Grounding in Grace was an online program I offered in 2013 and again in 2014 (!!). I have chosen some of the content from this program to share here and have edited and modified as appropriate or necessary. These exercises are great for those just beginning their somatic/embodiment journey, and are also great reminders for those who have a regular somatics/embodiment practice.
Today's mindfulness exercise is different from our previous ones. Today you need a partner. Your partner can be your romantic partner or your child or even a beloved four-legged friend. Enjoy.
Connecting To Another's Heart Exercise sequence
1. Ask your partner if you may listen to his or her heart. If your partner says yes, move on to step two. If you partner says no, find a new partner ;)
2. Place your ear to your partner's chest, where his or her heart is.
3. Listen for 15-30 seconds.
4. While listening take in one or two slow, deep and intentional breaths and allow your body to settle and release.
5. Ask your partner if he or she would like to listen to your heart beat.
6. Give your partner time to listen to your heart beat if he or she said yes to number 5. While your partner is listening to your heart, take in one or two slow, deep and intentional inhalations.
7. When your partner is finished listening, give each other a hug and then go about your day or evening.
Listening to Another's Heartbeat Extension
Once you feel comfortable with the Basic exercise above, try this expansion: throughout the exercise, turn your focus to how your body, mind and emotions are each reacting to listening to your partner's heart beat. Do you notice a releasing in your muscles? How does your own breath and heart beat react?
Simply bring awareness. Notice. No judging; only noticing.
If you benefit from my writing and resources, I would greatly appreciate you considering a paid subscription for $7/month. The extra material paid subscribers recieve (the ability to comment on posts and have access to the full archive, which includes all posts over three months old) will be available once you become a paid subscriber and remains available for the lifetime of your subscription. (I want to have my work available for everyone who needs it and those who can’t afford it. For those who are able, your paid subscription allows me to keep this material available to all).
*I have decided to begin utilizing the paywall again. I have a lot of inner conflict around paywalls in general, and the reality is, in our current society and culture they are an energetic exchange. Having a paid subscription not only puts a couple dollars in my bank account to pay my bills, it also encourages me emotionally and mentally to continue sharing my work. In the future any new writing and old or new resources will be for paid subscribers only. This will include the resources I provide in the Witchy Sh!t series, as well as any other posts in which I provide reflection questions, somatic exercises, or has not been previously published (including the RLoT and any new longer pieces I publish) . If you benefit from these resources and cannot afford the $7 per month subscription fee, please contact me directly and we can work something out.
Ways for us to connect
Gwynn Raimondi Writes on Insta*
Soothe Your Nervous System Card Deck
Individual Sessions (I currently have a few bi-weekly spots available (sliding scale options are available for these spots). If you are interested in working with me, you can either dm me here or email me at raimondi dot gwynn at gmail dot com to request a free 30-minute consultation to see if we are a good fit.)
Tarot Readings Every month I offer four readings and they are given on a first come, first served basis. If you are interested in having a reading done by me, you can email me at raimondi dot gwynn at gmail dot com with Tarot/Oracle Request in the subject line and I will get back to you with questions and payment information.
Ancestral Healing & Journeying Work - (Re)Connecting to who we were before whiteness. Individual sessions to find reconnection with your ancesters, healing ancestral curses/processing ancestral trauma, and nourishing our ancestral strength and wisdom. If this kind of work interests you, I invite you to reach out so we can set up a 30-minute free consultation to discuss what this work could look like for you by emailing me at raimondi dot gwynn at gmail dot com with “Ancestral Connection Inquiry” in the subject line.
*Please note I am slowly moving away from social media. The best way to connect with me and my work is right here.
