Cultivating dual awareness: a practice for how to be grounded somatically while also feeling our feelings. I use a spiky ball because I like the added stimulus but you can use a tennis ball or whatever you have on hand. Exercise: While seated or standing, roll the ball under one foot. Alternate between noticing the feeling of your feet on the ground/ the sensations of the ball under your foot, and the sensations and awareness you have of your internal state. If the internal feelings become overwhelming, turn your attention back to the somatic sensations of your feet. Practice alternating awareness from your feet to your internal state. Then practice holding both awarenesses at the same time. With dual awareness, does having an awareness of your feet on the ground make the internal sensations feel safer? Does it become easier to stay present with what you are feeling within? There’s no right or wrong outcome. Just a practice for exploring yourself and staying grounded. If you tried both sitting & standing, how did they feel different? With this exercise standing, we have an added element of balance - which can often help further regulate amygdala activation (fight or flight).