FAQs Archive - Page 13 of 21 - SmartBody SmartMind

Q: 2. When I hear Irene talk about dropping down into safety, I get triggered into memories of ‘dropping down’ into anesthesia and the terror of surgery. Any suggestions?

Try to only focus on the kidneys dropping, not the entire system. See if it makes a difference, if you are just very clear that you are only inviting those organs to settle into a safe haven, and are staying very much awake. It may also help to do this sitting rather than laying down.

Q: 1. Is the drop always outside the body, to the floor or cushion or chair vs. inside the body, to sacral area? Does the direction of the drop make a difference? Or is it just the intention of dropping, in whatever direction?

No, we want the kidneys to stay inside the body :) We can feel the contact with the surface under us as a feedback signal to go towards -- so we hold the intention of dropping towards that place of contact. Think about them dropping diagonally down towards the pelvis and the floor.

Q: 4. Are these exercises still effective if you fall asleep? And what does it mean if you continue to fall asleep?

It’s possible that these lessons may have a subconscious effect, if you listen while sleeping, but they are meant to be engaged with while you are awake and curious. If you find you fall asleep whenever you do one of these exercises, there are two possible explanations. One, there wasn’t anything held in that space. No old trauma stored in the area you are paying attention to, and so this exercise was just deeply relaxing. Two, there is a LOT held in that space and your body chose to check out, rather than engage with it. If this area of your body is not generally tense, and you are able to feel it with sensitivity, then it is probably the former. If this area of your body is tight, painful, or numb, then it’s probably the latter.

Q: 3. After doing this exercise, I am noticing that the difference between my two legs is becoming more marked -- they both feel comfortable and warm, but the right leg is even more warm compared to the other one -- I can feel it throughout the leg and down into the feet. In contrast, the left leg is warm (but not tingly), and the left ankle is a bit cold. I am interested to know why this might be?

It’s very hard to know why exactly this is. I can only say it is extremely common to have different physical experiences on the right vs. the left. I wouldn’t suggest spending too much time trying to figure out why, just notice it, then notice how it changes.

Q: 2. One of the readings accompanying the diaphragm exercises talks about self-touch. When I lay my hands on body parts as directed, even when I go under my clothing and have skin on skin, I can't actually feel myself.

Try this: put your hand on some part of your body so it is touching the skin, then notice what your hand actually feels. If you can feel the texture of your shirt or jeans, then you can feel the texture of your skin. Then switch to noticing what the body feels from the hand. There should at least be some sense of pressure. Try switching back and forth between these two perspectives -- you may not feel a lot, but with practice you should be able to get some sense of basic texture and pressure.

Q: 4. It’s hard for me to picture a diaphragm in my pelvis, whereas we got really specific about the location of the kidneys, how big they are, etc. Any suggestions for visualizing diaphragms?

The best way to visualize the pelvic diaphragm is to imagine you are peering down into it from the top. The pelvic cradle literally forms a bowl, and that bowl is lined with muscle, making the container we are calling the pelvic diaphragm. It’s like an upward facing bowl. Here are some pictures: The shoulder diaphragm is less literal, but if you think about the tops of both of your lungs, those are like two little downward facing bowls. Now just imagine that entire expanse -- the tops of the lungs and the area between them -- as one big downward facing bowl. The respiratory diaphragm is the only literal diaphragm in this system, and it flexes both ways. On the inhale, it pushes down into the abdomen to form a somewhat upward facing bowl, and on the exhale, it comes up to the lungs and forms a downward facing bowl.

Q: 3. I wonder why sometimes we fall asleep when we do these exercises. As a person who doesn't nap or fall asleep very easily, it’s a crazy experience to literally almost pass out. Thoughts?

It could be one of two things. First, maybe there wasn’t anything held in that space, and so this exercise was just deeply relaxing; or two, there is a LOT held in that space, and our body chose to check out rather than engage with it. Since you normally have difficulty sleeping, and the sense was almost like passing out, this strongly suggests the latter, so I suggest revisiting the exercise and only doing a little bit -- if you start to get that passing out feeling, STOP, orient, and see what emerges.

Q: 2. I had a curious experience with this exercise. Even though I was lying on a couch on top of a sheepskin, covered in blankets, and the front of me felt warm, my middle back area (adrenal/kidney area?) seemed to be ice cold. On both sides, as I sank into the exercise, I noticed a lot of jerky movement inside, which would then settle. When we moved to the left side, and I placed my hand on my pelvis, the heat felt intense. Again, there was an internal jerkiness, which eventually settled. I noticed my breathing, and the impulse to sit quietly after the exhale before taking the next inhale, which I followed. As I then inhaled, my eyes filled with tears and my chin quivered. At the same time, I felt a warm flow of something extend between my head and toes from that pelvic point. A sensation of the flow of life, maybe?

This is great! It sounds like you were really able to tune into this diaphragm, and allow old, stuck energy that was there, to move. This explains the sense of cold and numbness at first; noticing the stuck, or ‘frozen’ energy, and then the physical sensations of heat and jerkiness, which is a common experience of sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight) discharge. It’s really great you were able to stay with this, and allow the emotions to emerge! That helps flow come back into the system, and that’s what it’s all about!

Q: 1. I have done the first two diaphragm exercises. I found both relaxing, and both expanding. I don't feel like I fully feel or understand them though. It feels like learning a new math concept in which I am getting the right answer but I don't quite know why or how I got it yet.

