The First Petal - Nervous System Regulation Part 1

Once my newfound paradigm really took shape, I went searching for ways to address the Mind-Body-Heart-Soul complex (MHB-S) with a multi-pronged approach at each level. 

I delved into cutting-edge research in neuroplasticity, neuromuscular physiology, advances in the understanding of lymphatic and myofascial body systems, the functional health model of stress, inflammation and detoxification, the effects of meditation and mindfulness on brain wave states, subconscious integration, somatic and trauma theory, regulation of the nervous system, neurolinguistic programming, and, with awe, surveyed the teachings of many different wisdom traditions across time and geography. I followed every rabbit hole that seemed like it might hold treasure and discovered countless tools and techniques to address the MHB-S complex at each level from different angles.

Over time, I realized that these tools could be loosely grouped into 5 main principles, which I have termed 'petals', as in a blooming flower:

1) nervous system regulation

2) nervous system remodeling

3) somatic subconscious repatterning

4) revitalizing the whole being

5) re-establishing resiliency

So without further ado, let's dive into the first petal - nervous system regulation.

This concept has been getting a lot of attention recently, but what exactly does this mean?

When your brain and nervous system receive input from the internal and external world that it perceives as a threat, it starts a cascade of hyperarousal by activating the sympathetic nervous system. You may begin to sweat, your heart beats faster, your breathing speeds up, your stomach cramps, you feel agitated and jumpy, and more. When you are in this state, your nervous system is said to be 'dysregulated'. 

You can also have a dysregulated nervous system and be in a hypoaroused state, which we will discuss more when we discuss the chronic stress response. For now, let's stay with the acute sympathetic response. 

Our bodies are made to allow this stress response to continue to completion, which is typically to either run away from or fight off the perceived danger. If these fail, we go into a freeze or a fawn state, depending on the situation. Flight, Fight, Freeze, or Fawn.

If our bodies get disrupted in the completion of this cycle, it can cause the excess chemical and kinetic energy of the hormonal and electrical response to be absorbed by other tissues that were not the intended target. If this continues over time (hello modern world, with perceived threats everywhere), this can lead to chronic disease and mental health disturbances.

The great news is this - the pattern of stress response to a trigger can be changed! This is tackled in our second petal, nervous system remodeling.

And yet there will still be times when we will be under acute stress and our sympathetic response will be activated. This is great! This response is a crucial aspect of our survival, health resilience and balance. But while we are healing, if we experience acute stress symptoms and we know we are safe, we can reduce the amplitude of the cascade to help limit further damage to the system that we are working so diligently to heal.

Stated differently, the goal of the first petal - nervous system regulation - is to bring our nervous system back to balance during an acute sympathetic response that was triggered by something that is not actually a real threat.

There are a few primary tools for regulating your nervous system during an acute stress response, including:

somatic movements, breathwork, visualization, and body/energy work. The quickest-acting tool for moderate-level nervous system regulation is your breath.

Your respiratory system is the ONLY body system that you can be under both conscious and unconscious control. This means, that while our breathing rate increases in an acute sympathetic reaction, we can take back the reins from our subconscious and breathe in specific ways to tell the body from the inside out, that the threat is gone. Just as a fast heart rate sets off a cascade of hormonal and electrical messages inciting activation and activity, a slower heart rate sets off its own cascades enacting a slow down and rest.

It is, at its heart, a simple concept to use the breath to calm your system -

but breathing can sometimes be a trigger in itself and result in further hyperactivation.

Due to the fact that your breathing rate is always affected during a sympathetic response, the breath itself can become a trigger that becomes buried deep in our subconscious. By attempting to work directly with the breath in cases like these, breathwork can actually have an opposite effect and contribute to the hyperarousal. I find that this is the case for many people with trauma, chronic health and anxiety issues. The breath is the catalyst and also the tool. By using the MHB-S concept, we are able to come to the breath and the nervous system through other channels, to get you to a place where it has disengaged as a trigger in your subconscious and you are now able to use it as a tool to help your nervous system regulate. If you need help getting to this place, drop us a line and we can discuss how I can help you.

When you feel ready to try regulating your nervous system through breath on your own, try a couple of these on for size. There are many breathing philosophies and techniques, and these are a selection of my favorites for the regulation of your nervous system. The last four come from the yogic practice of breathwork, or pranayama. Let me know how your experience was with them!

1) Full capacity breath (biomechanical diaphragmatic breath)

This is the foundation breath. It can be used just by itself, or you can add the following breathing techniques to this foundation. 

Inhale through your nose with mouth closed. You will start your breath at the base of your rib cage and feel it expand your ribs out sideways up to your armpit area.

Feel your breath move to your heart space, and feel as the breath expands the front of your chest our forward and your upper back, backwards; you will feel a sense of increased space in your heart area and upper torso.

Slowly let your breath easily and naturally exhale. You can experiment here with exhaling through your nose or your mouth. Exhaling through your mouth can feel especially cleansing and releasing, and exhaling through your nose can feel especially calming and grounding.

Continue working this breath to make it a seamless transition from one body space to the next, and effortless - there should be no pushing or forcing at any step here.

Breathe in this way for at least 2 minutes, but can go up to 5 or more minutes as you desire.

2) Dirga pranayama

    Breathe in the same method as in the full capacity breath, this time keeping your mouth closed and inhaling only through your nose. Really connect your awareness with your breath to each of the three levels of the breath - bring full awareness first to the bottom of your rib cage, then, to your heart space, and finally to your throat. On your exhale through your nose, bring your full awareness to each of these areas in reverse order - first your throat, then your heart space, and finish at the bottom of your rib cage. 

Breathe in this way for at least 2 minutes, but can go up to 5 or more minutes as you desire.

3) Bhramari pranayama

    Gently place your thumbs in your ears and place your other fingers together, resting them over your eyes. Breathe an easy, comfortable, full capacity inhale through your nose. On your exhale, make an 'mmmmm' sound or 'hummmm'ing sound while keeping mouth closed and exhaling through your nose.

Continue this breath for at least 2 minutes, and up to 5 minutes or longer.

4) Viloma pranayama

Inhale (puraka) viloma: Inhale through your nose with a full capacity breath, and about halfway through give a quick hold and pause before you complete your inhale. Exhale long and slow, without any forcing. 

When you are comfortable with this, you can add a second or even a third pause during the inhale, pausing either 1/3 or 1/4 way for your first pause on your inhale.

Exhale (rechaka) viloma: Practice the same method as the inhale (puraka) viloma, but do it for your exhale instead of your inhale.

Viloma: When you are comfortable with both puraka and rechaka viloma, you can practice both viloma techniques in the same breath. 

Continue this breath for at least 2 minutes, and up to 5 minutes or longer.

5) Nadi shodhana pranayama

    Maintain a natural full capacity breath. Place your right hand up to your face - your thumb hovers over your right nostril, your index and middle fingers gently rest on your forehead between your eyes, and the inside of your ring finger hovers near your left nostril. Close off the right nostril by gently pressing your thumb to your nostril, as you exhale through the left nostril. Keep the right nostril closed as you inhale through the left nostril. On the exhale, switch to release the right nostril, and close off the left nostril by gently pressing the inside of your ring finger to the left nostril. Exhale through the right nostril, and inhale through the right nostril. 

Repeat and continue this pattern for at least 2 minutes, or up to 5 or longer.