Difficult or overwhelming experiences can influence how we breathe, feel, move, protect ourselves and relate to the world around us.
This written Practice invites you to begin mapping some of the protective patterns that may be expressed through your body. It is not an invitation to analyse your history or recall the details of difficult experiences. The focus is on noticing what is present now through bodily sensation.
Before You Begin
Before exploring this Practice, it is recommended that you first become familiar with Internal Resourcing and External Resourcing.
Prepare a notebook and pen. Date the page, read one question at a time and record only what feels accessible. You may leave any question unanswered, pause or stop at any time.
Remain aware of an internal or external resource as you move through the questions and return to it whenever needed.
Mapping Questions
Sensation and location
- The areas where I most frequently notice tension, pressure or pain are…
- The parts of my body that feel numb, distant or difficult to sense are…
- The areas of my body that feel most available, comfortable or alive are…
- When something reminds me of a difficult or overwhelming experience, the first change I notice in my body is…
- Sensations that return repeatedly in my body include…
Breath, rhythm and energy
- When I feel activated, my breathing tends to…
- When I feel safe or settled, my breathing tends to…
- Difficult experiences seem to affect the natural rhythms of my…
- You might consider sleep, appetite, digestion, energy, sexuality, movement, rest or concentration.
- The moments when my body feels most energised or alive are…
- The moments when my energy seems to disappear, collapse or become unavailable are…
Movement and protection
- When I feel threatened, pressured or overwhelmed, my body tends to…
- My posture tends to change in the following ways…
- Movements or impulses that frequently arise in me include…
- For example moving away, becoming still, pushing, reaching, hiding, curling inward, shaking or wanting to run.
- My body attempts to protect me by…
- The parts of my body that I tend to hold back, restrain or make smaller are…
Boundaries and relationship
- My body’s signals of openness, willingness or ‘yes’ feel like…
- My body’s signals of protection, reluctance or ‘no’ feel like…
- I notice myself becoming more guarded in situations where…
- I experience greater ease, connection or freedom when…
Regulation and support
- The signals that tell me I am approaching my limit are…
- The signals that tell me I am beginning to settle are…
- The internal or external resources that feel most available to me are…
- When I return to a resource, I notice…
- At this moment, my body appears to need more…
- At this moment, my body appears to need less…
- One small way I can respond to what I have noticed is…
Completing the Practice
You do not need to interpret or resolve what you have discovered. Notice the support beneath your body, allow your gaze to travel through the space and return to an internal or external resource.
This map is not a fixed description of you. It records what was available to your awareness at this moment.