Response-Ability - Choosing How We React

Embodied Movement for Thursday, November 21st, 2024

Today we explored responsibility as our ability to respond rather than react - creating a sacred pause between stimulus and response where we can choose our energy.

Here's what Carolina shared that shifted our perspective:

"Reaction happens when we have resistance or a very strong belief. When energy is trying to rise and gets stuck because of a belief, we react instead of asking 'How does that land on me?' and 'Can I respond in a different way?’"

Through mindful movement and breathwork, we:

• Used spinal breathing to create space between trigger and response

• Practiced neck movements to release reactive patterns

• Built core strength to respond from our center

• Explored the distinction between reaction and response through movement

• Created pauses in challenging poses to build response-ability

Key member insights on responsibility:

"There's a distinction between responsibility and blame. Responsibility gives me power and feels empowering, while blame diminishes me."

"I think of it as ownership of energy. Even in triggering moments, we can still speak our truth while staying aligned with our values."

"Being responsible doesn't mean we have to act on everything. It expands our field of connection by acknowledging we're part of the whole."

We integrated this understanding through:

• Breath work focused on moving energy up the spine past reactive centers

• Core engagement to build response strength

• Neck releases to free habitual reaction patterns

• Forward folds to create space for new responses

• Extended breath holds to practice staying present with triggers

Want to experience this transformative practice for yourself? ↓ Watch the replay (60 minutes):