Two Types of Healing That Your Body Craves
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to healing. The nuance in every person’s lived experience and many more factors at the individual level are needed to understand what it is that our physical, emotional and spiritual body needs for nurturing and replenishment. Here are two types of healing that your body craves.
Restoration:
When life feels like you’re on a persistent go-go-go, and then go some more mode, your body and your nervous system are in a constant state of hyper-arousal, also known as fight or flight mode. A few of the many things you might be feeling are burned out, exhausted, or overworked. Sound familiar? Your body is asking for restoration, to calm and settle an overactivated nervous system.
Here are some things you can try when restoration is in order:
Take the time for deep, intentional breathing or restorative breathwork.
Do something that brings you joy!
Take a walk out in nature.
Take a nap.
Process your thoughts and feelings through journaling.
Try simple mindfulness practices like meditation.
Have some creative playtime, like coloring or art.
Activation:
On the other side of hyper-arousal is hypo-arousal. When you’re hypo-aroused, your nervous system is in a different kind of survival state, also known as freeze or fawn mode. It has a “heavy” type of quality, where you might be feeling stuck, shut down, unmotivated, or when you’re experiencing creative blocks or lack of inspiration, just to name a few. In this scenario, your body is craving some activation, movement, flow.
Here are some things you can try to shake off the heavies and activate a sluggish nervous system:
Flow Breathwork can help move stuck or stagnant emotions weighing you down.
Cold plunges are known to enliven your sense and boost alertness.
Get your heart rate up with a quick run or sprint for a mood boost!
Hot yoga will bring your focus to the present and connect mind to body.
Sometimes, getting out of stuckness or hypo-arousal takes intentionality to take an active role in your healing, and a commitment to the act of doing. As an example, you can commit to getting out of bed to practice some activating breaths for seven minutes, with the intention to simply move your body.
By recognizing the importance of both restoration and activation in our lives, we can strike a healthy balance that supports our overall well-being. It's all about tuning in to what your body needs and taking practical steps to nurture yourself on a daily basis.
What's your body craving this season?
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