That’s ok! It sounds like you may not hold a lot in your diaphragms, and so these are simply pleasant explorations for you, which is great. Many people do hold a lot in these areas though, so the point is to create more space, so the old stuck energy is more free to move.

2. When I hear Irene talk about dropping down into safety, I get triggered into memories of ‘dropping down’ into anesthesia and the terror of surgery. Any suggestions?

2. When I hear Irene talk about dropping down into safety, I get triggered into memories of ‘dropping down’ into anesthesia and the terror of surgery. Any suggestions?Irene Lyon2019-11-14T14:18:23-08:00

1. Is the drop always outside the body, to the floor or cushion or chair vs. inside the body, to sacral area? Does the direction of the drop make a difference? Or is it just the intention of dropping, in whatever direction?

1. Is the drop always outside the body, to the floor or cushion or chair vs. inside the body, to sacral area? Does the direction of the drop make a difference? Or is it just the intention of dropping, in whatever direction?Irene Lyon2019-11-15T15:21:10-08:00

4. Are these exercises still effective if you fall asleep? And what does it mean if you continue to fall asleep?

4. Are these exercises still effective if you fall asleep? And what does it mean if you continue to fall asleep?Irene Lyon2019-11-14T14:16:34-08:00

3. After doing this exercise, I am noticing that the difference between my two legs is becoming more marked — they both feel comfortable and warm, but the right leg is even more warm compared to the other one — I can feel it throughout the leg and down into the feet. In contrast, the left leg is warm (but not tingly), and the left ankle is a bit cold. I am interested to know why this might be?

3. After doing this exercise, I am noticing that the difference between my two legs is becoming more marked — they both feel comfortable and warm, but the right leg is even more warm compared to the other one — I can feel it throughout the leg and down into the feet. In contrast, the left leg is warm (but not tingly), and the left ankle is a bit cold. I am interested to know why this might be?Irene Lyon2019-11-14T14:15:46-08:00

2. One of the readings accompanying the diaphragm exercises talks about self-touch. When I lay my hands on body parts as directed, even when I go under my clothing and have skin on skin, I can’t actually feel myself.

2. One of the readings accompanying the diaphragm exercises talks about self-touch. When I lay my hands on body parts as directed, even when I go under my clothing and have skin on skin, I can’t actually feel myself.Irene Lyon2019-11-15T15:20:36-08:00

1. I felt moved/sad/angry/nothing

1. I felt moved/sad/angry/nothingIrene Lyon2019-11-14T14:14:08-08:00

4. It’s hard for me to picture a diaphragm in my pelvis, whereas we got really specific about the location of the kidneys, how big they are, etc. Any suggestions for visualizing diaphragms?

4. It’s hard for me to picture a diaphragm in my pelvis, whereas we got really specific about the location of the kidneys, how big they are, etc. Any suggestions for visualizing diaphragms?Irene Lyon2019-11-14T14:12:14-08:00

3. I wonder why sometimes we fall asleep when we do these exercises. As a person who doesn’t nap or fall asleep very easily, it’s a crazy experience to literally almost pass out. Thoughts?

3. I wonder why sometimes we fall asleep when we do these exercises. As a person who doesn’t nap or fall asleep very easily, it’s a crazy experience to literally almost pass out. Thoughts?Irene Lyon2019-11-14T14:10:50-08:00

2. I had a curious experience with this exercise. Even though I was lying on a couch on top of a sheepskin, covered in blankets, and the front of me felt warm, my middle back area (adrenal/kidney area?) seemed to be ice cold. On both sides, as I sank into the exercise, I noticed a lot of jerky movement inside, which would then settle. When we moved to the left side, and I placed my hand on my pelvis, the heat felt intense. Again, there was an internal jerkiness, which eventually settled. I noticed my breathing, and the impulse to sit quietly after the exhale before taking the next inhale, which I followed. As I then inhaled, my eyes filled with tears and my chin quivered. At the same time, I felt a warm flow of something extend between my head and toes from that pelvic point. A sensation of the flow of life, maybe?

2. I had a curious experience with this exercise. Even though I was lying on a couch on top of a sheepskin, covered in blankets, and the front of me felt warm, my middle back area (adrenal/kidney area?) seemed to be ice cold. On both sides, as I sank into the exercise, I noticed a lot of jerky movement inside, which would then settle. When we moved to the left side, and I placed my hand on my pelvis, the heat felt intense. Again, there was an internal jerkiness, which eventually settled. I noticed my breathing, and the impulse to sit quietly after the exhale before taking the next inhale, which I followed. As I then inhaled, my eyes filled with tears and my chin quivered. At the same time, I felt a warm flow of something extend between my head and toes from that pelvic point. A sensation of the flow of life, maybe?Irene Lyon2019-11-14T14:10:07-08:00

1. I have done the first two diaphragm exercises. I found both relaxing, and both expanding. I don’t feel like I fully feel or understand them though. It feels like learning a new math concept in which I am getting the right answer but I don’t quite know why or how I got it yet.

1. I have done the first two diaphragm exercises. I found both relaxing, and both expanding. I don’t feel like I fully feel or understand them though. It feels like learning a new math concept in which I am getting the right answer but I don’t quite know why or how I got it yet.Irene Lyon2019-11-14T14:08:10-08:00