- Place one hand on your heart, and the other hand on your lower belly.
- Sense the weight of your hands against your skin, the warmth or coolness of your hands, the pressure or quality of touch. Notice the movement of your torso as it expands and contracts with your breathing. Really take your time to notice what it feels like to hold your hands to your centre in this way.
- If it feels good to do so, experiment with placing your hands in other positions on your torso 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 “right” and is 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 feels different from just a few moments ago. Are there any shifts, however tiny or subtle, in how your body feels? See if you can put words to what you notice, always remembering that whatever comes up is okay.
( 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)