until my mind finds stillness . Hasbunallahu wa ni'mulwakil , sufficient for us is Allah , and he is the best disposer of affairs .

The calming of inner storms through prayers , prayer of resilience , repeating until you find a sense of stability , saying the prayer of forgiveness , focusing on the healing words until you find peace . I invite you to create healing with prayers and make a practice out of it . In the upcoming week , I myself have created a strong practice like this .

For example , every time a negative thought spiral triggers an urge for me to fidget or react , I interpret it as a cue to recite Bismillah in the name of Allah , grounding myself in His mercy until I achieve tranquility . When my emotional energy surges up , it's my signal to perform Salah , focusing on the movements and the recitation until I feel balanced .

If I feel the stress of negative thoughts , I treat it as a reminder to recite Astaghfirullah I seek Allah's forgiveness , repeating it until the emotional tension releases . Recite Alhamdulillah , all praise be to Allah . Reciting gratitude . Reciting Ya Salam , o giver of peace , seeking His peace , until your mind is clear .

Reciting Ayat Al-Kursi , the verse of the throne , drawing strength from the words until you feel a sense of stability . Reciting the prayer of Tauba , repentance . Focusing on the calming words until you feel centered . Reciting La ilaha illallah , there is no God but Allah . Focusing on His Oneness until you find peace .

Reciting Surah Fatiha , focusing on the soothing verses until you feel serene . In other times of emotional uncertainty or turmoil , focusing on la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah there is no might or power except Allah .

Remembering this and creating a balance and sense of safety for yourself In a moment of emotional despair , we lose focus of the greatest might that is Allah . Any and all remembrances of Allah is created for your benefit .

Use your acts of worship as methods of creating emotional safety , a way to interrupt your body from its habitual patterns of concern , worry , fear , despair . Modern psychology techniques are a good gateway for you to find safety within your body and you can use that to create khushu , higher concentration and benefit in your prayers .

All of these biofeedback techniques can be done separately or they can be done together and built onto each other with any pattern . These are all relaxation techniques that teach you how to control your physiological function and improve your physical , emotional and mental health .

A sense of wellness and control rather than reactivity , and then cleaning up the mess afterwards . This is what releases your self-dagement . The negative emotion of the negative 50% of the life can be dealt with at any of these techniques , and the courtesism of this human design will only add suffering .

Release this by adopting one technique at a time and build on your practice week after week , month after month . Come back to these lessons as many times as you have to , because life will remain 50-50, . There is no need to make it 95% negative by remaining uneducated about your body .

Use your body for healing with the Semitic level exercises and body awareness techniques . With that , I pray to Allah swt . Ya Allah , the nourisher of hearts and the healer of souls , as I seek to find balance in my body and spirit , guide me and all of us in the practices that bring us closer to you and grant us inner peace .

Let us use the knowledge of science to benefit us in this world and the next , as all knowledge is from you . In moments of distress or distraction , guide us to anchor ourselves in your remembrance and your beautiful names . Fill our heart with gratitude , mind with clarity and soul with tranquility .

O Allah , with every inhalation let us draw from your boundless mercy , and with every exhalation help us release our burdens unto you . Ya Allah , stabilize my heart upon your religion and grant all of us the serenity to navigate this life's trials with grace , patience and resilience . Ameen , yadabu laa aameen , please keep me in your other eyes .

I will talk to you guys next time .