12 Stages of Healing Exercises, by Dr. Donald Epstein, founder of Network Spinal Analysis
Breath, Movement, Touch and Healing are all interconnected.
When we are distressed, we hold our breath. We breathe more fully when relaxed and flowing with the moment. We can lie to ourselves with the thoughts of our mind, but we can’t hide from our touch, our breath and our movement.
Somato = my body in its present state with all of its past history
Respiratory = breath with its ability to bring life to cells
When doing these exercises, breathing should not be forceful. Breathe just deep enough to sense movement in the region you are connecting to. Do each region for just a few minutes – unless you feel that rhythm is taking over – then go with it. Let the process happen.
The key to progressing through these stages is to think of getting INTO the rhythm rather than getting out of it.
STAGE ONE – SUFFERING
All healing has suffering in it. Without suffering, there would be no need for healing. It’s the first stage. We try to avoid suffering – our society is based on avoiding it….but early religions taught that suffering is integral to life:
– it is brought about by ignorance or a misconception about our true nature
– it can lead us to seek the meaning of life and guide us to deeper understanding
Suffering is not shameful. It helps us to become free of ignorance and recognize our true nature. It is often linked with pain, but it is not the same.
Pain = the awareness of discomfort on a physical, emotional, mental or spiritual level.
Suffering involves the experience of dishonoring, denying or alienating our “true self”, our core.
Pain can show us that change is necessary – move away from the fire or splint a bone so it can heal correctly. But suffering is more than that. Suffering is pain plus the awareness that something is deeply wrong and that there is nothing that we can do about it. An outer event activates a raw, deep place inside of us. On some level we become paralyzed, helpless, victimized – and obsessed with getting out of it.
Stage One Exercise
Place hands palm over palm in one of the 3 regions: over your lower abdomen, over your stomach, or over your upper ribs (not over your heart). Breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth deep enough to feel your breath meet the rhythm of the rise and fall of the region you are in. If it is difficult in one area, go to another where there is more peace.
Say out loud all of the following affirmations to yourself while breathing. Stick with any that resonate. Remember, all healing begins with suffering. The way out is through. Let yourself feel whatever suffering may be inside you.
“Right now, I am helpless”
“Nothing works at this time”
“Something is really wrong”
“God, when will this stop”
“I’m going to die”
“Why isn’t anyone listening”
“I can’t stand this pain – it’s killing me”
“Nothing works!”
“There is no way out”
“God, why don’t you care”
STAGE TWO – POLARITIES AND RHYTHMS
This stage begins with the search of the magical genie who can or has been identified as the savior from our distress, pain, or crisis. We project from the alienated, isolated, traumatized, hurt, shamed or ignored aspects of our being. These parts try to gain power over our helplessness through external authorities, procedures, treatments, etc. As we heal, we eventually discover that what we blamed or projected as being so wrong is not so bad. Or we see that our genie is not so magical. We begin to become aware of our rhythms and polarities and discover we are somehow involved in a process, and are partially responsible for our distress.
Many people fluctuate between Stage One and Stage Two their whole lives in a cycle of suffering and magical solutions.
In Stage One we learned that nothing is working.
In Stage Two we start to see a pattern, that there is a rhythm and that we are involved. There may be an end, even if only from the outside.
Stage Two Exercise
Place one hand in one region, and the other hand in another region, breathing the same as in Stage One. Alternate your breath and attention from one hand to the other hand. Say out loud the following statements and stay on any that resonate.
“I have polarities, rhythms and differences within me”
“I have parts that have not talked to each other for some time”
“This place talks”….(then switch attention to the other hand)… “this place listens.” (Then reverse)
“I have different rhythms, different parts”
STAGE THREE – STUCK IN A PERSPECTIVE
This stage of healing involves the recognition that our distress is associated with the fact that we have been stuck in a perspective. Our concepts and/or our physiology have been fixated. We do not yet know why we’ve been stuck, or what to do about it. We just need to be with the simple revelation that we’ve been stuck.
Stage Three Exercise
Sit or lie down.
Place one hand over the other – start with your hand just under your neck. Move down slightly to different areas of your body. Pay attention to areas that are tense or disturbed.
“I’m stuck”
“I acknowledge this region”
“I’m sorry I haven’t noticed you before”
“I’m sorry I haven’t noticed you before in a more loving way”
“I’M STUCK!!!”