Embodied Practices for Trauma Integration in Spiritual Tending
In the sacred space of spiritual direction, we listen for what is stirring within. But sometimes, words are not enough. Trauma, stress, and deep emotions live in the body—and the body is part of our sacred wholeness. Healing often requires more than reflection; it asks for movement, sensation, and engagement beyond the mind.
Somatic and creative practices can become forms of prayer and presence—pathways to regulation, insight, and spaciousness. For spiritual companions and seekers alike, these embodied tools offer gentle, accessible ways to process emotion, release tension, and reconnect with sacred inner knowing.
This post explores several such practices:
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Zentangle, a meditative form of drawing that cultivates mindfulness and flow
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EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) and tapping, which support emotional release through acupressure
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Bilateral stimulation, a movement-based technique that engages both hemispheres of the brain
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Doodling and fidgeting, which invite unstructured movement for grounding and focus
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Aura combing, a non-touch practice that helps clear and soothe the space around the body
Each of these can be adapted for spiritual tending, offering seekers new ways to inhabit their bodies with compassion and curiosity. Other practices, such as prayer beads, or sculpting are explored in other posts.
Zentangle is not about making art—it’s about experiencing the movement of the pen on paper, letting go of perfection, and allowing patterns to emerge. In spiritual direction work, this can be a powerful tool for mindfulness, helping seekers quiet their inner critic and remain present to what is unfolding. The repetitive, intentional strokes encourage focus and relaxation, supporting nervous system regulation.
For seekers working through trauma or anxiety, drawing simple, repeating patterns can serve as a grounding ritual. Zentangle invites a posture of openness—there is no right or wrong, only the movement of the pen, much like the movement of the Spirit. No artistic skill is needed—just curiosity and a willingness to let the pen move. Learn more here.
EFT and Tapping: Releasing Emotional Energy
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), commonly known as tapping, combines acupressure and cognitive reframing. By tapping on specific meridian points while speaking affirmations or truths, seekers can release emotional blockages and ease distress. Studies suggest EFT can reduce stress, lessen trauma responses, and increase emotional resilience.
In a spiritual tending setting, companions might introduce tapping as a practice for calming the nervous system, particularly when a seeker is feeling overwhelmed. It can be especially effective when paired with breathwork, a simple prayer, or an affirmation like:
I am safe in this moment.
This practice can be effective even without knowledge of meridians. Light touch of different zones of the body (e.g. tapping) can lead to a non-threatening relationship with skin (or whole body) or a gentle focused reminder of arms, legs, belly, and face.
Bilateral stimulation—used in practices like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)—engages both hemispheres of the brain to support emotional integration. While full EMDR therapy requires a trained practitioner, simple bilateral stimulation techniques can be incorporated into spiritual tending to help seekers regulate their nervous systems.
Personally, I’ve found that drumming (particularly two-handed drumming, such as with a djembe or djundjun) helps me to integrate emotions and even reach a calm, energized state. I also listen to calm music, that alternates earbuds using the stereo feature, before bed.
Doodling back and forth across a page, tapping alternating hands on the knees, or even walking while reflecting can create a rhythmic engagement that supports deeper integration. When seekers feel stuck in a loop of distressing thoughts, these movements can provide a gentle way to shift energy and make space for new insights.
A spiritual companion might notice a seeker wringing their hands and gently ask, “Would it help to bring rhythm into that motion, one hand at a time?"
More on the benefits of bilateral stimulation here.
Doodling and Fidgeting: The Power of Unstructured Movement
Many of us have been taught that fidgeting is a distraction. But research shows that small, repetitive movements—like doodling, tapping a foot, or handling a smooth stone—can actually help with concentration, emotional regulation, and memory processing.
For seekers who struggle to sit still or find themselves overwhelmed by emotions, offering permission to move can be transformative. Encouraging the use of a worry stone, a pen for doodling, or a simple repetitive motion can create a sense of safety, allowing for deeper engagement in the process.
You may want to have a rocking chair in your office, invite your explorer to bring their knitting project, or have a basket of fidget objects available. Just as monks once passed prayer beads through their hands, fidgeting can bring the body into alignment with inner movement and stillness.
Aura Combing: Gentle Clearing Without Touch
You don’t have to believe in auras to recognize that movement near the body can affect how the body feels. Aura combing—brushing the hands (or a feather) up the front of the body and down the back without making physical contact—offers a gentle, imaginative way to engage the body’s energetic field.This practice can be especially helpful for seekers who don’t connect with fidgeting, tapping, or touch. With slow, sweeping motions, a person can visualize their hands as combs, untangling knots in the energy around them. It’s like swirling your hand in a still pool of water—movement creates flow.
In spiritual tending, aura combing can support grounding, regulation, and a sense of clearing. Companions might invite a seeker to try this embodied visualization during moments of overwhelm or emotional release:
Would you like to try a movement that doesn't involve touch but might help move what you're feeling?
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Can you imagine brushing through the space around you, inviting release and ease?
