FAQs Archive - Page 17 of 21 - SmartBody SmartMind

Q: 4 - After doing the exercise, my left side felt SO much lighter, somehow opening my left lung at the same time. After completing it on the right side it felt so much lighter too, somewhat equalizing both lungs for easier breathing. The only thing that perplexed me was the slight nausea that I was left with. I wonder why?

For many this exercise is pretty great! It’s not uncommon to experience this kind of feeling of ease and space throughout the body afterwards. If this happens for you that’s wonderful! Also, this may signify a shift into a deeper parasympathetic state than you have experienced for some time, and when this happens it’s pretty normal to feel a mild nausea -- the digestion turning on in places it may have been stuck.

Q: 3 - Trouble with visualizing

This section addresses the following questions: I understand the space around our joints decreases with increased tension, but breathing into that space does my head in. As a former nurse, knowing how breathing works physiologically and anatomically, I can’t grasp the concept of breathing into a joint or my heart space or other places. Am I supposed to close my eyes and imagine breath going somewhere I absolutely know it cannot go? I have some ‘difficulties’ with the imagination part of the joints exercise. In general, I am not the ‘imagination type’ (it's hard for me, most of the time my mind goes blank and there's just nothing). So how do you visualize the containers/space in the joints? Is the container the space between the two bones that form a joint? It's pretty abstract for me! Yes, it’s true. You cannot actually breathe into your elbow! But you can send your attention and intention there, and the breath is a powerful vehicle for these things. What is interesting is that when we bring this idea of expansion and breath into the joint, it actually increases the circulation there. With practice you can feel this, though it is easier to feel in another’s joint than your own. In terms of how to visualize, there are a couple of ways. You could imagine the space between the two bones expanding, and the distance between the bones getting farther apart. Or, you could simply imagine something abstract -- a sphere that is expanding, or a color that is deepening, or getting lighter. Whatever works for you; the most important elements are the attention and intention.

Q: 2 - Which joints should I work on? Where else can I apply this idea? How often?

This section addresses the following questions: Is there a reason that this exercise addresses mainly the wrists and the elbows? I would love to experiment with my shoulder joints (as I have had a frozen shoulder for years now). I'm presuming we can do this for any joint, and how often? As needed, or is it good to do this regularly? I want to do this with my hamstrings and sit bones because I have pain there, but I can't reach those parts. Can I just visualize my hands in those spots? How do you focus or bring energy to places where there are no joints? We work mainly with the wrists and elbows in this recording because they are very easy to touch, but this exercise can definitely be applied to any joint in the body. Even if it’s one you can’t touch, you can still place your attention there and do the same thing with bringing in the idea of space using the breath. Also, you don’t have to do this just with the joints! You can explore this idea with any area of the body. In terms of frequency, I would say as often as it feels useful.

Q: 9 - This lesson brought up a memory of when I was 12 and I nearly died. I was unconscious for about 3 weeks. Could the body be holding onto trauma from then?

Absolutely. Our body can hold trauma for our entire life. It is the wound that time does not heal.

Q: 8 - Can somebody heal from these early traumas by staying with the sensations and letting the system process them, without talking about our trauma to ‘certain’ audiences? I did talk about these many times to certain people -- my previous teachers -- yet when I meet a new group and a new level of work, I have this burning desire to express them again. Is this my ‘attention seeking’ ego claiming the spotlight? Is it a sign that I might need some one-on-one therapy?

Peter’s classic saying when it comes to trauma healing is, “no one can do it for you, and nobody can do it alone.” This is true. We can make a LOT of progress on our own using the education and tools in this program, but relationship is very important, and it has to be the right kind of relationship. For some, the support they get from their friends and family, and even the support available in online groups, or in local in-person support groups, may be enough. But if you find that talking about it never seems to resolve anything, then yes, it is likely that you would benefit from some one-on-one work with a qualified and attuned somatic therapist.

Q: 7 - Is the healing process different for those of us stuck in freeze vs. those of us stuck more in fight/flight? They seem like opposites to me (my twin sister and I, to this day, remain ‘the needy one’ and ‘the needed one’), so I'm just curious if the path is the same.

The path is different for everyone regardless of the state of their nervous system, because our personalities are all unique. That being said, yes, for someone who is stuck in freeze (which always has that fight/flight underneath) the journey will usually be slower and more complex than for someone who has a lot of sympathetic activation without the freeze.

Q: 6 - I'm a bit confused about the difference between shock trauma and chronic stressors. When a lot of shock traumas happen in the same year, are they functioning as chronic stressors?

What we usually mean by chronic stress is a low-level stressor or stressors, that are pervasive and inescapable but not obviously threatening, like a chronically stressed parent or parents when we are young or being in a highly polluted environment. It could also be an extremely demanding workplace, or a partner who is always unwell. A lot of shock traumas in a row could also be perceived that way though, such as being in a war zone, or having a series of accidents, but the effect will probably be slightly different, as chronic stressors usually lead to an embedded freeze response, while a series of shock traumas may not do that.

Q: 5 - Is bipolar illness really just the fluctuation between (a) being chaotic and scattered, hyper-aroused, and (b) being rigid and shutdown (lethargic, brain fog), as described by Irene in this video as symptoms of dysregulation?

