The Being in my Body

Today I received an email with the following message: “I’ve decided to develop my ‘being in my body’ - what can you suggest?”

A short sentence that can be answered with a few words (see below), but I think the person would like a bit more insight. Therefore I thought it an idea to write out my ideas - in more general terms to answer his request.  At the same time I want to include you, the readers of my blog, as I think the question is (really) one that concerns us all. We might phrase the question differently, but at the end of the day we’re feeling the need for change and this is what I think is the essence here.

Did you know that 80% of all illnesses are due to stress? You might think it has nothing to do with the initial question, yet I think it does. Stress is a consequence of a failing organism. Stress is a result of a body which is not coping with the demands we put on it. These demands can be emotional, physical, behavioural, energetic... 

Not coping can be translated physiologically as a continuous activation of the fight & flight mode (increasing sympathetic neuronal activity, adrenaline, cortisol, breath rate,...) which in turn lowers the immune system, has a negative impact on the parts of the brain that are regulating our emotions, memory, cognitive functions,... A continuously activated physiological stress response will detach us from our being, from being conscious, as all our regulatory system will go on 'automatic pilot'.

So, ‘being in the body’ requires a body that can cope with the demands put on it. This coping level can be achieved, but it requires a conscious effort of ourselves and I would go even further -  it requires a conscious effort of those around us, too. Like my body where a trillion cells are working together, so do we need to start working as a team. 

So how can we help ourselves? By implementing ‘down-time’ or in neuro-language, by increasing parasympathetic activity (relaxation) which must be followed by sympathetic activity  (activates) but (doesn’t ) this is not always the case  these days. 

This can be done by various means  for example, certain breathing exercises, reading a book, just taking a stroll (more suggestions: https://sites.google.com/site/biomotionsbodycoaching/self-help-tools). Going for a massage can do the trick but more so the BioMotions Body-Coaching approach as it works directly on the regulation of the physiological stress response. Seeking help is helping ourselves. One can also apply body-coaching or a massage to oneself - depending on the situation.

Helping oneself is going into partnership with the body and taking up the responsibility of our own wellbeing (as mentioned before this also includes seeking help from others) instead of leaving it to its own devices which we have the tendency to do. This is a conscious act and thus part of developing consciousness in general. Consciousness by applying precautionary measures that allow for the physiological stress response to regulate itself after activation and thus allowing the immune system to function normally, the limbic system (emotion and memory) and cortex to be fully engaged (chronic stress among other things creates vasoconstriction of the tiny blood vessels in these areas of the brain which decrease blood flow, which lower oxygen and glucose to be delivered to the cells thus we become less cognitive). 

A word about why others need to implemented in our wellbeing or why we need to help others. Downshifting is the term that is used when we are becoming more 'primitive' (eg in our behaviours, responses) as a result of chronic stress. When we’re downshifting we’re also becoming less cognitive. It can be even so bad that we become so unconscious that we don’t even realise we’re downshifting. Look around, at your colleagues, at work, the downshifters are those that suddenly make mistakes, are short tempered, look edgy, are overloaded (even though the workload hasn’t changed),... Most of them don’t even realise the trouble they are in, but it has an impact an all the people around them. This is the time when it is essential that others are involved to help. I would say don’t wait till it gets that far out of hand. We have to start helping each other as soon as we see that people are having  a difficult moment. Again there are many ways to do this and Body-Coaching is one such extremely efficient tool for this purpose. The great part about learning and applying body-coaching is that you learn also to detect these signs with yourself, you become more conscious and thus become closer to the being in the body. 

By helping others you help yourself.

This brings me to another aspect that isn’t to be underestimated in the quest to the development of being in the body.  This aspect relates to soulpurpose. What are you here for? What are your talents? What have you got the world to offer? Are you taking up your unique place in the universal matrix? I’m not a coach  who offers this kind of support  yet  if you feel the need for this then don’t hesitate to send me an email and I’ll see who I can recommend to you.

Another part of this aspect, however, is the personal Reconnection. To really take your place on the universal grid it requires that you have access to your full potential. This potential can be empowered by the activation of a dormant meridian system. Activation  of this system will also realign you with the Ley lines and the universal energy matrix. 

This is important in the quest to 'being in the body, as the being needs these new frequencies to evolve. Evolving in consciousness is becoming LIGHTer... 

The being in the body is not from the physical realm.  The being houses within a physical shell but that shell needs to have its frequency increased so that the being can shine and take its proper élan to help us becoming who we were meant to be. It is a process of ‘consciousness’ to becoming the lightbeing that we are.

So the process I can offer (out of the myriad of options) is twofold, the personal Reconnection and Body-Coaching sessions.  I would, however, recommend to add the 2 day workshop to the process. Working with the body-coaching tool will give you other  insight into your own consciousness process. And by helping others you help yourself.

I hope that answers the question.

PS next workshop is planned on 12 -13 February 2010. More info on 

https://sites.google.com/site/biomotionsbodycoaching/info-workshops

Healing Touch

When a kid is in distress the mother or father comforts it with a hug. What is so typical about the way the mother or father hugs? 

One hand on the back the other holding the head. Maybe you don't think there is anything special about but I think it is significant. I'm sure you will get this embrace cross-cultural therefore it is imbedded in human instinct. If it is human instinct it has a purpose.

The purpose being the result, the child calms down.  

