It is important to have a compassionate understanding for one’s own patterns because once you know your own patterns, you can start to shift them. Awareness itself provides the opportunity for shift. As soon as you perceive the old pattern, you can also make space for something new.

Mindfulness and meditation do not end with the observation of thoughts and emotions. It is also important to start to understand sensations stored within the body. The brain, spinal cord, and nerve endings are a system that is inter-connected. Negative thoughts and emotions from past experiences or ongoing stressors can get trapped in our bodies. The body develops its own patterns of reactivity (“fight or flight”) or shut down (“freeze”). Bringing awareness to the nervous system helps you engage with your body differently.