Yes. That’s how we see it. A flip-flop between high sympathetic activation (fight/flight) and high tone dorsal response (freeze).

Q: 4 - When I have a panic attack, it's usually after I've been hugely over-stimulated (I can feel every sensation in my body, especially my heart beating). When I go into panic, it's when I feel my body (heart) immediately calm down and I can no longer feel my heart POUNDING. Is this the Dorsal coming in to quickly slow everything down?

It’s definitely the parasympathetic kicking in, but whether that response is a ventral or dorsal thing is hard to say without being there. If it feels like suddenly an emergency brake slams on, then it’s probably the dorsal shutdown response. Another possibility is that your system is more used to being activated than it is to being calm. When we have been through trauma we can actually get addicted to that high stimulated state, and it is calming down and NOT feeling our heart pound that freaks us out!

4 – After doing the exercise, my left side felt SO much lighter, somehow opening my left lung at the same time. After completing it on the right side it felt so much lighter too, somewhat equalizing both lungs for easier breathing. The only thing that perplexed me was the slight nausea that I was left with. I wonder why?

4 – After doing the exercise, my left side felt SO much lighter, somehow opening my left lung at the same time. After completing it on the right side it felt so much lighter too, somewhat equalizing both lungs for easier breathing. The only thing that perplexed me was the slight nausea that I was left with. I wonder why?Irene Lyon2019-11-11T13:32:01-08:00

3 – Trouble with visualizing

3 – Trouble with visualizingIrene Lyon2019-11-13T11:11:19-08:00

2 – Which joints should I work on? Where else can I apply this idea? How often?

2 – Which joints should I work on? Where else can I apply this idea? How often?Irene Lyon2021-06-29T00:13:45-07:00

1 – Anger, tears, fears, and tension in the joints

1 – Anger, tears, fears, and tension in the jointsIrene Lyon2019-11-11T13:04:03-08:00

9 – This lesson brought up a memory of when I was 12 and I nearly died. I was unconscious for about 3 weeks. Could the body be holding onto trauma from then?

9 – This lesson brought up a memory of when I was 12 and I nearly died. I was unconscious for about 3 weeks. Could the body be holding onto trauma from then?Irene Lyon2019-04-08T16:08:56-07:00

8 – Can somebody heal from these early traumas by staying with the sensations and letting the system process them, without talking about our trauma to ‘certain’ audiences? I did talk about these many times to certain people — my previous teachers — yet when I meet a new group and a new level of work, I have this burning desire to express them again. Is this my ‘attention seeking’ ego claiming the spotlight? Is it a sign that I might need some one-on-one therapy?

8 – Can somebody heal from these early traumas by staying with the sensations and letting the system process them, without talking about our trauma to ‘certain’ audiences? I did talk about these many times to certain people — my previous teachers — yet when I meet a new group and a new level of work, I have this burning desire to express them again. Is this my ‘attention seeking’ ego claiming the spotlight? Is it a sign that I might need some one-on-one therapy?Irene Lyon2021-02-12T17:27:39-08:00

7 – Is the healing process different for those of us stuck in freeze vs. those of us stuck more in fight/flight? They seem like opposites to me (my twin sister and I, to this day, remain ‘the needy one’ and ‘the needed one’), so I’m just curious if the path is the same.

7 – Is the healing process different for those of us stuck in freeze vs. those of us stuck more in fight/flight? They seem like opposites to me (my twin sister and I, to this day, remain ‘the needy one’ and ‘the needed one’), so I’m just curious if the path is the same.Irene Lyon2019-11-11T12:42:41-08:00

6 – I’m a bit confused about the difference between shock trauma and chronic stressors. When a lot of shock traumas happen in the same year, are they functioning as chronic stressors?

6 – I’m a bit confused about the difference between shock trauma and chronic stressors. When a lot of shock traumas happen in the same year, are they functioning as chronic stressors?Irene Lyon2019-11-13T11:07:57-08:00

5 – Is bipolar illness really just the fluctuation between (a) being chaotic and scattered, hyper-aroused, and (b) being rigid and shutdown (lethargic, brain fog), as described by Irene in this video as symptoms of dysregulation?

5 – Is bipolar illness really just the fluctuation between (a) being chaotic and scattered, hyper-aroused, and (b) being rigid and shutdown (lethargic, brain fog), as described by Irene in this video as symptoms of dysregulation?Irene Lyon2019-11-11T12:41:43-08:00

4 – When I have a panic attack, it’s usually after I’ve been hugely over-stimulated (I can feel every sensation in my body, especially my heart beating). When I go into panic, it’s when I feel my body (heart) immediately calm down and I can no longer feel my heart POUNDING. Is this the Dorsal coming in to quickly slow everything down?

4 – When I have a panic attack, it’s usually after I’ve been hugely over-stimulated (I can feel every sensation in my body, especially my heart beating). When I go into panic, it’s when I feel my body (heart) immediately calm down and I can no longer feel my heart POUNDING. Is this the Dorsal coming in to quickly slow everything down?Irene Lyon2019-04-17T18:20:22-07:00