The Sacred Rhythm of the Bud
What if staying closed isn't a failure?
In our quest for growth, we often treat our "stuckness" or our need to withdraw as an enemy to be conquered. We think that Self-Love means being perpetually open, expanded, and available. But nature tells a different story. A flower that stays open during a frost will die. A heart that stays open when it is exhausted or unsafe will burn out.
Sometimes, the most loving thing you can do for yourself is to stay in the "hold."
The Inner Critic often shames us for this. It calls our protective contraction "fear" or "weakness." But through Somatic Practice, we learn to listen to the difference between a contraction born of old habits and a contraction born of current needs. We learn to honor the "closed" moments as a necessary gathering of energy.
Movement doesn’t always have to be an expansion outward. Sometimes, movement is a curling inward—a literal hugging of the self—to signal to your nervous system that you are the one holding you. It’s the gentle rocking, the fetal position, the hands placed firmly on the chest.
The goal isn’t to be open all the time; it is to have the flexibility to move between the two. To trust that your "closed" season is not a permanent state, but a sacred pause. When we stop shaming the bud for not yet being a bloom, we create the very safety that eventually allows the unfurling to happen, in its own perfect time.
Honoring your timing,
Valeria
If something in this piece has stirred you, I invite you to explore what it might look like to work together. You can find out more about my 1:1 coaching and immersive retreats here or reach out directly here - I would love to hear from you.
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