Stillness
How does this serve you and your client?
I cannot claim to be anything other than a chatty person, as anyone who knows me will testify. I love meeting new people and I am genuinely interested in hearing about their lives. Yet, for all my chattiness I can still access deep stillness for myself and my clients. Throughout my training as a Complementary Therapist I have had to develop my listening skills in quite a different way. I have learnt over many years how to listen deeply to my clients. Firstly, by observing their demeanour and body language. Secondly through client consultation forms and thirdly through touch and energy. Most importantly I have learnt to listen through stillness. My own personal development in Reiki, Craniosacral and meditation has led me to experience true stillness, where the mind stops controlling your thoughts so you can listen deeply to your heart and system. It is only when we access stillness ourselves, that we can facilitate it for others. Self-care and development is an essential part of our development as therapists. Find further reading on this here. Stillness is required for peace; when you are looking for guidance, a sign to highlight your path forward or a voice telling us what to do. Well, the voice we are waiting to hear is our own voice, hidden deep within our cells, tissues and organs. Your inner voice can be so hard to hear when the mind and body are in distress, anxiety or fear.
It is through stillness we truly hear our own voice and what our client’s system is saying. This is an art and a gift. Not a special gift given only to a few, but a gift any one of us can develop if we choose.
It is through stillness we truly hear our own voice and what our client’s system is saying. This is an art and a gift. Not a special gift given only to a few, but a gift any one of us can develop if we choose. It is a gift which helps many clients during their treatment, irrespective of which therapy is being provided. This gift comes from the individual therapist’s self-development.
Through our own stillness we facilitate stillness for others, and at these times, the body responds and releases; letting go of what no longer serves it.
Through our own stillness we facilitate stillness for others, and at these times, the body responds and releases; letting go of what no longer serves it. It is through stillness where we hear our inner voice and can hear our own truth, which is often deeply suppressed. Breakthroughs can be as simple as acknowledging emotions such as guilt, shame or fear which hold us in a negative pattern. It is at these times we ‘see’ and ‘hear’ what we have pushed deep down and realise what we need to do to move on; to let go. How often have we as therapists held someone’s head, foot or hand as we feel the system become still, and the body, mind and spirit surrender to stillness?
How often have we as therapists held someone’s head, foot or hand as we feel the system become still, and the body, mind and spirit surrender to stillness?
When I work with clients going through physical and emotional trauma such as cancer treatments, I start and end every treatment by holding at the heels. Consciously softening my system, I access stillness in order to listen deeply, to feel the systems vibration and be completely present with the client, meeting through touch and energy. My intention is always to facilitate a sense of peace, calm and relief to a patient in distress. To alleviate stress, reduce anxiety and improve quality of life. The system tells us when it has reached a place of calm and peace, as agitation subsides our treatment deepens. At the end of the session I gently hold at the heels again and listen to the system, assessing the effectiveness of the treatment by the systems stillness. This is not counselling, that is not our gift. Using our skills, we facilitate stillness so our therapy treatment reaches its optimum effect.