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For this exercise we’re gonna use our hands to connect to the centre of our bodies.
- Sit on the floor or in a chair, or stand with your feet planted on the ground.
- Place one hand on your forehead, and the other hand on your heart.
- Sense the weight of your hands against the forehead and the chest, the temperature of your hands, the pressure or quality of touch.
- Really take your time to notice what it feels like to hold your hands to your centre in this way, connecting head to heart.
- Hold here for 30-60 seconds, seeing if any shifts come up in the body as you do this. Maybe there’s a desire to exhale, or swallow, or yawn? Or maybe you feel a sense of settling, or maybe even a light buzzing. These things can be a nervous system release.
- Shift the hands now — keeping your left and on the heart, but moving the right hand onto your lower belly.
- Again, sense the weight and the pressure of your hands against the chest and the belly.
- Really take your time to notice what it feels like to hold your hands to your centre in this way, this time connecting heart to gut.
- And again staying here for as long as feels right for you. Noticing again if any shifts start to come up in the body.
- If you’d like, experiment with placing your hands in other positions to see if anywhere else feels more resourcing or settling. You may prefer both hands on the heart, both hands on your belly, or you could even pick up a pillow, flannel or soft toy and place it against your chest. Be mindful of what happens in your body as you place your hands in different positions, and choose the position that feels the most centring or comforting for you.
- Spend as long as you need with your hands in this way.
- Once you’ve finished, notice if anything is different from just a few moments ago. Are there any shifts, however tiny or subtle, in how your body feels? Remember that whatever comes up is okay, and if you can, just check in with yourself and see if there’s anything else you need in this moment.
( i ) Centring resources such as this help us to regain a sense of being connected with ourselves when our nervous systems become dysregulated. Using our own self-touch to feel into the physical centre of gravity in our bodies helps us to become centred, and feel more comforted and soothed.
One of my personal favourite ways to use this technique is with a heat pack on the chest. I use a soft toy heat pack from Lime Tree Kids for extra comfort.
(I have no affiliation with this business, you can try any heat pack or object that feels right for you)