2. Be in a highly relaxed state (I find that physical exertion, followed by a hot bath and meditation works well)
3. Sensitize your interoception (perception of inner sensations) through breathwork practices.
4. Do a body scan to “listen” to all body parts closely
Conversation
5. When you find a sensation, attune closely to it’s characteristics.
Is it warm or cool? Does it feel expansive or contracting? Is there tension? Is there energy and if so, is there a shape to the energy? Is the energy flowing in a certain direction?
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If it had a color, what color might it be (or are there no color cues)? Get as specific as possible.
Then ask it a question, using as many descriptors as possible. Example: “Hot, red, clenching tension in my jaw, what do you want me to know?”
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Then get very still and listen for an image, an auditory answer, a felt-sense awareness of an answer, an emotion, or for most people, a shift in the sensation.
If no answer, try saying “I want you to know…” and then see if anything flows from that.
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Unmetabolized stress and trauma are often held in our tissues and organs, usually clustering around chakra areas.
Core beliefs, exiled or disempowered parts and empowered inner parts do as well. This process can tap into these. The sensations are literally our unconscious
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contents communicating with us, the same way that thirst shows up in my throat, anxiety shows up in my belly or solar plexus, or sadness shows up in my chest. The sensations are doorways to these parts.
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Yes, you are right…sometimes we try to talk to one part and another answers. I’ve found that it’s best to just go with whichever “voice”answers. Don’t take them too literally unless it feels highly resonant and true.
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Parts can only speak from their lived experience or the filter of their unmetabolized wounds. Just keep asking questions to clarify. After all, this is simply your unconscious that you are talking to…
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It matters less whether it’s your solar plexus or belly (that’s just where the unconscious part links up to the body) and more that you are listening, reflecting, and responding to the information that is offered.
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Try it out (this video may help) and let me know how it goes!
youtu.be/23XplhKT8qs
And you may also find this series of 5 short videos to be useful.
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thank you for the very detailed response james! i’m traveling so won’t be able to get back to this for a few days but bookmarked 🙏