Self Soothing

Ever wonder why babies suck their thumbs or rub their bellies? A variety of explanations are provided, though, naturally, I think they're missing the big picture.

Sure, they're self soothing, but what does that even mean? It seems throughout our education we're frequently given shallow answers like this that don't actually answer the question. And I don't think it's because the actual answer is that hard to understand.

In my learning over the past few months, I'm confident this, like most things, is related to their fascia.

Specifically, along your cheeks and at your belly are significant blood vessels which are obstructed throughout your life
due to a variety of negative practices, from nutrition to stress to posture to drugs.

Children aren't the only ones who “self soothe”, though they do so much more effectively.

It's instinctual to stretch your arms, rub your eyes or massage the back of your neck, though we probably don't think about why we're doing it. And, in fact, common knowledge shares that rubbing your eyes or where your body hurts may be harmful, which I've found to be the opposite of true.

Of course, as we grow, our self soothing turns to vices, whether that's drugs (legal or illegal), alcohol, cigarettes, food, media, shopping, anger, and so on. Even diving so deeply into work that you can avoid the demons within can cause significant harm.

As we lose our beginner's mind we forget the natural behaviors we know to heal ourselves and instead turn to endless vices that compound the root issue, inevitably landing on the sickcare hamster wheel, responsible for nearly 20% of the US GDP and certainly rising as the population gets older as we continue to suffer through life's circus.

I don't have any immediate advice here beyond the obvious: stretch yourself. Just know that you're not alone and that we can improve ourselves together.