Integrating These Practices in Spiritual Tending
Each of these tools invites seekers into a deeper relationship with their own embodied wisdom. As spiritual companions, we are not prescribing or fixing, but offering gentle invitations:
- Would you like to try moving your hands as we sit with this question?
- How might a simple pattern help you hold this experience?
- What happens if we tap together as you name this feeling?
- What would it be like to invite your whole body into this prayer?
- Is there a gesture that wants to accompany this feeling?
By honoring the body’s role in healing, we create a space where seekers can move through trauma and deepen their connection to the sacred—not just in thought, but in movement, rhythm, and sensation. Each practice offers a different way to “resource” the body—a way to return to safety, regulation, and connection with the sacred.
What practices have supported your own healing? How might you invite your seekers into embodied engagement?
When we welcome the body into the spiritual direction space, we honor the full truth of a seeker’s experience. Trauma and transformation are not only mental or emotional journeys—they are embodied ones. By gently offering somatic practices like meditative drawing, tapping, bilateral movement, fidgeting, or aura combing, we invite seekers to reconnect with their own sacred rhythm and resilience. These tools aren’t prescriptions; they are invitations—ways of saying: your body is welcome here, your healing is holy, and you don’t have to do it with words alone.
Beloved, you are whole, holy, and worthy,
Rev. Amy
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For Further Exploration
Somatic Practices
• Church, Dawson. The EFT Manual – A foundational text on Emotional Freedom Technique, including protocols and evidence-based research. https://eftuniverse.com/the-eft-manual/• Levine, Peter. Healing Trauma: A Pioneering Program for Restoring the Wisdom of Your Body – Introduces Somatic Experiencing with practical tools for trauma recovery. https://www.soundstrue.com/products/healing-trauma
• Ogden, Pat. Trauma and the Body: A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy – Explores how trauma lives in the body and how movement-based therapies support healing. https://www.amazon.com/Trauma-Body-Sensorimotor-Psychotherapy-Interventions/dp/0393704572
Neuroscience & Healing
• van der Kolk, Bessel. The Body Keeps the Score – A widely respected work on how trauma affects the brain and body, with guidance on integrated healing. https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/resources/the-body-keeps-the-score• Center for Resilience and Change – Offers a concise overview of the neurological benefits of bilateral stimulation. https://www.centerforresilienceandchange.com/blog/brain-benefits-of-bilateral-stimulation
• Healthline: "EFT Tapping: How It Works" – A beginner-friendly explanation of how tapping helps with emotional regulation and stress relief. https://www.healthline.com/health/eft-tapping
Creative & Visual Tools
• Zentangle: A Meditative Art Form – Introduction to Zentangle’s philosophy and method of mindful, non-judgmental drawing. https://zentangle.com/• Scientific American: "Why Doodling is Good for Your Brain" – Explores how doodling supports memory and focus. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-doodling-is-good-for-your-brain/
• Harvard Health Blog: "The Thinking Benefits of Doodling" – A summary of research on how unstructured drawing helps with cognitive processing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-thinking-benefits-of-doodling-2016121510844
• Baylor, Byrd. Everybody Needs a Rock (Read-aloud video) – A poetic, sensory celebration of grounding and simple presence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zj1pEik3c0
• Jaouad, Suleika. The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life – Invites readers into a healing journey through artistic and embodied ritual. https://www.suleikajaouad.com/the-book-of-alchemy
See also these blog posts
Introduction to Trauma-Informed Spiritual Tending– Outlines the core principles of trauma-informed care and how they apply to spiritual direction, with practical tips for compassionate presence. https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/introduction-to-trauma-informed.htmlhttps://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/bearing-witness-to-moral-injury.html
Ethical Spiritual Companioning: A Foundation of Trust and Integrity– Discusses the importance of ethical frameworks in spiritual companionship, which complements the embodied practices by ensuring a safe and trustworthy environment for seekers.
https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/ethical-spiritual-companioning.html
Supporting Souls in Shadows: Spiritual Companioning in Politically Stressful Times– This post delves into the challenges of providing spiritual support during times of political unrest. It offers insights into how spiritual companions can navigate their own emotions while holding space for others, aligning well with embodied practices that foster resilience and presence. https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/03/supporting-souls-in-shadows-spiritual.html
The Heart of Spiritual Direction – Introduces the core themes of spiritual companionship, including presence, consent, hospitality, and the sacred art of deep listening.
https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-heart-of-spiritual-direction.html
Prayer Beads https://abeltaine.blogspot.com/2025/05/prayer-beads-fidgeting-with-intention.html
Sculpting in Spiritual Tending TBD
This Heart of Spiritual Direction series is ©2025 Amy Beltaine, all rights reserved. You may freely reprint any blog post, website, or print resource. Simply include the following attribution, and if you print online, make the link at the end live:
Article ©2025 Amy Beltaine, all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. This article and hundreds of others, along with other free resources are available at http://www.AmyBeltaine.info
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