This brings up the point of semantics and meaning. Force has so much of an individual meaning hence I think trust one’s self and what works is a useful reference. The undoing of habit or that which is on top of Default is an unlearning.

The landmarks do seem to point in the direction of accessing you Default. Yaaaay for you. There’s depth, sustainability and ease that become the markers of heading in the direction of mastery.

Yes staying in your personal power is such a central orienting point of this work. The be nice is such a message of our society. It reminds me of the NVC book Don’t be Nice be Real. The don’t be nice message is definitely in the direction of the inhibitory so noticing the shift in the somatic structure is useful once the Default has been experienced deeply, clearly and specifically.

I look forward to you postings of success and experience. From another somatic lineage there’s the following saying: You are what you practice, you are always practicing and it’s impossible not to practice. Hence, choose what you want to practice.

Best,

T-practice

I’ve no idea how this will unfold. But I want to stand in my personal power. I’ve gotten glimpses of it, and have let it get kicked aside when the “be nice” tape turns on. I want to stand in my power and hold on to it in a way that doesn’t make people perceive me as angry.

For the last several years I’ve been getting this message from various sources about living the good, bad, and ugly of life as opposed to running away to a monestary and meditating all the time. I’m searching for the balance in all this. My backwards was escaping outwards. Forwards is not escaping, its just being, and that being ok.

Andria! Thank you for the way to go deeper, and deeper. The letting go. Practicing again and again.

Peace to you all, Donata

I’m captivated by your comments and T’s responses.

Kitties! When George purrs, he just is. Everything about him is soft: his eyes, his body, so he just feels and connects. Let yourself purr into what you felt like before, before, before.

All the Best to you and George…

Kitty Magic….sounds purrrrrfect. How about a more of surrender orientation as oppose to forcing the attention. Can you share now what the forward direction is for you? What new way will you unfold? How will this bring more ease and possibility? How does the insight of shifting from doing it “backwards” to “forward” feel and how specifically will you do this?

Best,

T

One of the orientations or biases in this work is to go with what works. How do you access your Default while with your cat? How do you come fully to rest inside of yourself to be totally present, aware and connected to your kitty?

I would also track what is easy, fun, fascinating, and getting ever more available about how you access the Default?

Purrring while accessing your Default may be something else to try:)

Best,

T

Here are some practices from other somatic traditions that may help you deepen and more fully experience the body in the muscles, sensations, temperature, etc.

One would be during your effort at accessing your Default you could add a body scan where you bring your attention to your whole body…to your feet, to your legs, to the hips, to the diaphram, to the shoulders, neck, head, etc.

If you feel some contraction or what you may label as fear/trauma you can contain or compress the muscles and then release them.

The other practice may be to go through each and every muscle and feel into it, make contact with it and deepen your experience of it.

I would also encourage having a full representation of an experience of fully feeling every musclce and expecting that before you enter the IIG experience.

Let me know if this lands for you and is helpful,

Best,

T

Thank you so much for all of this information and insight. I love the way it is presented, not all squishy and mystic, but scientific and edgy. As a massage therapist, I see people who are holding on to their “stuff” in their bodies. Many of them realize it, but don’t even know where to start. You have given me some language to use with them that is not threatening in a spiritual sense (I’m in the Bible Belt). I can’t wait to start using soft eyes with them.

“L” I was glad you had the courage to share your story, thank you. It got me thinking, about having really disconnected from my body because of childhood trauma (the beatings). At least I guess that is what it is. When I have been installing, I have trouble with what my body feels like. My attention goes to my energy fields/chakras/hara line, but not my muscles.

I don’t know if anyone else is having this issue, Devon I’ve heard you talk about excersise to help get you in your body. Any other suggestions?

Thank you, Donata