Why and How
Inviting Discovery and Encouraging Mastery
"One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began."
-Mary Oliver
Why?
Inner Resilience integrates Breathing and Meditative processes, Yoga, Nervous system resilience practices, Mindful dialogue, Stress Management and Psychological well-being modalities.
These practices are an invitation to consciously pause and turn the lens inward.
As we turn the lens inward and practice these modalities we have found that life moves from being led from habit, reaction and living in survival mode, to a life of wise choice, connection, purpose and attunement to life within us and all around us.
How?
Understanding
We provide a clear map of how to train the brain, the nervous system, and the breath to respond to life’s challenges in increasingly skilful and effective ways. We have found that when there is clarity and understanding of the why behind the Inner Resilience practices then motivational levels to master them stay consistently high over time. Daily practice continues over weeks and months and permanent changes occur in the brain, nervous system and breathing habits.
Self Awareness
We take this knowledge inwards into the personal realm. We start to sense and observe; our breathing habits, our nervous system reaction tendencies, the typical thoughts and habits that are leading our life and our relationship to them. With Self Awareness the decision-making part of the brain comes online, and we can assess if these patterns are serving us. If not, we can start to choose more beneficial ones.
Somatic Intelligence
Our most fundamental response to all of life’s challenges start in the body. We therefore begin with body-based practices such as, mindful breathing, movement, conscious relaxation, embodying the branches of the nervous system and the art of sensing in. These practices help manage and reshape the stress and survival response of the nervous system, help strengthen a felt sense of safety and build up the capability for the brain to stay online under adversity and stress.
Self Attunement
Deepening the practices of sensing and interpreting the signals sent from the body and nervous system make it possible to return and rest in the body’s physiological state of well-being in challenging moments. From this inner place of well-being we learn how to meet powerful emotional surges and nervous system reactions without being ‘hijacked’ by them. This is the move from ‘being in’ a reaction to ‘being with.’ From avoiding or trying to get rid of certain parts of ourselves we move to acceptance, connection and integration of our various inner voices, emotions and parts that make up our personal self.
Self-Leadership
With continued practice of the Inner Resilience methods we have found daily life becomes Self-Led. We define a Self-Led life as one that is filled with presence, choice, compassion, creativity, and purpose when life is in flow and even when it’s at its most turbulent.
How?
Interoception
Is the art of sensing in. Practising this skill encourages the move from merely managing life stuck in reactions, to experiencing life fully and choosing the response to the inevitable daily challenges. Interoception is one of the most important skills to remain 'online' and centred rather than 'hijacked' and taken over in a stressful moment. The greater the awareness of body-based feelings the more control one has over their response to life.
Being with
The practice of interoception leads to 'being in' an emotional pattern or nervous system survival response to 'being with'. This is a move from being hijacked and taken over in a stressful moment to having enough space to 'befriend and attend' what is happening in our nervous system or emotional world and then act form choice rather than habit. Instead of being stuck on autopilot we can pause, connect inside and then act form our inner place of wisdom.
Community
We evolved in community, talking together, learning from and with and acting together as a whole. When we are connected we are stronger, we have greater resilience and our possibility for growth is exponential. These practices have a strong intention to build an 'Inner resilience' community, where we can practice together and move from discovery of the practices to mastery. From the place of mastery we can share these practices with our friends, family or colleagues and help them also build their resilience to meet the inevitable ups and downs of daily life.
True Purpose
When we remember the breath, when we strengthen our nervous system, when we take time each day to pause and sense in, and when we are surrounded by community it provides the necessary internal and external conditions to act from our inner gift. When we are in this gift, sometimes called 'the flow' we are firmly rooted in our body and life is at its most wonderful.
Integration
The word integrate comes from the Latin, 'to make whole.' When we integrate these practices, together, we have found that life becomes 'whole', firmly rooted in the qualities of presence, compassion, centredness, joyfulness and creativity.