When Calm and Joy Create Harmony

Hello!

I am so grateful that you've decided to open this letter, and I hope this message finds you well!

This month’s theme is kindle. As I reflected on this theme, I asked myself: What are some things I would like to kindle within myself? I began by writing down a list of words that came to mind. Then, I read each word aloud and paused to notice the sensations that arose as I spoke. I turned my attention inward, observing where I felt each sensation in my body, what emotions and feelings surfaced, and the images, beliefs, and thoughts connected to each word. I simply observed my body's response without judgement or analysis, allowing the experience to unfold naturally.

By the end of the exploration, the two words that called to me the most were calm and joy.

I found this pairing fascinating, as for me, they seem to exist on opposite ends of a spectrum. When I think of the word calm, I imagine meditation, soothing music, grounding yoga poses, restful moments, reading a book in nature, and diaphragmatic breathing.

And when I think of joy, I picture playfulness, running around, laughter, spontaneity, jumping in puddles, and dancing as if no one is watching.

For me, calm feels like an effortless exhalation, while joy feels like a deep, buoyant inhale. Calm carries a sense of softening, turning inward, and surrender, whereas joy feels expansive, open, and full of energy, often inspiring action.

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Somatic Practice:

If it resonates with you, I invite you to create a list of words you’d like to kindle, ignite, or nurture this month (and perhaps even beyond). You might choose to explore the same somatic practice I tried. As you speak each word aloud, take note of the sensations that arise in your body. What is your body communicating to you? The invitation is to trust whatever surfaces and bring a curious awareness to the experience. And perhaps, you might choose to focus on one or two of these words as you explore them on the mat or in your everyday life.

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So, my exploration led me to create today’s free practice: Somatic Yoga for Calm and Joy. As I moved through this practice, I realized that this practice allowed me to naturally flow between the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) response and the parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) response, in a way that felt safe and supportive for my body.

The joyful, playful movements of the practice naturally activated the sympathetic response, bringing energy and vitality to my being, while the grounding and calming postures helped me access the parasympathetic response, inviting rest and rejuvenation.

It's also important to note that joy can also lead to the parasympathetic response. For instance, basking in the warmth of the sun, savouring a cup of tea while listening to the sound of rain hitting against the pavement, or smiling can evoke a sense of joy that promotes calm without the heightened energy of sympathetic activation. So, while joy can be invigorating, it can also be deeply soothing and restorative.

We are naturally designed to move between sympathetic and parasympathetic states throughout our day. The sympathetic nervous system and the stress hormones it releases are vital not only for our survival, but also for activities that require alertness, focus, and energy–and this includes playful, joyful movements.

Once the activity concludes, the body naturally shifts into the parasympathetic state, giving the body space to recover, recharge, and repair. This shift helps the body to return to a state of homeostasis, ensuring that we will have the resilience and capacity to meet the demands of the next activation cycle.

This ebb and flow between the two states helps us build and strengthen nervous system resiliency.

Nature offers a wonderful example of this dynamic. Imagine a deer peacefully grazing in a meadow when a wolf begins to track it. The deer senses the threat, and its sympathetic nervous system activates, putting it on high alert. When the danger becomes imminent, the deer runs, mobilizing a burst of energy to escape.

Once the deer escapes the wolf, it discharges that energy by intuitively shaking its body, allowing its parasympathetic nervous system to take over. This shaking action is the body’s inner wisdom, as the deer instinctively knows what it needs to return to a state of peace and calm.

In just moments, the deer shifts seamlessly from parasympathetic to sympathetic to parasympathetic–as if nothing had happened just moments before.

Now, this is not always the same story for us humans.

As humans, we might engage in rumination and overthinking where our thoughts trigger emotions that can manifest as physical sensations in the body.

For example, if a presentation didn’t go well, a person might engage in self-critical thoughts, replay the presentation in their head, or try to rewrite what happened to soothe the discomfort.

