Text from the series “Holistic Healing Chronicles: Nourishing Your Body, Mind, and Soul for Lasting Wellness” by Nisarga Eryk Dobosz.
Greetings to all fellow seekers of healing and self-discovery!
Embarking on the journey of trauma recovery, I’ve spent over 25 years as a trauma-oriented therapist, witnessing the profound impact that the concept of felt sense has on individuals navigating the complexities of their traumatic experiences. Felt sense, I often tell my clients, is not a mental construct—it’s a physical experience, a dynamic awareness that encapsulates everything you know about a person, situation, or event at a given time.
Felt sense relies on the holistic perception of the entire organism rather than piecing together interpretations from separate parts. It’s an internal aura, an ever-shifting, dynamic force that holds the key to moving beyond trauma into the vibrancy of life itself.
Understanding sensations is paramount, recognizing that they are in constant flux—ever-changing and dynamically shaping the life force within our bodies. In the realm of trauma recovery, developing the ability to track physical sensations without immediately attaching meaning to them becomes a crucial skill. Our bodies possess an incredible resource—the energetic ability to resist stagnation. Every energetic state within us changes sooner or later, seeking movement and transformation. This dynamic quality aids in reconnecting with forgotten or disconnected parts of the body, rekindling sensitivity to the overall well-being of our physical, emotional, and spiritual states.
The initial step in trauma recovery involves learning to separate the felt sense from emotional charge. This requires tracking the inner flow of physical sensations, focusing solely on the physical plane without immediately delving into the emotional interpretations. Breaking the cycle of physical tightness tied to emotional charge liberates us, allowing for a gentle release and discharge from the triggered or dissociated state.
Felt sense can also be understood as an awareness of the internal states of the body, acting as a compass that detects and informs us of our internal regulation responses, including respiration, heart rate, body temperature, balance, hunger, thirst, and emotional experiences such as pleasure or pain.
To rebuild the connection with this forgotten language of sensations, clients must be reeducated with a basic vocabulary. Understanding the rich language of sensations involves categorizing them into seven main types: intensity, muscle sensations, skin sensations, temperature, constriction sensations, whole-body sensations, and expansion sensations. This knowledge becomes a powerful tool in comprehending our interoception and inner states, facilitating a more profound understanding of our experiences.
Expanding and growing one’s ability to feel, sense, and be aware of the present moment is an ongoing process. Approaching this journey with curiosity and openness fosters exploration, keeping us present and grounded. This heightened awareness not only benefits the individual but also fosters empathy and understanding within the environment.
Becoming acquainted with our felt sense acts as a preventive measure against reactive behaviors in life. It enables us to step out of unwanted patterns that may be harmful, fostering personal growth and creating a ripple effect of positive change in our interactions with others. In the intricate dance of trauma recovery, felt sense awareness emerges as a guiding light, illuminating the path towards healing, resilience, and a profound reconnection with oneself.
With heartfelt compassion and dedication,
Nisarga Eryk Dobosz
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Nisarga Eryk Dobosz – founder of the Integral Body Institute. He has been practicing bodywork, breathwork, meditation and tantra for over 20 years. He is a bodywork and breathwork therapist, specialising in Myofascial Energetic Release, Biodynamic Breathwork and Trauma Release and deep tissue work. An experienced teacher of Lomi Lomi Nui massage and Tantra.
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