Get To Balance

Hi Yogi!  I’m  a nerd when it comes to the Nervous System!  You’ve probably heard many yoga teachers or even wellness educators talk about “Fight or Flight” (sympathetic)  and “Rest, Heal, Digest” ( parasympathetic) when it comes to the Autonomic Nervous System.   But I recently learned about the Polyvagal Theory which shows us there are a few other states we can find ourselves in.  We can also be in a state of “Shutdown” (Dorsal) or a combination of sympathetic and dorsal, “Freeze”.   


Why is this important?  Well at any given point your nervous system is in one of these states and it is determining how you are SHOWING UP in your life.  Your thoughts are essentially a reflection of the state of your nervous system.  If you notice you are having racing, anxious thoughts, you are likely in Fight or Flight.  If you are feeling numb and out of it, you are likely in “Shutdown”.  If you are feeling like there is so much you need to get done, but you just can’t or don’t have the energy for it, you are likely in “Freeze”. 



What we want to do is develop awareness around what state we are currently in and have tools at our disposal to bring us to a regulated state, “homeostasis”.  When we are in homeostasis our body is functioning optimally and our thoughts are supportive and clear.  


Some tools to identify what state your nervous system is currently in:


  • Practice watching your thoughts at any given point and notice (without judgment) the tone, pace, attitude.

  • Journaling - It can be helpful to write out what you are thinking and feeling.  Let it just flow out of you. 

  • Video - I personally like to use the photobooth app on my computer to create a video blog style of me talking out how I’m feeling/what’s on my mind.

  


Here are some tools we can use to communicate to our bodies that we are SAFE and bring our nervous system to BALANCE or regulation:


  • Gentle movement

  • Exercise - If you are in Dorsal, YOU NEED TO MOVE 

  • Breathwork 

  • Dance

  • Going for a walk in nature

  • Meditation - Avoid if you are in Dorsal

  • Yoga

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Satchie WolfeComment