These thoughts can be attached to emotions, which can then show up physically in the body. For instance, this person might get a headache, experience an increase heart rate, or feel nauseous.

Sometimes we can recognize these sensations right away and respond by engaging in movement, breathwork, or other techniques, just like the deer instinctively shakes off the energy after a stressful event, to release the built-up tension and emotions.

However, this doesn't always happen for us, and as a result, the sensations stirred up by a situation can linger long after the real or perceived threat has passed–often without our conscious awareness.

Our nervous system is constantly processing both internal and external sensory information. If it perceives that we're still in danger, even when there is no actual threat to our survival, the body continues to release stress hormones, keeping us alert and primed for action. This can cause us to remain in a heightened state longer than our body is designed for.

The corresponding physical sensations that surface are the body’s way of communicating that something isn’t right, and that something needs to be addressed and released. These messages from the body are essentially a call to come back home to yourself, guiding you back to a state of calm and balance.

Similarly, just as we can stay in sympathetic activation for too long, we can also become stuck in a parasympathetic state, leading to a range of physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges.

This is why exploring somatic practices designed to help us move between these two states in a compassionate, nurturing, and safe way can strengthen our nervous system resilience over time.

My intention with this practice is to invite you to explore what calm and joy feel like in your body. As you move between these two states, notice whether one feels more natural or comfortable, or if either evokes discomfort.

I invite you to observe whether a posture or movement feels like an effortless exhale, and whether another feels like a conscious, deep inhalation.

During the mindful pauses throughout our practice, the invitation is to be present with the sensations that arise, offering space for self-inquiry and non-judgemental curiosity.

For example, if a movement causes you to giggle, simply observe what surfaces without analysis. What might surface could be an image, an emotion, a belief, a colour, a word, a memory, and so on.

Finally, my hope is that this practice supports you in building resilience within your nervous system, offering you tools and insights that you can take with you beyond the mat.

I welcome you to join me on the mat for this calming and joyful somatic yoga practice. Kindly click on the image or the button below and I’ll see you there!

Before I sign off, I’d love to share some ideas for nurturing joy off the mat. I know it can sometimes be hard to tap into joy in our everyday lives for a variety of reasons. I invite you to take what resonates, leave what doesn’t.

Ideas for Joy:

1) Reconnect with your inner child.

Connecting with your inner child is a beautiful way to invite more joy, creativity, curiosity, and playfulness into your life. Think about the activities you loved as a kid–things that made you feel carefree and alive. Maybe it’s making friendship bracelets, skipping along the sidewalk, jumping in puddles or piles of leaves, playing hopscotch, playing board games, laughing over something silly, or exploring a topic that lights you up. You could colour outside the lines, play The Floor is Lava, go on a scavenger hunt, have a snowball fight, roll down a grassy hill, swing as high as you can, or even do the chicken dance!

I believe that reconnecting with your inner child is a gentle way to rediscover that childlike wonder and joy that is already within you.

2) Hug a tree.

Yes, literally hug a tree! When you do, your body releases oxytocin, one of our feel-good hormones, and reduces cortisol, one of our stress hormones. By reducing stress and boosting positive chemicals, you create space for feelings and emotions like joy, gratitude, connection, and love to flourish. It's also a wonderful way to show love and appreciation for trees, which play a vital role in our planet’s health.

You might consider expressing words of gratitude and appreciation to the tree. Some studies suggest that plants can sense human emotions and energy through touch and sound (vibration and volume), which could potentially influence their growth. It’s really fascinating!

3) Listen to uplifting music.

You might create a playlist of music that feels uplifting, empowering, fun, and playful. Or perhaps there’s one song that always brings a smile to your face, which can serve as an anchor whenever you’re looking to tap into joy in the moment.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this letter.

As always, it’s a pleasure to connect with you through these words.

I hope you have an amazing day and a wonderful week ahead! 🙂

With gratitude,

~ Rachel