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Welcome. We're so glad you've come to join us at this time.
My name is Judy Ulibarri, and this is Maria Loebach.
We are both registered nurses
with the Portland VA Health Care System.
For the past four years, we have been offering
caregivers and veterans Healing Touch.
Now, during this time of physical distancing,
we would like to offer you this self-care opportunity
as a tool to help you care for yourself.
As Judy mentioned, Healing Touch is an energy practice.
Here are just a few basic examples of energy
to help you start understanding this concept.
So, first, our physical bodies and the cells in our bodies
are all forms of energy.
Our thoughts and our feelings are also other forms of energy.
And the environments around us are made up of energy.
Another important concept to understand
is how we sense or notice this energy
that's often referred to as subtle energy.
So let's say we're in a room or at a party.
Most likely, everyone's experienced something
similar to this where someone new walks in,
and almost instantly, you can sense a change
in the energy of the room.
And it's because the person that came in
was either extremely bubbly and alive
or quite the opposite, just really angry and intense.
This is what we call the subtle energy
that you just noticed.
Again, these are just a few basic examples
to help us start understanding how we can use our own energy
to support our health and well-being.
So, as Maria mentioned, Healing Touch can help us
if we're feeling worried or anxious,
if we're needing more support, if we're just feeling
like we could benefit from being more connected with ourselves.
So now what we'd like to do is offer you a self-care practice,
of teaching you how to start developing
your own physical awareness.
So I'm going to invite you
to experience this exercise with me.
Go ahead and just start to become aware
of your body right now.
You may choose to close your eyes or keep them open.
Either one is fine.
But start to begin to feel your body.
Notice what your body is touching.
Can you feel your feet on the floor?
Can you feel the chair?
Just begin to sense the contact
that your body is having right now
with the object that you're touching.
Now I invite you to just start to become aware of your breath.
Where is your breath happening?
Do you notice it as it enters your body?
Maybe your chest rising
or even your belly softening on the exhale?
Now, what's happening with your thoughts?
Are you wondering, "How long is this going to be?
I have grocery shopping I need to do."
Or are you simply being here in this moment?
Now, go ahead and take one more drop down within
and just notice what your heart feels like,
what feelings you may be having?
Do you feel calm?
Do you feel relaxed?
Simply becoming aware at this time.
There is no right or wrong answer.
Now, take just a moment and see if you feel any different
than before we started this exercise.
Thank you for experiencing and practicing
this exercise with me.
Our intention is to learn how to become more aware
of the present moment
with our body, our thoughts, and our heart.
Thank you for joining me.
We hope you join us in our next video,
where Maria will practice intention and self-care.