Body positivity and maternal connections
Hello lovely people,
Rather than being contracted with fear, what if we could be soft and expansive with love? It’s all about loving the body, in particular the belly this week! So unbutton your jeans, roll down that waistband, let it all hang out and breathe deep in this week’s Friday Feels.
1. Song of the week
Ripples In the Sand by Hans Zimmer, from the Dune (2021) OST (listen on Spotify and YouTube)
I featured this in my Wednesday breathwork session this week. I am a sucker for Hans Zimmer’s low vibe sounds and I loved watching Dune at the cinema…! It’s an interesting track to listen to when in an altered state (which breathwork can create), or just when very present and in your body.
When was the last time you lay down with your eyes closed and listened to a song in full? Such a simple pleasure! Give it a whirl – it’s only a 5-minute track. Try breathing slow + deep and see if you can stay present to how the vibrations of the sound land in your body.
What if, at the end of any discomfort that arises, there was a source of power? Something you can claim for yourself! Can you stay gently teetering on that edge? Feeling the ripples in the sand…
2. Quote of the week
“Constantly worrying about your reflection and criticising your body, shape and size is an act of violence against yourself.”
— Emma Thompson
The more I learn about my body, the science of the nervous system, the benefits of cold water, the lymphatic system, nutrition, etc., I am just like ‘WOW! so much to discover!’ 🤩 Knowledge truly is power, and we are #Blessed to have access to so much information!
So what if we stopped worrying so much and started marvelling at our bodies? It’s keeping you alive, after all! With this perspective, I am learning more all the time how to LOVE me! Coming from a place of deep respect, not conceit. When I accept myself just as I am, then I can change. And I love myself enough to change!
Learn more about the magic and wonder of being a human and how amazing it is to be alive!
3. Practice of the week
Stop holding your belly in!
Unbutton those jeans, loosen that belt, shift that waistband up or down to let your belly soften and relax. We have weird societal beauty standards which dictate that a flat tum is desirable. First reason why this is silly: EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT. And we all look different! Due to SO MANY REASONS, a totally flat stomach may not be available to you – especially for women – unless your body fat drops significantly.
Trying to give the illusion of a flat tum holding your belly in all the time contracts the diaphragm of the lungs. This restricts the depth of your breathing. YOU NEED TO BREATHE TO LIVE. If you hold your belly in, chances are you are creating dysfunctional breathing.
Soft belly = deeper breathing = less anxiety + more mental clarity + better function of your body all round + so many other benefits. EMBRACE YOUR BODY AS IT IS! And love yourself enough to make healthy changes over time. I share my soft belly in this short video on Instagram here!
4. Teaching of the week
How To Change Your Mind – The role psychedelics can play in healing trauma.
I support the Manchester Psychedelic Community with regular breathwork sessions and hosting integration circles. I have a strong interest in consciousness, understanding the nature of reality, exploring human potential and how to support human flourishing. This curiosity extends towards the therapeutic use of psychedelics. I haven’t watched it yet but lots of people are recommending this Netflix series, How To Change Your Mind. If you watch it, let me know what you think!
5. Client win of the week
“My body is a part of my mum’s and, for that, I’ll be forever grateful.”
Do you like who you are? Do you respect yourself? How about your body – do you respect your body? Or are you harsh and critical on yourself and how your body looks?
This week, in a group coaching session we were exploring self-image. This is who you *think* you are, dictated by mental programming and beliefs born of societal expectations, other people’s opinions etc. A client realised that she’d been holding on to resentment towards her body. We’d explored letting the body soften and relax. This included letting the belly go soft and dome out. She noticed judgement rise up that it was disgusting – an act of violence against the self, as Emma Thompson put it. Part of her old programming was the need to have a flat belly to be desirable, healthy and ‘not disgusting’.
On reflection, she realised that her belly paunch had always been there – even when her weight was low from an eating disorder. Another way of seeing this is the deep resilience of that soft belly! To persist all that time. Also, she realised that her mum had a similar body shape… in a way, her belly was a beautiful connection to her mum who had since passed. Rather than feeling resentment towards her body, my client started feeling love and gratitude towards her body. And in doing so, she felt more connected to her mum. How touching is that?
It sounds so simple. But if we can notice those harsh narratives that keep the mind and body contracted, shift our perspective and soften, that might be all that’s needed to let some love right in ❤️
Are you curious about working with me?
Breathwork: I host 1:1 breathwork sessions, so get in touch to find out more. I also run a free online breathwork session every week, Wednesday at 8pm (it’s the same zoom link every week) – register here.
Coaching: My 1:1 coaching prices are increasing soon, so if you are interested in working 1:1, now is a good time to get in touch! ♡
“Create Your Own Reality” Retreat: North Wales, October 21st – 24th, hosted by Briony Gunson + Craig Seaton. Breathwork, meditation, yoga, cold water, nature, vegan food, community + more! £625 all in – check out all the details here on Eventbrite and drop me an email if you want to pay directly (a payment plan is available and you can also avoid Eventbrite fees if you book direct).
Surfing + Rewilding Retreat: Prices start at £300, 1st – 3rd September in Newquay, Cornwall. I’m hosting breathwork sessions during this amazing weekend retreat! Check out details and tickets here.
That’s it for this week’s Friday Feels!
Big love,
Briony x
P.S. If you’ve never read one of these blog posts before, oh hey! 👋
Friday Feels is a weekly newsletter and blog where I share inspiring things from my world of coaching, meditation and breathwork. It’s my honour to share what I know and am passionate about. Thanks for sharing this space with me.
And I’d love to hear from you! Any cool things you’re studying and learning about spirituality, personal development or just general life stuff, please do share! I can even feature it in a future Friday Feels email and give you a shout out x
I run my free weekly breathwork sessions, every Wednesday at 8pm UK time. Here’s the Zoom link – pop it in your calendar, so you can join whenever you feel like it.
Photo by Designecologist: https://www.pexels.com/photo/heart-shaped-red-neon-signage-887349/
