Nervous System Regulation is the Foundation Not the Destination.

I talk a lot about nervous system regulation and stress management. But feeling centered and grounded is just the beginning. Yes, we all need skills to reign in our stress response so that we feel less afraid, less anxious, and less overwhelmed. But we’re not doing that to get comfortable. We’re doing that so we can actually sustain discomfort and challenge.

We want to feel more energy, more life, more health, more of all the things that matter most to us. And in order to feel that, we have to increase our window of tolerance. In other words, we have to be able to take on more novelty and challenge and increase our learning curve more regularly. That’s where the life is! That’s what leaves us more present and engaged and excited.

Increasing our window of tolerance demands that we stay grounded even when things get more intense, and that requires all the nervous system regulation tools that I’m always talking about. But again, nervous system regulation is the foundation not the destination. The real destination is about feeling more safe and curious and engaged. It's about feeling hopeful and grateful and excited about life.

Some of you have experienced my somatic immersion series which explores my 5 pillar yoga therapy framework. Throughout the summer, I’m planning on sending weekly thoughts and tools that explore each pillar; nervous system regulation, self compassion, deep listening, somatic parts work, and deep imagery. Together these pillars form a sort of recipe for a life full of curiosity, engagement and deep presence. 

Here are my 2 favorite go-to-super-fast practices for regulating your nervous system. If you try either of them, I'd love to hear how it went. Please reply!

Practice #1: Taking a pause


When you’re feeling overwhelmed, try to find 2 - 5 minutes to breathe.

  • Take a few breaths just to notice whether your breath feels satisfying or not. 

  • Slow it down - longer inhale, longer exhale.

  • Notice your exhale. Empty it out completely. Make it as long as your inhale - up to twice as long.

  • Notice your inhale. If you're feeling your breath around the chest, try to drop your breath down. Feel the belly, the low sides, and the low back expand as you inhale and contract as you exhale.

  • To the extent you can, let yourself be completely absorbed by how it feels to breathe.

  • In just 2 to 5 minutes, you will slow things down, strengthen your parasympathetic nervous system, and hopefully feel a more grounded and centered.

Practice #2: Get out of your head and into your body
 

Sometimes when anxiety is high, focusing on your breath can feel more anxiety producing. Try this instead.

  • Take a pause from your thoughts (or at least attempt to shift them to the background - I know this can be a tall order).

  • Redirect your attention to the sensations in your body.

  • Notice what you feel in your hands and feet. Find a place in your body that feels neutral or pleasant and try to notice all the sensations that are present. 

  • Challenge yourself to notice a sensation you wouldn't generally be aware of.

  • Stay with this for 2-5 minutes. And then notice if your stress level has dropped a notch or two.

The takeaway here is that learning how to regulate your nervous system is essential. First, so you can feel more grounded and centered, and second, so you can feel more alive. When you're regulated there's more energy, more curiosity, more openness. And that openness is what makes space for the goodness of life. As always, Mary Oliver says it best:
 

"When it's over, I want to say all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms."
 

Thanks so much for being here, for reading, and for inspiring me to more deeply consider the recipe for a beautiful life. 

Yours with tools, practices and so much love,

Rachel

P.S. Keep reading for the rest of Mary Oliver's poem, and for ways to work with me!

When death comes
like the hungry bear in autumn;
when death comes and takes all the bright coins from his purse

to buy me, and snaps the purse shut;
when death comes
like the measle-pox

when death comes
like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,

I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:
what is it going to be like, that cottage of darkness?

And therefore I look upon everything
as a brotherhood and a sisterhood,
and I look upon time as no more than an idea,
and I consider eternity as another possibility,

and I think of each life as a flower, as common
as a field daisy, and as singular,

and each name a comfortable music in the mouth,
tending, as all music does, toward silence,

and each body a lion of courage, and something
precious to the earth.

When it's over, I want to say all my life
I was a bride married to amazement.
I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.

When it's over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.

I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.

I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.

--Mary Oliver

Ways to work with me...

Yoga + Nature + Culture, Retreat to Southern Spain, March 14-20, 2027. Register now to save your spot - space is limited.

The next Somatic Immersion and Companion Training starts in September. Join the waitlist and be the first to know when registration opens.

If you like practicing online, join the Your Yoga community! We meet on zoom for yoga and meditation 4 times a week and you'll have access to 100's of recorded classes in the Your Yoga library.  Register here to start your free 7-day trial.

Or work with me one-on-one. I offer yoga therapy, yoga instruction and personal and professional mentoring. Reply to this email if you'd like to chat about whether this is the right time and fit for you. 

And if you prefer self-study, choose from a variety of pre-recorded mindfulness workshops and courses and explore at your own pace. 

Rachel Posner