Hello everyone.
My name is Peggy Koukassian and I'm a somatic practitioner and nervous system guide here in Los Angeles,
California.
And I am here today to do a practice for the body after people pleasing,
And how to reclaim boundaries through somatic work.
So as we begin,
We're going to be creating a space today for all the parts.
The parts of our body that have learned to stay connected by staying available.
The parts that said yes when your body wanted to actually whisper no.
The part that softened your truth shrunk your needs and carried more than what was yours.
If you have ever walked away from a conversation feeling drained,
Resentful,
Disconnected from yourself,
This practice is for you.
Today we're not only not building walls,
We are remembering where you begin.
And we're gonna start.
With finding a comfortable seat,
Allowing your feet to touch the earth,
The ground beneath you,
And getting your pelvic floor settled.
Comforted into your chair.
Wherever you are,
Take a slow inhale through your nose.
Long in hell.
And maybe a long exhale as you release the mouth and let that breath release from your lips.
Long,
Deep exhale.
And this is just our way to connect with the body and go inward so we can really better understand what is coming up and what gets to be repaired and resolved within.
Breathe in one more time,
Big,
Long through the nose as you just scan through the body and bring the breath upward.
And slowly releasing,
Allowing your shoulders to soften,
Jaw to unclench,
Belly to receive that breath.
And different components of the body start to connect.
Bring awareness to three different places today,
Your throat,
Your chest,
And your belly.
And those three components,
I want you to just notice them.
Without changing anything.
Bring your attention to those three areas.
Where do you feel tightness?
Do you feel any pressure in your body?
Do you feel any holding,
Any numbness?
To simply observe as we move through these sensations.
And we're going to start with the throat.
So you're going to bring one hand.
To your throat,
One hand over your heart,
And just feel your own touch,
Your own steadiness,
Take a deep breath into the hands touching the body.
And you can internally whisper this,
Or you can say it out loud,
Where have I been leaving myself lately?
Where have I been leaving myself lately?
And I don't think it's until we ask these deeper questions and we go and dive inward.
That we can actually hear the answers.
So where have I been leaving myself?
Pause.
Listen.
And no need to answer.
In a defined way.
Just notice how the body is speaking to you in sensations.
In the way that it alerts you.
Now we're going to do a little bit of a practice and it's something to lean into and practice.
Understand that it's not the easiest practice,
But I want you to imagine someone standing in front of you.
Not the most difficult person,
But just someone where maybe your boundaries felt blurry.
And just bring them into your mind's eye.
Notice what happens inside.
Where does it tighten?
Where does it close?
Does your body lean forward or backwards?
And I want you to just stay gently as you observe this part of yourself.
We are only noticing.
Now slowly extend your hand out in front of you,
Palms forward,
Soft elbows,
No force,
Simply feel the space,
Take a big inhale and softly say out loud,
This is my space.
And this is a way you get to start to practice to create language around your boundaries.
This is my space.
Pause.
Notice again.
Keeping the hands forward,
I am allowed to take up space.
Pause one more time.
I do not need to abandon myself to stay connected.
Let the body receive that.
Now bring your hands back slowly toward your heart.
Feel the return,
Feel yourself coming home.
And again,
We're going to extend the hands out.
Create some space here.
And then bring the hands back and return it to the body.
Wherever they want to land.
And so this is a practice of opening yourself.
And then also creating this reservation to hold yourself and not abandon.
So hands return and come back.
And they go out,
Opening in with the boundary.
Returning to that open with a choice,
With a connection.
And really play with the hands as they open and close.
And now we're going to start practicing awareness around your throat again.
Gently take your hands and just place them on your lap.
And turn your head all the way to the left side.
And you can have your eyes closed or open for this practice.
And just pause as you look to the left.
Back to the center.
To the right.
Pause.
Back to the center.
Very small movements.
Let's do that one more time to the left.
Let the body experience the options here.
Sometimes people pleasingly lives in our stillness.
So we're creating a lot of movement here.
We're creating a lot of choice and agency.
So bring it back to the center.
To the right Or do you want to stay a little bit longer?
And back to the center,
Place both of your hands over your heart,
One hand over your heart and the other hand over the hand.
And take a big,
Deep breath.
Ah,
Exhale big.
Imagine gathering every version of yourself that overgave.
The one who stayed quiet.
The one who carried everyone.
The one who forgot her or his own names.
Invite that energy closer.
Tell her or him,
You do not have to work so hard anymore.
You belong here too.
My needs matter.
My no is sacred.
My body deserves to be heard.
I can stay connected and remain connected to myself.
And just notice which one lands.
And if you want to revisit those affirmations,
You're welcome to rewind and re-listen to them again,
And maybe even say them out loud.
And take one final,
Big,
Long,
The deepest inhale as you just continue to draw in that self-love,
That self-care,
That self-awareness.
Deep,
Long inhale all the way to your crown chakra.
And then the longest exhale that you are able to release.
Feel the floor,
Feel your body,
Feel your own boundaries.
And when you are ready.
Feel this feeling of completion.
Slowly return back into the physical space.
And just taking your time,
Taking your space with you.
Because you just made some adjustments of your own awareness,
Of where your own blocks and hidden areas of your awareness are.
We all have blind spots.
So this practice is wonderful for people who struggle with people-pleasing,
Over-giving,
And self-abandonment.
And with this practice of grounding and body awareness movements,
It's supporting the nervous system,
Regulate so you can reconnect back with yourself and really find that balance.
I wish you all the best on your healing journey.
Have a blessed day.
Namaste.
