THE PAUSE IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE POSE –

USING INTEROCEPTION TO CULTIVATE RESILIENCE

Join Bevie Barker and Chris Newell for a deep dive into the process of cultivating interoception.

This week end workshop will explore interoception and building resilience using three types of bodywork modalities, Slow Yoga (inspired by Subtle Yoga), Feldenkrais and I Liq Chuan (inspired by Zhong Xin Dao I liq Chuan).  All of these bodywork modalities will be practiced slowly and mindfully, the key to cultivating interoception. Bodywork sessions will be interspersed with short meditation sits.

What is interoception? Interoception is the felt sense of the internal state of the body. Slow mindful movement practice is an excellent vehicle for cultivating interoceptive awareness. Slow mindful movement is the key to bottom up and top-down self-regulation, slowness of movement is the key to awareness. Pausing to check in on ‘how we feel’ allows the nervous system to naturally down or up regulate and return to homeostasis.  When you know how you feel, you know what to do and will make better choices generally.

Resilience is the capacity to quickly and effectively respond to internal and external physical and psychological stressors as they arise and then return to a state of homeostasis. Homeostasis is characterized by balance and clarity.

The Window of Tolerance (WOT) is a model to describe how adaptive our nervous systems are.  The window of tolerance is a concept created by Dr Dan Siegel to describe the 'optimal arousal zone' of human beings. The WOT model suggests that we have an optimal arousal level. When we are within the window of tolerance there is a natural ebb and flow of emotions experienced by human beings. Extended periods outside of the WOT, either a 'hyper-arousal' or a 'hypo-arousal', can become stressful and impact on our health and well being. 

The model proposes that the nervous system is in a dynamic homeostatic dance between a range of energetic states, primarily a sympathetic state of arousal or a parasympathetic state of rest and digest. A gradient exists within the WOT between hyper and hypo activation. The ideal ratio between the parasympathetic and sympathetic states has been suggested, in general, to be around 7:1.

Homeostasis is when the nervous system is optimal, i.e.in the middle and balanced and is characterized as being at rest, relaxed and calm.  This homeostatic arousal state is normally a natural default state. There are any number of reasons why we become stressed and find it difficult to relax. Slow mindful movement and bodywork is just one way to cultivate resilience and nervous system resilience.

This weekend retreat is held at Origins Retreat Centre in Balingup, a hidden gem in the South West, surrounded by natural forest, streams, gardens and starlit nights. You can arrive at Origins between 3pm and 6.30pm on Friday June 24 to settle in.

Origins has a fully equipped kitchen for you to use, but you’re encouraged to bring pre prepared meals so you have more time to enjoy the space. Balingup or Mullalyup are only a few minutes’ drive away, if you want to get lunch at a local cafe.

Accommodation is limited and a non-refundable deposit of $60 payable to Origins Centre is required payable to Commonwealth Bank BSB: 06 6504 ACC: 1001 7993. Please include in the bank transfer details: “Nourish, Aug_Dana_your name”. This deposit of $60 is required to confirm your place at the time of booking, this dana goes toward your dana (fair, considered exchange) for the accommodation. You will need to bring your own bedding. Please email a confirmation to Chris Newell chris@circlework.training  when this is done.