Touch calms us down, it is healing in the most primitive form. Touch can activate parasympathetic activity which is calming (compared to sympathetic activity it activates)

BioMotions Body-Coaching is using this touch therapeutically. It helps to unwind the neuropsycho-immunology and thus activates self-healing / regulation.

When disaster strikes - Body-Coaching can offer relief

Floods in Australia or here in Belgium. Wherever disaster strikes, people are involved stress responses are triggered, survival is at stake. When the water is gone the stress response must normalize but will it? 

Thousands of people will remain traumatized (with stress responses that are in hyperactivity) by the experience. Traumatized while needing to build up their life again. Needing 100% focus, clarity and sound body and mind. When trauma hits we are focused, hyper alert, only, problems start for many people a few months later (when reserves are depleted), the time of rebuilding. In my practice I notice that many people have a serious break-down or burn-out 3 months after severe stress or trauma has occurred.  However I also see that a few session of body-coaching helps them to pick up a normal life again. I have no statistics of this and I have no scientific data to support my case only stories of people that have been helped. Self-inquiry and research have lead to my understanding why it works and this info plus the practical application are now available to you in form of a 2 day workshop.

But my heart goes out to the people that are suffering. If I had the financial support I would leave for disaster areas like Australia and set up camp. Offering body-coaching as a community service and teaching it to whoever wants to learn so that people can help themselves and offer help amongst each other. Body-Coaching alone might for some not be enough it is after all not a replacement of professional medical care, but it is a good start. It's a first aid tool for the bodymind. And like a plaster it is sometimes all it needs to get well or to facilitate healing.

One day I hope to be part of a team of experts that go into areas where disaster has struck. Like the B-fast team . It would be a long-time dream come true.

Mens sana in corpore sano

In order to move mountains health is essential. That being the case, fulfilling our minds dream we need a body that is up to the job, resilient to the challenges and the heightened demands we put on it.

Mens sana in corpore sano

As an osteopath I’ve come to realize how important body-work is to stay focused, attentive, switched on and mindful. Yes, the mind can influence the body, but the body is also influencing the mind and far more than you think. Depression, burn-out, moodiness, mindlessness, social withdrawal, procrastination,... can all be linked to the failing of the organism, the body to respond appropriately to emotional or physical threats, whether actual or imagined. Stress refers to the failing of the physiological stress response that makes you mindless and primitive and that among other things can cause muscle stiffness, headaches and influence digestion.  

Stress can make you so mindless that you don’t even realize it. However, others do and if you work in a team this can reverberate and quickly cast all in its shadow. 

On the 12 - 13 February I organize a workshop with a new Body-Mind therapy that I developed from my work as an osteopath. This development was instigated by my patients remarkable improvement of cognitive and emotional wellbeing above the physical. It’s been a wonderful journey that I’m ready to share with you. 

The BioMotions Body-Coaching approach is a self-help tool as much as it is a tool to help others. It can be used as a stand alone approach or implemented in an existing practice like coaching, psychotherapy, massage,...

For more information go to https://sites.google.com/site/biomotionsbodycoaching/

Tom

BioMotions^® Body-Coaching

First aid for stress and trauma

Help oneself and help others to cope better 

so we can all achieve our dreams. 

First Aid in times of stress and trauma

A plaster on a wound is first aid for injury. What first aid tool do you use in times of stress and trauma? I've asked around and not many people were able to give me an answer. Maybe no-one thought about putting it in the first aid box or first aid training. Maybe until now there weren't many tools that could be used for this purpose.

With more and more people suffering from the effects of stress and trauma isn't it time that we start to look into this?

I came to ask the question while doing my research on the BioMotions Body-Coaching approach that I've developed and teach. One day it dawned on me what I was teaching was just that. I was teaching people to become stress and trauma 'first aiders'. Since I've been looking at the BioMotions Body-Coaching method and viewing it in this light.

What does it mean First aid? In Wikipedia I found

First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by a non-expert person to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care past the first aid intervention. It generally consists of a series of simple and in some cases, potentially life-saving techniques that an individual can be trained to perform with minimal equipment.

When I look then at Body-Coaching, it:

• Facilitates Self healing mechanism ≃Provides care
• Can be learned by everyone also children ≃ no need to be an expert
• Is a series of facilitating micro-movements based on a single principle ≃ simple
• Is a tool that can provide help but when the condition is serious further professional help is required ≃ idem for first aid
• Works without external tools only your hands and attention are needed ≃ minimal equipment

I can only observe but let me know what you think?

Wouldn't you be interested to learn something that helps you but also others?

Times are changing and everything is speeding up. Stress is the result of our resources to be overstretched. We're not coping so well anymore but what if there is a solution? What if you could learn an easy to learn tool to help you your family, friends or that can be used in a professional environment.

Writing this I'm confronted with the idea can we all do it by ourselves? NO! Partly yes but don't we live in a society? Is our body not made of trillions of cells working as ONE. I think this is a key insight. We are one and we need to start helping others as we do ourselves only then shall we be able to evolve and thus cope better. But first we have to learn new tools...

Body-Coaching is one such tool. It helps us but also it brings us all together. It's an approach that will help us all be better in what we do as we will be empowered to thrive in the ever changing ever increasing moment.

More information on https://sites.google.com/site/biomotionsbodycoaching/

Next Workshops:

12 and 13 February (English) Brussels

5 and 6 March (French) Brussels

9 and 10 April (German) Vienna with a presentation on Friday the 8th