Holding Patterns

Holding Patterns

In my more than 2 decades of training as a massage therapist, integrative body therapist, yoga and dance teacher, and through my own experience living in a body, I ‘ve identified 3 types of holding/constriction that occur in the body.

1. Physical/Physiological
2. Emotional
3. Mental

These holding patterns cause limitation and chronic conditions that, over time will become very difficult to unwind. The more holding occurs, the more that the body learns to hold, which results in more holding, and so on and so on.

It’s helpful to identify the type of holding that’s present in any given area of your body if you’re going to be able to release that holding pattern and create greater freedom in your body, and therefore in your life.

I’ll describe each of these types of holding.

1. Physical/physiological holding is caused by the body’s own mechanical and anatomical condition. For instance, if you have one leg longer than the other, you’ll chronically compensate by limping, which will result in a holding in the hip and pelvic girdle. Or if you lack calcium in your system, your muscles will relax less readily remaining in a constant state of contraction. Physically and physiologically caused holding patterns can often be addressed or remedied if they are identified properly.
2. Emotional holding patterns are the result of chronically unresolved emotional issues that take up residence in the tissues of the body. Anger, guilt, resentment, blame, avoidance, when not addressed do not disappear. They just become covertly embedded in your body. Some schools of thought believe that it’s necessary to identify the life experience that caused the emotional holding in order to free up that energy.
3. Mental holding patterns are caused by a belief that we persistently attach to. That belief may pertain to the body, or may seem completely unrelated. Either way, the unconscious attachment to that belief will result in a stuckness in the body. If you think about it, how could it be otherwise. Afterall, all nervous system activity, controlling every tissue; organ, muscle and bone in the body, originates in the brain, the same place thoughts originate. Clearly these will influence each other. So bringing beliefs and thoughts into conscious awareness can have enormous affect on the body’s freedom or lack of.

Watching the body’s holding patterns in every day life, during exercise, dance or yoga practice, and exploring the 3 possible causes of holding patterns above, can reveal valuable truths about your body’s wisdom. Learning to refer to the wisdom of your body will give you profound access to your embodied power, helping to reduce injuries and live more vividly. Be curious and see what you discover!


Leela Francis is a speaker, facilitator and Embody Power Expert. She's the founder and CEO ofVividly Woman, helping women to tap into their embodied power to become thriving, healthy and fulfilled leaders, personally and professionally.

Blissful Boundaries

In these days leading up to Vividly Woman Embody Self Love Intensive in BC & Ont, I'm super sensitive to the reality that it's not easy for women to claim our space, to establish authentic boundaries, and express the truth of who we are. Boundaries, or lack of them, are central to the lack of self love issue that is so rampant in our world at the root of women's discontent. Fortunately once you understand how boundaries work, it's easy to claim your space, shift unhealthy patterns that cause suffering and dance into blissful boundary awareness.

I have one nagging professional relationship that used to always challenge my boundaries. I'd end up frustrated, losing my temper, running away from the conflicts. SInce I started noticing the real issue, my own lack of boundaries, everything has shifted.

What I've found is that a healthy felt sense boundary, one that's always changing in tandem with who and what I'm relating to, is a great expression of loving and honoring myself and expressing my self worth to the world on an energetic level. 

Watch my 2 videos below: first, more on boundaries, and then the Vividly Woman Energetic Boundary Meditation. Enjoy whenever, wherever. It's served me immensely in my life and it's my pleasure to share it with you.

No, I didn't hang the painting crookedly, the camera was off. Ooops!!

Leela Francis is a speaker, facilitator and Embody Power Expert. She's the founder and CEO ofVividly Woman, helping women to tap into their embodied power to become thriving, healthy and fulfilled leaders, personally and professionally.

Changing Boundaries

Boundaries are fluid and alive. They change to accommodate circumstances, moods and current needs. Knowing this is essential. Expect your boundaries to organically shift if they are an authentic expression of you. This is your body and your energy speaking to you. An authentic relationship boundary can and does change.

Rather than being a wall to keep people or things out, a boundary is like a container that allows you to have more of you.

As the dance of life ebbs and flows,

boundaries ebb and flow as well.

Boundaries can be fluid, fixed, contracted, and expanded. Most likely we all experience a little of each at different moments, in different situations, with different individuals, etc. As the dance of life ebbs and flows, boundaries ebb and flow as well.

A fluid boundary flows and changes according to the situation. A fixed boundary is rigid and does not easily accommodate changing circumstances. A contracted boundary causes one to shrink back, shut down and/or lose power. An expanded boundary may cause one to be overbearing, approval seeking and/or lose a realistic sense of oneself.

By now your probably getting a sense of how true boundaries are always an authentic expression of you. The value of honoring authentic boundaries in your life is beyond measure because it will show up in every relationship and impact all outcomes.

I learned this in powerful way a long time ago with one of my employers. Working for Jake was not a pleasant experience. His anger brought up for me the anger I had experienced with other important men in my life. His critical nature tended to feed the judgments I held about myself and reminded me of the anger I can easily turn inward.

When I began to practice taking a deep breath and drawing an imaginary boundary in my mind during our interactions, I magically started to sense my own power when I found myself in his presence. I could let him be who he is, how he is, and I no longer took on his negative projections. My boundary acted like a bubble or shield protecting me/distinguishing me from stuff that truly was not mine.

Awareness helps us to make necessary choices

rather than be run by habit

Different relationships and circumstances elicit different boundaries. Often a certain relationship or situation has a characteristic boundary that we automatically step into out of habit. Awareness helps us to make necessary choices rather than be run by habit or external factors, and facilitates a depth of meaning in relation to our own felt sense of boundaries.

Boundaries are a natural part of relationships. Our ability to notice our boundaries when we relate will help us to stay in our power and identify meaning in our relationships.

Learn more and experience boundary exercises in the Vividly Woman Monthly Community Online Program.

Leela Francis is a speaker, facilitator and Embody Power Expert. She's the founder and CEO of Vividly Woman, helping women to tap into their embodied power to become thriving, healthy and fulfilled leaders, personally and professionally.

www.LeelaFrancis.com

www.VividlyWoman.com