At a recent Community Healing Event on November 24 at Bend of Ivy Lodge, I shared some of my favorite Somatic Experiencing (SE™) and Qigong practices. These simple techniques helped me reset and resource my nervous system during the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, sometimes practicing them up to 15 times a day.
Many attendees asked me to provide a written guide to these tools—so here they are!
1. Warm Up with Gentle Qigong Openers (2-3 minutes)
Rope Swings: Stand and swing your arms like loose ropes, bouncing gently on your legs and heels. Let your body loosen and relax.
Adrenal and Kidney Swings: Stand with feet aligned under your shoulders. Swing your arms in opposite directions: let one hand gently tap your chest while the back of the other hand softly lands above the kidney (that’s where the adrenal gland is located). Alternate sides and repeat for 1-3 minutes.
2. Engage Your Extremities
Moving your arms and legs helps release tension and reconnect with your body.
Slowly roll your wrists, and sense into the movement of each wrist. Then reverse direction.
Now, do the same with your feet. Roll each foot slowly, pausing and then reversing direction.
Stretch and move your legs, allowing each to loosen and flow naturally.
3. Breath and Adrenal Support
Diaphragm Breathing: Place your hands on your waist, fingers resting on the lower ribs. Feel your diaphragm (lower part of your lungs) expand and contract as you breathe.
Adrenal Support: Rest your hands on your waist, with thumbs on your abdomen and fingers on your back, just above the hips. Hold this position for a minute to give touch support to your adrenal glands. This eases the stress hormone, cortisol.
4. Exploratory Orientation
Ground yourself in the present moment through your senses. From that present moment you can see more, take in more. Do so in the following order.
Sight: Notice and see, savor three visually interesting things around you. Ie… candle, art item, trees
Sound: Pause, listen and identify three distinct sounds. Ie… birds chirping, wind blowing, fridge hum
Touch: Feel three objects and sense into their texture, Explore their sensations. Ie… the smooth chair arm, silky scarf, rough corduroy pants
Orientation helps bring you into safety and reconnects you with the "now." It’s a super power to be able to do so.
I hope these practices provide comfort and support for your nervous system. If you’d like additional help, I’m offering for a limited time a free 45-minute Somatic Experiencing session (virtual or in-person) for WNC locals impacted by Hurricane Helene. Follow-up sessions are available at sliding-scale rates through early 2025.
To learn more or schedule a session, email me at susan@intentionalgrowth.org.
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