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Hello Lovelies,
I’m coming to give you a good shake! You need it. I need it. Shaking, it’s a natural thing!
At some point you’ve probably used the expression, “THAT shook me up!” Well, in my 20’s I was robbed at gun point. That shook me up. And, I continued to feel the shake in my body whenever I would revisit that memory in my mind.
Once, while enjoying a gentle ride on my snowboard, I was almost creamed by a skier. Immediately my torso, arms and head went into a grand shake that lasted about 3 seconds and was followed by a deep breath that relaxed me back into my body and my groove.
Shaking! We were made for it!
Shaking is an innate way mammals discharge stress. I should say, most mammals, since the human mammals that we are have learned to suppressed that response. When an animal is under stress, say a deer being chased by a mountain lion, the body responds with a flood of hormones that include cortisol and adrenaline. When the danger is past that deer will vigorously shake the survival energy out of its system and continue on its way. That’s natural intelligence.
There is even a potent body therapy technique called TRE (Tension and Trauma Release Exercises, created by Dr. David Berceli) that initiates body tremors to release trauma stress.
Shaking! We were made for it!
Shaking. It’s the second oldest practices around. Every indigenous culture uses some form of shaking, vibration or ecstatic movement for generating life force and healing. (FYI, the first oldest practice around is sex. Shaking during sex, now THAT’S a practice!)
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been on several Zoom calls where I got to share a shake with a group of people. Great fun! And it was interesting to notice a shift in how alive and connected the group felt after a we shook together.
Shaking has been one of my foundational practice for years but during this time of sheltering I’ve grown to value my shake even more. Maybe one of the best things we can do for our mental health, and our body’s health, is to keep energy moving freely through our system. Shaking turns stagnation into a flowing river.
So, I’m re-sharing a post I sent a couple years ago. At the end of it I’ve include two links that will give you someone to shake with and some great music made specifically for shaking. Enjoy the shake!
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In the mornings I shake.
I shake like a wild woman * I shake like a little kid * I shake like an animal * I shake like a leaf * I shake with vigor * I shake gently * I shake for two minutes * I shake for twenty minutes * I shake for the joy of it * I shake for my freedom *
Why not join me in a shake?
Shake like you’re …
… happy to be alive
… shivering from the cold
… shaking the water off your wet hands
… a bowl full of jelly in an earthquake
… bumping down a rough road on a bike
… a five-year old whose birthday is tomorrow
… so ecstatic in your skin that you can’t hold still
… letting everything go
Shake like your freedom depends on it
Shake when you’re …
… feeling stuck
… feeling mad
… feeling delight
… listening to the news
… wanting to clear your mind
… needing an energy boost
Find Your Own Shake
Shake to …
… start your day
… make room for your next “new”
… release stress & trauma
… move lymph & blood
… reclaim your wildness
Follow your body’s impulses … Let your body shake you
Shake for …
… the fun of it
… the absolute joy of being alive in a body
… your health
… your family, friends and planet
… your freedom
… love
Shaking for love, with you,
Sharon
P.S. This is a great practice to share with your kiddos!
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