How mindfulness supports the body, mind, and nervous system through change
As the days grow warmer and the light lingers a little longer, we gently ease into a season of transition. Not unlike the changing of seasons, where we find ourselves trying to dress appropriately for ever-shifting weather, wanting to be prepared, to have a plan – yet often finding that challenging.
Change, much like the seasons, can feel uncertain. We may wonder… what does the future hold? There can be a fear of the unknown, a sense of stepping into something we cannot fully see or control.
Change is something we cannot stop, and it can bring with it a variety of emotions and physical sensations – sadness, fear, anxiety, tight muscles, headaches, even a heaviness in the stomach. Even when change is something we truly want, it can still feel stressful.
What we are often experiencing in these moments is the body’s natural stress response being activated – sometimes referred to as “fight or flight.” This response is designed to protect us, yet when we remain in it for extended periods, it can leave us feeling overwhelmed, tense, and unsettled.
Sometimes we remain in what feels familiar, even when it no longer feels aligned, simply because it is known.
If this situation changes…if I change… what will happen? Who will I be then?
When we are faced with these emotions and sensations, instead of resisting them, it can be helpful to gently sit with them. These feelings are not here to work against us – they are trying to get our attention and to protect us.
Through mindfulness, we begin to observe what we are thinking and feeling without judgment. We create space to become curious rather than critical.
In doing so, we also begin to support the body in shifting out of the stress response and into a more balanced state – often referred to as “rest and digest.” This is where the body can relax, restore, and begin to heal.
We might begin to notice…
- Where do I feel this in my body?
- Is there tension in my shoulders, tightness in my chest, or unease in my stomach?
- What emotions am I experiencing?
- What might this be asking me to acknowledge?
In this awareness, we are given a choice – to continue reacting in old patterns, or to gently begin responding in a way that supports our growth.
Transition is not something to rush through or push.
It is a space of becoming.
Just as nature does not force its timing, we too can allow ourselves the grace to move through change in our own way, in our own time – trusting that even in the unknown, something new is quietly unfolding.
If you are navigating a season of change and feel called to support your body, mind, and nervous system, I offer holistic services including hand/foot reflexology, guided relaxation, energy healing, essential oils, and AcuDetox ear acupuncture.
You are always welcome to reach out and connect
How mindfulness supports the body, mind, and nervous system through change As the days grow warmer and the light lingers a little longer, we gently ease into a season of transition. Not unlike the changing of seasons, where we find ourselves trying to dress appropriately for ever-shifting weather, wanting to be prepared, to have a…
Patrick McIvor is a hairdresser who has had some very unique experiences during his 30-year career caring for people’s hair.His observations have been shaped by a broad range of a lifetime of experiences from being a teen volunteer in a neo-natal intensive care unit to his extensive, multi-continent travels which have allowed him to teach and share ideas, to his work in salons from New York City to his own salon in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
The Chinese found that certain locations on the surface of the body are related to internal body functions. In Chinese medicine it is believed that there is a network of energy that flows through the body and connects these locations/points by way of channels called “meridians.” The meridians are related to specific organs and functions and form a network which has circulating energy called “Qi” or “Chi” that moves like an electric current. As long as the energy flow is not blocked and has the appropriate strength and balance the body functions healthfully. Disease creates an imbalance in this system so that the signals/energy is weak, too strong, blocked, crossed, or not moving in the proper pathway.
Solutions for Wellness 