Pathways to Connection
I’m creating the Pathways to Connection monthly subscription program as a way of exploring and expanding ways in which my somatic coaching deck can be used to support your journey of self-reflection and discovery! The deck is the jumping-off point, but I’ll be including journaling and other practices, as well as using the concepts, information, skills, thoughts, and questions that inform my client practice.
Keep in mind that this monthly practice may be accessible and useful to you, even if you don’t have your own deck. If you’d like to try working with a deck, but don’t know if you want your own, I have a deck library! More information will be on the way as I refine the program.
The program is built around the Pathways; each Pathway will be based on a concept or growth goal that we’re probably all contemplating, struggling with, and learning about. Using my knowledge of the cards, I’ve picked five cards, from all three card groupings, to form a path that illustrates a way to think about or plan out your exploration of the concept or goal; step by gentle step. Here is your first pathway, to give you a taste of what’s to come! I’ll be giving you the chance to subscribe to this great opportunity.
The pathway from deciding you want something different, to getting started on sustainable Inner Growth:
Safety: Draw the Safety card, read the content. “Have you experienced safety? What feels safe?” It’s possible you’ve always wondered why lasting growth eludes you, but have you created safety first? That might be what’s missing. “Moving into thriving starts with a secure place to come from and return to.” How do we go about looking for safety, though?
Beginning: Draw the Beginning card, read the content. “What is beginner wasn’t a bad word? What if you gave yourself the safety, space, and sweetness to find a starting place, or ask for help?” Everyone has to begin somewhere, and nobody was born with an instruction book! Love your little selves, that don’t know how to do something, but don’t let that stop you from beginning!
Structure: Draw the Structure card, read content. Think about what structure means, and how you might begin to build safety. “Having a dependable physical and emotional structure allows for physical and emotional equanimity...” Even if your family of origin didn’t teach you about structure, you can learn. Start with your own body. “Feel into your body, legs underneath you, work to engage your middle and muscles.” That is structure; support for everything!
Feel Into: Draw the Feel Into card, read the content. “When did you last take a moment to spend time with your body and mind? If you want, you can take a breath and pick a part of your body to feel into.” Your body is all yours, and it has so much information! What if the ultimate in safety was actually IN your body? Ponder that, spend some time breathing; begin with your ribs. What do they tell you?
Practice: Draw the Practice card, read the content. “Regularly practicing the skills or goals uyou want is essential. You are the only one who can move forward, by picking your route, exercising your skills, building on success, then repeating.” All the things you’ve learned along this pathway about yourself, all these insights and skills need to be pondered, and tried on for size, and adjusted, and practiced! That’s how you build safety, in every way; by beginning in yourself, and practicing! Inner growth begins by making the choice to begin.
Spend some time journaling about what we discovered. What are some ideas you came up with that aren’t on the cards?
What did you notice when you first looked at the card? In general, when you pick a card, pause…what is your gut reaction?