Re•Source = Reconnection to Source
noun: an action or strategy which may be adopted in adverse circumstances.
Resourcing is one of our most valuable tools for self-care and self-healing. It enables us to meet our everyday challenges and combat overwhelm. Our Resources let us know life is okay, life is worth living. They feed us on a deep level and are therefore idiosyncratic, from digging in the garden or walking in nature to a hot bath with candles, a romantic dinner with a loved one or getting together with friends, having someone to tell your problems to, or snuggling with a pet. Happy memories can be deeply resourcing, as can exercise or just looking out a window at a vibrant blue sky.
If we are not resourced it feels as though we are continually being knocked around by life events, we are just not up to the challenge. This leaves us rundown, depleted, exhausted, overwhelmed.
So what exactly is Resourcing? When we think about moments in our past, present or future that overwhelm us, 1) it’s as if we are walking down a dark alley and there’s a big bad somebody coming towards us, the message to ourselves is “Oh my God I’m going to die! That is the indicator of overwhelm. (see my 4-part blog on Overwhelm). If we were walking down that same alley surrounded by all of our friends it wouldn’t be an issue. That’s Resourcing, it’s drawing on our webwork of interconnections to to meet and overcome life’s challenges.
2) Frustrated Sympathetic activation can feel like we have one foot on the gas petal and the other on the brake. Our engine is revving full-throttle but we’re not going anywhere which is why people report feeling shaky inside. That’s our revving nervous system. The disconnect is between our dire need to act and inability to do anything—it’s a frustrated fight or flight response. Our BodyMind System (BMS) gets pushed beyond its ability to adapt to current circumstances. A systemic perception of separateness occurs, a sense of breaking what is indivisible into isolated parts. The key to preventing and healing trauma is resourcing; remembering our wholeness, our interconnectedness which empowers our adaptability. (see part 4 of my blog on Polyvagal Theory)
Resourcing is the first step in self-care and self-healing. Whether we are healing the past or facing present and future challenges, the crux is navigating within our functional parameters and avoiding moving into overwhelm.
The next step is taking action, taking that foot off of the brake. What actions can you take that aren’t overwhelming? Usually they are “baby-steps”. But any action, even unrelated to the problem can help. Action gives the BMS the message “we’re moving forward”. So walking, running, swimming can be both Resourcing and healing.
3) Our internal feeling of what overwhelms us is HUGE and we by comparison are TEENY TINY. We can’t really shrink the problem. The trick is to “grow” us, which we do through our webwork of interconnections—Resourcing: which is our interpersonal connections to others, as well as our intra-personal connections within ourselves, and our transpersonal connections to our source (God, our soul, the Universe, Nature, however we experience that).
Interpersonal Resources connect us the other beings in our world: family, friends, co-workers, groups/organizations, counselors, etc., even our pets. We utilize their support, knowledge, services, comfort, physical contact to enable us to not just survive but thrive.
Intra-personal Resources connect-up the various parts of our inner world: our feelings, parts of psyche, states of consciousness, past and future selves, memories and imagination, felt sense experience, as well as our structural and physiological processes / movements.
Transpersonal Resources connect us with our notion / experience of the Divine: God, our higher power, light, sun, space, void, as well as Nature, sacred ceremony and the creative process.
Here are some examples of these 3 types of Resources. Consider which areas you are well supported in and which you could use more help to fully meet your challenges.
Interpersonal Resources
Who
- Family of Origin (parents, siblings, grandparents, extended family)
- Adult Family (spouse, children, grandchildren)
- Friends / Chosen Family
- Acquaintances
- Social Groups / Organizations
- Teachers / Mentors
- Doctor / Medical Professional
- Counselor / Mental Health Professional
- Work Relationships (employer, employees, coworkers, customers)
- Shaman / Healer
- Religious Leader
- Pets / Animals
What / Why
- Financial
- Relationship
- Professional / Job / Career
- Spiritual / Religious
- Medical / Health
- Psycho-emotional / Personal Development
- Nurturing / Moral Support
- Laughter / Fun
- Physical Contact
- Sexual Contact
- Sounding Board
- World Issues / Society / Government
- Social Activities
- Movies
- Food / Drink
- Dancing
- Sports / Activities
- Travel / Adventure
- Games / Play
- Entertainment
- Books
- Movies
- TV
- Music
- Performance
Intra-personal Resources
- Psycho-emotional / Feelings
- Parts of Psyche / Gestalt
- Smart / Social / Handy, etc. Self
- Inner Strength / Whole Self
- Wounded Selves
- Past & Future Selves
- Higher Power / Divine Self (see Trans-)
- Felt Sense
- Mental
- Memories
- Imagination / Visualization
- Fantasy
- State of Consciousness
- Brainwaves: Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta
- Sleep: REM, Light, Deep
- Hypnogogic, Hypnopompic
- Holotropic Breathwork
- Meditation / Trance
- Physiological
- Breath / Pulse / Fluid Tide
- Movement (gross & intrinsic)
- Exercise
- Structural / Positional
- Sexual / Sensations
Transpersonal Resources
- Spiritual / Religion / Divine
- God / Source / Oneness
Angels / Guardians / Inner Guides- Soul / Higher Power
- Light / Sun / Color
- Darkness / Void
- Ancestors
- Celestial Bodies
- Space
- Breath of Life
- Nature – Being & Doing
- Elements of Nature
- Wildlife & Plants
- 5-Elements / 3-Gunas / Forces
- Nature Spirits
- Grounding / Earthing
- Walking
- Camping
- Sporting Activities in Nature
- Observing / Experiencing
- Planting / Cultivating / Harvesting
- Ritual & Ceremony
- Artistic / Creative Expression
- Experiencing Art / Music / Performance
- Meditation / Movement
Let this list inspire you to consider your personal webwork of interconnections. Where are you well-resourced? Where can you use more support to meet your personal challenges? You might think of other areas not listed that are critical for your well-being, either that are missing in your life, or that you draw upon all the time.
- Also go to Polyvagal Theory: Developing Neuro-Adaptability – Parts 1 to 5
- Overwhelm: The Root Cause of All Disease – Parts 1 to 4
- Energy Bank Account
Trauma Resources:
- Dana, Deb A., Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory (2022)
- Dana, Deb A., The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation (2018)
- Baum, Brent, The Healing Dimensions: Resolving Trauma in Body, Mind and Spirit (Tucson 1998)
- —, Surviving Trauma School Earth: A Practical Guide to Emotional Survival on the Earth Plane (Tucson, 2013)
- Levine, Peter A. and Ann Frederick, Waking the Tiger : Healing Trauma : The Innate Capacity to Transform Overwhelming Experiences (1997)
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