Somatic practices are about listening to the body and using its natural rhythms to heal. The word "somatic" comes from the Greek word for "body," and these practices focus on reconnecting with physical sensations to process emotions, release tension, and restore balance. By tuning into the body’s signals, somatic work helps us move through what’s stuck—whether it’s trauma, stress, or emotional pain. One of the most effective tools in somatic healing is pendulation.
Have you ever felt stuck, as if parts of you are frozen in time? Maybe it’s a tightness in your chest that never quite goes away, or an ache in your stomach that flares up whenever stress hits. These aren’t just random sensations—they’re signals from your nervous system, echoes of past experiences still waiting to be processed.
This is where pendulation comes in.
What Is Pendulation?
Pendulation is the natural rhythm of moving between discomfort and safety, tension and relaxation. Imagine a pendulum swinging back and forth—this is how our nervous system operates when it’s given the chance to heal. By leaning into difficult sensations for a moment and then retreating to a place of ease, we build the capacity to process and release what’s been stuck.
You can also think of it like a snake handler taking tiny doses of venom over time to build immunity. Instead of overwhelming the system, pendulation allows us to approach challenging emotions or sensations gradually, one small swing at a time, creating resilience without shutting down.
Why Is Pendulation Beneficial?
Pendulation helps us:
Release Frozen Parts: Trauma can cause parts of us to feel numb or disconnected. For men, this often manifests as feeling "shut down" emotionally, unable to connect with themselves or others. Pendulation restores flow and awareness to these areas, allowing them to reconnect with their feelings.
Build Nervous System Resilience: It expands our capacity to handle life’s stresses without becoming overwhelmed. Many men feel the weight of responsibility—at work, in relationships, or as providers—yet struggle to express the pressure. Pendulation creates space to navigate these challenges with calm and confidence.
Reconnect to the Body: By sensing into discomfort, we learn to understand and communicate with our body, fostering somatic literacy. For men, this might mean testing emotional waters in areas they’ve been conditioned to avoid, such as sadness or vulnerability. Pendulation offers a safe way to explore these feelings without judgment.
Heal Emotional Wounds: Pendulation allows us to safely explore and release buried emotions, making room for emotional freedom. Many men suppress anger, fear, or grief because they’ve been taught that vulnerability is weakness. This process provides a gentle approach to processing these emotions and reclaiming their strength.
A Brief Look at the Science
Our nervous system has two key states: the sympathetic (fight/flight) and parasympathetic (rest/digest) modes. Trauma often traps us in the sympathetic state or shuts us down into freeze. Pendulation works by gently shifting us between these states, giving the body a chance to process stuck energy and restore balance. Over time, this oscillation rewires the brain and body for safety and calm.
How Pendulation Helped Me Heal
For years, I carried tension in my stomach. It felt like spinning balls of discomfort that I couldn’t quite name or escape. This tightness often led me to cope in unhealthy ways, especially with food. Instead of feeling into the discomfort, I numbed it.
When I discovered pendulation, I started to sense into these spinning balls of tension. I got curious about their texture, temperature, and weight. By swinging between feeling the discomfort and retreating to a safe place, I began to understand them. Slowly, the tension eased. As I healed, my relationship with food transformed from a numbing strategy to one of nourishment.
Another breakthrough came after a car accident left me with lingering discomfort in my chin. Using pendulation, I learned to sit with the sensations and gradually release the trauma stored there. These practices didn’t just help me feel better physically—they also opened emotional doors I didn’t know were closed.
A Brief Pendulation Practice
If you're curious about pendulation, here’s a simple practice to try:
Find a Safe Space - Sit or lie down in a comfortable and quiet environment where you feel safe and supported.
Tune Into Your Body - Take a few deep breaths and bring your attention to your body. Notice if there’s an area that feels tense, heavy, or uncomfortable.
Explore the Sensation - Gently focus on the area of discomfort. Observe the sensation with curiosity—its size, shape, texture, temperature, or even its emotional quality.
Swing to Safety - After 30 seconds to a minute, shift your focus to a part of your body that feels calm, neutral, or even pleasant. It could be your hands, feet, or the feeling of the ground beneath you.
Return to the Discomfort - Gradually bring your awareness back to the area of discomfort. Notice if anything has shifted. Stay curious and open.
Repeat the Cycle - Go back and forth between the area of discomfort and the safe space a few times, spending about 30 seconds to a minute on each.
Close with Comfort - End the practice by resting your attention on the safe, calm part of your body. Take a few deep breaths and notice how your body feels as a whole.
This simple pendulation practice can help you build awareness, release tension, and reconnect with your body in a safe and gentle way.
How I Use Pendulation in Coaching
When working with clients, I guide them to explore pendulation in their own bodies. Whether it’s tension in the chest, tightness in the jaw, or an ache in the back, I help clients approach these sensations with curiosity and safety.
This process often reveals deeper truths: unprocessed grief, old fears, or unmet needs. By working through these sensations, clients experience breakthroughs—not just in their physical health, but in their emotional and mental well-being as well.
Take the First Step Toward Healing
Pendulation is a simple but profound practice that can transform the way you relate to your body and mind. You don’t have to stay stuck. Healing is a rhythm, a flow, a dance between discomfort and ease.
If you’re ready to reconnect with your body, release old patterns, and find balance, let’s talk. I offer coaching and somatic practices that guide you through this journey.
Click here to schedule a free consultation and discover how pendulation can help you heal and thrive.
Your body holds the key to your transformation—let’s unlock it together.
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