A Salient Tip for Grounding

I'm avid listener of On Being with Krista Tippett. This week she had biological and evolutionary anthropologist Agustín Fuentes on as her guest, who argues that we are social beings and that, on a physiological level, what we have gone through in 2020 has consequences for our health and well-being. He says: 'One of my great fears is that people are not paying enough attention to the psycho-physiological, neuroendocrinological, hormone, physiology and brain impacts of the lack of connection we have right now'. 

You and me both, Fuentes! But we already knew this, since we're living through it. It's just nice to have science back us up. That there is a scientific reason we missing hugging one another feels a little less platitudinal than simply complaining how much we miss our friends after nine months in a global pandemic. And it's necessary to find little ways to stay social.

Maybe you have someone to hug today, maybe you don't. Maybe you live with someone who doesn't let them hug you but you make them hug you anyway which is my own personal plight predicament with my flatmate and friend. I have been making him periodically hug me in passing since March. The stilted encounter usually takes place in front of the fridge, which is where we meet most days. I can tell you that he categorically hates it but deep down (like, deep, deep down) knows it's probably good for him. 

I want to invite you into a short practice. Hug yourself, man. Even if it feels silly. And if it feels perhaps a bit corny to do that, maybe it will help to know it's a skill used in somatic therapy to help ground people. 

How To Hug Yourself

🤗 wrap your arms around your shoulders

👄 take a few breaths here, close your eyes

🦑 start to squeeze and palpate your shoulder blades (I know, palpate is a sexy word!)

💪🏼squeeze each part of your arms from your shoulders down to your wrists and then back up again

💕repeat as needed, with love and compassion for this pretty, pretty, pretty messed up situation we're all in