Butterfly hug

Butterfly hug. This is a short practice for settling, using slow taps on your own arms and a calm picture in mind. Before we start: this is for settling, not for working through painful memories. If a hard memory comes up, stop tapping, open your eyes, look around the room, and leave it for a session with your clinician.

Sit comfortably. Cross your arms over your chest, so that each hand rests on the opposite upper arm, or on the collarbone, whichever is easier.

Now choose a calm picture. A place where you have felt at ease, a person, a pet, or a memory of feeling safe. It does not have to be perfect. Let it settle in your mind.

Eyes closed or open, as you prefer.

Begin tapping. Left hand, then right, slowly, one after the other, like a slow heartbeat. Gentle taps. Keep the picture in mind.

Keep going. Slow and steady. Notice the breath while the hands tap.

Pause the tapping. Let the hands rest where they are. Notice how the body feels right now.

Tap again. Left, right, left, right, slow as a heartbeat. Stay with the calm picture.

If the mind drifts, that is all right. Bring it back to the picture and the tapping.

Rest the hands again.

One more round. Let the taps be even slower this time.

Let the hands come to rest. Keep the arms crossed for a few more breaths, or let them drop, as you like.

Notice the body. Notice the room. Come back to this whenever you need a few minutes of settling.

If you are in danger or feel you cannot keep yourself safe, call your Weave clinician, or Tele-MANAS on one four four one six, any time.