🔼: [[🕯️ Embodiment]], [[⭐️ Emotions]], [[Protector Strategies 🛡️]] # Emotional Armoring Emotional Armoring is a [[Protector Strategies 🛡️|Protector Strategy 🛡️]] which can be both psychological and [[⭐️ Body|somatic]], it’s one of the ways our [[💡 Protector Parts|Protectors]] show up in our [[⭐️ Body|⭐️ bodies]]. It prevents us from [[🕯️ Embodiment|Embodying]] and from feeling [[⭐️ Emotions]] and emotional memories we were too young and under-resourced to handle. When we shut down our hearts, we suffer. If we're around people who we allow our hearts to shut down, we suffer. If we shut down our hearts to avoid pain, we suffer. We lose our aliveness, we lose our [[⭐️ Inner-Compass]], we lose [[☀️ Connection]], we lose our [[☀️ Courage]]. - When we do wrong, are shamed, and suppress the [[💡 Shame|shame]], our heart closes and then it's easier to do more harm. ### Somatic Emotional Armoring It's a kind of chronic tension, rigidity, or stiffness that can be so persistent that we don't even notice it happening until it relaxes. We might consider it [[🛡️ Emotional Suppression|emotional suppression]] at the somatic level. [[🔑 All Parts can experience all emotions]], so by losing connection with a [[💡 Parts|Part]] who carries challenging emotions, we also lose the capacity to feel pleasant emotions. If we aren’t connected to these parts of us, we cannot really know ourselves or our needs and desires, and we can't authentically, deeply connect with other people. We are emotionally numb, unable to feel one another, and [[💡 Presence|Presence]] is unable to embody. ###### The Seven Primary Segments of Emotional Armoring These seven segments are where the bulk of [[🛡️ Emotional Armoring]] happens, though it can also happen in the arms and legs. The release of any segment ultimately occurs when we are able to [[🦮 How to feel your feelings|🦮 fully feel the emotions]] that were being blocked. Once felt, our [[💡 Protector Parts|Protectors]] no longer need to armor us and we become more [[🕯️ Embodiment|embodied]]. Certain practices can help us meet with [[🛡️ Emotional Armoring]] through gentle [[🕯️ Loving Touch]]. This helps us build trust in our [[💡 Protector Parts|Protectors]] as we offer them the chance to relax and allow us to be with the [[⭐️ Emotions|emotions]] they've been protecting us from. We do this bit-by-bit through [[🕯️ Pendulation]] and [[🕯️ Titration]]. 1. The [[💡 Ocular Segment]] 2. The [[💡 Oral Segment]] 3. The [[💡 Cervical Segment]] 4. The [[💡 Thoracic Segment]] 5. The [[💡 Diaphragmatic Segment]] 6. The [[💡 Abdominal Segment]] 7. The [[💡 Pelvic Segment]] [^1]: [[📖 ACP L1S10 - Flexible Unfolding and the Nine Integrating Focuses]]