Solar Plexus | Turtle | Impatiens
I Breathe Into the Present Moment.
Turtle swims into your cards when you are needing to slow down, breathe, and pace yourself. Have you been swimming upstream, paddling frantically to get to an idealized future moment where you will be happy? Obsessively seeking the soothing sense of certainty can feel like an endless tortoise and hare race. Stop holding your breath! Turtle is here to remind you that your most powerful place to create your very best life is in this present moment.
High levels of stress can lead to bypassing your life rather than experiencing it fully. Cultivating patience is key to staying present with yourself, your breath, and each expansive moment. Impatiently trying to get to an imaginary finish line will make you feel like you’ve missed out on smelling the roses along the way. Patience is needed to allow for your life details and soul lessons to be revealed in proper timing.
If someone used angry words to control you, or if you went through a shocking event, you may be holding fear in your breathing pattern. Unlocking the fullness of breath will connect you back to the fullness of the present moment. Turtle’s chilled-out nature and grounded steadiness reminds you to take your time, as every good journey requires much site-seeing and relaxation along the way.
Bach Remedy: Impatiens
Key Words: Proper breathing, present moment, smelling the roses, fear, patience, enjoying the journey, panic attacks, ptsd, being belittled, feeling lied to, shame, seizures, respiratory system, diaphragm, acid reflux, bad breath
Actions Steps:
Practice patience by slowing down your breathing consciously.
Notice how much outward stimulation you need, music, TV, videos, etc. Take time and practice feeling comfortable in silence.
Notice if you rush to have all of the answers for yourself and everyone else. Practice being okay in the unknown.
Do you feel frozen if someone gets angry at you? Notice if you hold your breath and consciously diaphragmatically breathe through the experience instead.
Slow down when you eat. Sit down rather than eating on the go and consciously chew your food while avoiding talking, texting, or other distractions.
Start a 5 minute meditation practice each day and build upon it.
Blacking out is created by ptsd trauma from extreme anger or narcissistic abuse. If you can’t remember things when you drink or when you are put in certain situations with certain people, there is a trauma you are holding in your mind/body that needs to be addressed.
Find a talk therapist, hypnotherapist, Breathwork practitioner or another holistic modality to work through stored trauma.
Journal around any time you have feared for your life. Writing it out helps you integrate it properly. This includes reoccurring nightmare and sleep paralysis.
Observe when you reach for extra stimulation to stay out of the uncomfortable feeling of presence…more caffeinated beverages, sugar-filled snacks, tobacco, etc.
Start the yogic breathwork practice called Kapalabhati.
Reflect on any traumatizing moments at age 18. Journal what comes up.
Did someone chronically lie to you and not ever own it? Contemplate if you endured prolonged lying.
Research and practice the Anxiety 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 technique when panic shows up.
This can be trauma from someone psychically controlling you. If you have sustained emotional abuse, your nervous system is on high alert. Make breathing your main practice for a few days to get you in touch with this fear held inside.
Practice deep, diaphragmatic breathing. Fully breathing stimulates the vagus nerve for rest and repair in the body. Notice if you hold your breath throughout your day.
Were you belittled by someone? Feeling gaslit, falsely accused or belittled will cause a burning sensation in your upper belly under your rib cage center. This is the place that shame is created. Notice how often you create and experience this sensation of embarrassment/shame.
The hippocampus is the part of our brain we store memory. It is less functional during times of both acute and chronic stress. If trauma has affected your memory, look into brain-balancing activities.
Notice if you have a hard time being present. Observe if you are always looking for the next thing to secure your certainty. Bring yourself back to your breath each time and consciously get back in your body.
Look up relaxation practices and guided meditations that calm you. Try Forest Bathing.
Get into your body! When we get caught in a loop of ptsd fear we often leave our bodies. Go for a walk or run, stretch, take a shower, turn on music and dance, etc.
Take time each day in nature to practice smelling the roses. Observe when you are able to jump into the fullness of presence.
