In light of today being the general election in the UK it seems even more fitting to continue our exploration into the somatics of resilience.
If you missed part 1 of Reclaiming Resilience you can find it here.
Last week I offered some thoughts around activities to connect you to resilience and this week I’m offering an invitation to drop into the feeling of this inherent trait and our ability to find ourselves deeply rooted in hope even in the face of challenging events.
Fostering resilience
We foster resiliency by connecting to that which supports our physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual well-being.
Maybe more importantly we can support resilience with the belief that our choices and behaviours can make a difference in the outcome of our lives. This in turn feeds into our felt sense of agency and autonomy and empowers us with the confidence that we can overcome challenge.
In her book ‘The post-traumatic growth guidebook’ Arielle Schwartz talks about resilience as being both a process and an outcome and I find this way of looking at it really helpful when considering how we create a relationship to resilience.
As a process resilience asks us to engage in behaviours that support our wellbeing. Last week I offered a list of possibilities that might connect us to feeling resilient (below). Actions or spaces that connect us to resilience also might help us encounter the full spectrum of ourselves.
Being resilient isn’t about only being positive or never experiencing difficulty. Instead, it means that you create the opportunity to cultivate the skills needed to respond to a whole range of possible outcomes, including challenge.
It’s through engaging with things like those listed below that we get to practice and learn what it is to be resilient.
Things that connect us to resilience:
Connection to land, animals, plants
Experience of loving and being loved
Being part of collective making, sharing, moving (belonging!)
Imagining positive futures
Carefree, unrestrained play
Learning something that brings you joy with your whole body and heart
Dance, music, rhythm, art, creativity!
As an outcome, resilience means you get to experience yourself as someone that can move with the waves of life. That feeling of having your own back as you navigate what life will inevitably offer you.
Resilience reminds us of our embodied strength and connects us to our life force energy. That fire in our bellies that tells us we are stronger than we might have previously believed.
The stronger and more rooted we feel, the more likely we are to accept ourselves exactly as we are. As an outcome, tapping into resilience offers us a greater appreciation for life.
An invitation to explore if that feels true:
This is an invitation for you to see whether engaging with the feeling of resilience helps you feel more, steady, strong and connected to yourself and others, or not.
There’s no right answer and this is an opportunity for you to play and notice what’s true for you.
You might want to begin by listening to this Rising Appalachia song. I know for me, music helps to open my sensory body. Of course, this isn’t necessary :)
If you do choose to listen, let the music inform how your body might want to respond.
Do you feel called to move, or not? Is there a change in your breath, heart rate, where your eyes go, or how you feel in your body?
Where does it transport you to? What do the words make you feel? Do memories or images arrive? (remember you can’t get this wrong)
After listening take a moment to write down anything that feels important and then move into this somatic storytelling practice.
Somatic storytelling
This practice is from the book ‘The politics of trauma’ by Staci Haines
As you look at your life what experiences of resilience can you remember?
When is a time either recently or in the past that you've felt enlivened, peaceful, whole, hopeful, wise, connected with everything or had that sense that ‘its all going to be ok’ - your version of resilience?
It doesn't have to be connected to a time of hurt or trauma, in fact in some ways it's better if it's not. We're looking for an experience where you felt that sense of expansion, ease or relaxation (or any of the things we’ve explored). Maybe you felt curious and connected, aligned with yourself and life.
When you find the experience I encourage you to describe it for yourself in as much detail as possible. Allow it to live again through the power of memory and sensation. What do you see, smell, feel? Where were you? What moved you?
Let it resource you as fully as possible in this moment. You might want to consider who you were with? What quality of light, sense of temperature can you remember? Imagine you’re telling it as a story to a loved one.
Let it be with youas much as it wants to be and notice what happens in your body as you bring this memory forward to right now.
Feel how resilience is evoked for you.
You can write, draw, move, speak, let this be your adventure and take as much time as you like.
Once you feel complete and you’ve written anything down that feels important ask yourself …
What do I notice now, how do I feel right now?
Check in with how your breath feels, if you feel more connected to the present moment, and if there is any residue of the outcomes of resilience percolating in your soma. Do you feel connected to your inner strength or vitality, do you feel like you can take up more space? Again (always) there’s is no correct answer :) - just an invitation to notice.
As we get more familiar with the feeling of resilient experiences and states we can begin to practice them on purpose. And as we become more attuned to the somatic imprint of resilience we’re more likely to notice resilient experiences when they arise.
An upward spiral of resilience that can be enjoyed by ourselves and shared with others.
I'd love to know if you try this exploration and what comes up for you. If you feel called to share your experience of resilience with me you can write in the comments below.
I love the idea of us all sharing resiliency stories and creating a collective experience that is both powerfully resourcing and generative of resilience.
Until next time,
Sara xx
P.S - if you’d like to continue the conversation about resilience or something I’ve shared has lit a fire in your curiosity, I’d love to connect.
Why don’t we have a virtual cuppa and talk things through?
P.P.S - have you had chance to read my other Substacks? I think you’re the kind of human that would really love them. I’d recommend starting here if you enjoyed today’s.