Our body is an interactive intelligence that’s just waiting to be acknowledged by our conscious mind.
The body’s language comes in the form of sensations and feelings, that are all too often ignored or avoided, in favor of more familiar and trusted mental processes. When we learn to trust and care for those ‘felt’ communications, we’re giving the body permission to share its healing wisdom.
Eugene Gendlin, Ph.D., who developed the Focusing process at the University of Chicago in the 1960’s, observed that when felt bodily experience was attended to patiently and respectfully, it routinely expressed itself with a flow of symbols. As words and imagery flow, our felt experience changes …. for the better.
Who knew that experiencing what are often unpleasant or painful feelings … more mindfully or compassionately … would actually allow us to feel better … and at the same time invite new understanding or fresh insights to emerge without actually trying?
In addition to the benefits just mentioned, my experience with Somatic Focusing also shows that it has a powerful and direct impact on balancing our autonomic nervous system (reflected in positive changes in heart rate variability) and in balancing the subtle energies of the body.
The challenge for many of us is that we’ve learned to distance ourselves from our felt experience as a protective strategy for survival against painful and overwhelming feelings. This distancing from bodily experience triggers the stress response and keeps us stuck in our heads.
This reminds me of a story told by Gary Zukov, where his adopted Native American grandfather tells Gary that the greatest journey he will ever make is the distance from his head to his heart.
I suspect that journey is a profound challenge for most of us. I know that it is for me. And yet it’s the heart that holds the key, not only to love, but to system wide healing and integration.
Somatic Focusing for me is the most natural way to support this very challenging inner journey from head to heart. I’ve included this Somatic Focusing Guide for support. This guide was developed by the creators of Bio-spiritual Focusing.
Dr. Templin offers online courses and consultations, and sees patients personally in his office in Lakeland, Florida. You can learn more about his course Bio-Energetic Focusing: A Revolutionary Medical Model for Self-Healing! here.
Steven Templin, D.O.M., Dipl. Ac., is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, specializing in MindBody Medicine. He is a certified META-Medicine Health Coach and nationally certified acupuncturist. He shares the underlying science and more importantly, the practical tools for resolving the unconscious energetic and emotional roots of illness. In his online course Bio-Energetic Focusing: A Revolutionary Medical Model for Self-Healing! he provides training in Self-Regulation skills, that include Bio-Energetic Focusing, HeartMath and Energy Psychology techniques, Energy Medicine modalities, and Gastrointestinal repair for enhanced immunity, mood, and mental clarity. Dr. Templin is in private practice in Lakeland, Florida, at the Natural Medicine Center of Lakeland.
Steve is a retired Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture Physician, and HeartMath Trauma-Sensitive Certified Practitioner with over 35 years of clinical experience in Energy Medicine, Energy Psychology, and Biofeedback.