The Enigma of Self-Love
Almost two decades ago, I embarked on the bewildering voyage of Self-Love. My initial steps were clouded with frustration and confusion. The path appeared elusive, and my guide? He challenged me to navigate this personal maze independently, urging, “Learn to read the alphabet of your own book of Genesis. Why should I do your homework assignment? His words, though infuriating, hid a kernel of wisdom that my soul recognized. I began my journey heeding that silent call from within, despite my mind’s rebellious protest.
The Ripple Effect of Self-Love
In these 18 years of introspection, personal and professional exploration, I unearthed a profound truth: Self-Love isn’t just about healing oneself. It’s about transforming not only your life but also the lives of everyone you touch. Every act, every moment of genuine self-love can ignite hope, vision, and possibilities in others. We’re not islands – our personal growth sends ripples across the vast sea of humanity.
Scientific Underpinning: The Mind-Body Connection
Research supports this transformative journey. Engaging in mind-body practices that have embodied self-reflective processes has shown not just psychological, but also spiritual and physical benefits. From heart-protective effects to strengthening neural pathways vital for self-regulation, improvement of cognitive process, adoption of new paradigms, and to unlearning of previously held concepts, beliefs and schemas, the science is clear: embracing mind-body and contemplative practices centered on embodied self-reflection significantly improves our overall well being and ability to to step into evolved state of Self-Love and Self-Compassion.
Birth of SRE™ : Bridging Science with Soul
During my initial years as a mental health therapist, I discerned a gap. Traditional modalities seemed limited in addressing the profound depth of one’s relationship with oneself. The issue? Many struggled with self-love entangled in a web of negative beliefs sculpted by their traumas. There had to be a way to bridge this gap.
That’s when SRE™ (Self-Relational Experience™) took form. Born from years of personal and professional exploration and feedback from those I served, SRE™ champions the combined power of awareness, breath, and sensory experience. In using these three powerful pillars, SRE™ sets the stage for transformative learning, where you may change your outdated frame of reference – your point of view and habits of mind. It’s not just a healing modality, it’s a journey into the deepest alcoves where you can compassionately reintegrate fragmented pieces of yourself into a cohesive whole.
The Pillars of SRE™
1. Awareness: Everything starts here. Without understanding our inner dynamics, change remains elusive. SRE™ trains you to expand your self-awareness, gives you the ability to discern between past and present emotions, builds and strengthens neural pathways for emotional regulation, and trains for a mindful and compassionate presence that paves the way for profound healing.
2. Breath: Often taken for granted, our breathing patterns mirror our emotional states. Through SRE™, we harness the power of mindful breathing to improve and strengthen the ability to self-regulate as you transition from a stressed state to one of calm, allowing yourself to flourish in space and healing.Controlled breathing provides feedback to the limbic system and cognitive centers that the situation is non-threatening. This neutralizes your automatic central nervous system responses and helps to recast your story.
3. Body: Our bodies are more than mere vessels; they are archives, storing every joyous and traumatic event. With SRE™, we tap into this intelligence, using sensory experiences to access and heal old wounds, and to create a pathway to self-love. SRE™ uses your body’s five senses to access unintegrated and painful memories to re-establish feelings of trust and connection between the mind, body and heart.
Making it Personal: Embodied Self-Reflective Practices
“We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.” – educator and philosopher John Dewey, 1933.
What makes it difficult to overcome relational trauma is not the experience itself, but the meaning that we assign to that experience. This is where the potency of SRE™, in conjunction with embodied self-reflective practices, becomes a transformative tool. Scientific research underscores that such practices foster transformative learning, resulting in enduring shifts both in the structure and function of our brains, helping to reframe and reshape our ingrained perceptions.
SRE™ stands out as a holistic, embodied self-reflective approach synergized with mind-body disciplines. When intertwined with contemplative techniques like meditation, mindfulness, visualization, journaling, yoga, dance, gratitude exercises, tai chi, art, poetry, plant medicine, and more, they act as vital touchstones. Yet, delving into the layered complexities of past traumas and wholly immersing in self-love demands personalized guidance. SRE™ offers this healing , ensuring that your journey towards self-love is both accompanied and enlightened.
The Road Ahead with SRE™ and Beyond
SRE™ stands as a beacon, ready to shine light on the profound potential within each of us. Alongside other effective modalities like Somatic Experiencing, Aroma Freedom Therapy, Mind-Body Therapies, and Somatic Coaching, SRE™ empowers individuals to harness their innate capacity for love, compassion, and wholeness.
In our life’s journey, we often seek external validation, including love and acknowledgement from others. But the magic? It starts within. SRE™ serves as a compass, guiding you back to the love that was always there, your eternal love that is waiting to be discovered. Through SRE™, rediscover yourself, embrace self-love, and watch the world transform around you.
