Turning Inward

"Interoception" is defined as the brain's ability to sense and interpret signals coming from inside one's body.

Practicing this "inner gaze" improves nervous system regulation and develops refined attunement to honoring one's needs.

This skill, like exercise training, is built through repetition. 

In Chinese medicine, December correlates with a call inward. As the ratio of light to dark shifts towards (abundant) "yin" or "quiet energy", the seasonal thrust calls us to align. How might we emphasize slower paced, less density, self-attunement?

In modern society, December is anything but quiet. The season, while rich with community, can threaten taxation, misaligned with nature's call to our quieter selves. 

This is where "interval training" for the nervous system comes in. Where might you fold recovery into your month? Calendar the walk in the woods; "forest-gazing" is demonstrated in research as a tonic to our relaxation system. 

Prioritize self-care this Holiday season

Visit Gingko for acupuncture or schedule an aesthetic treatment with our talented Nicole. Her signature fascia facial (described as the "manual face lift") takes neck, jaw and muscular release to a new level. Incorporate a daily meditation or breathwork practice to signal safety and practice your "look inward".

Align yourself with interoception; stay curious to inner cues for rest. Play with distancing yourself from "alarm signals" which often arise from being the magic maker for the holidays. Perhaps part of the magic is, as nature directs, honoring the recuperative call of the season...

Have a wonderful Holiday season,

Warmly, Rachel