Nervous System Reset Toolbox

We did it! 12 days of the Nervous System Reset Challenge! Congratulations!!!

At the end of Day 12 Anaïs gives a quick recap of the tools offered during the challenge and reminds us that they’re not “meant to fix you; they’re here to support you.” She also says that regulation isn’t something we aspire to, it’s something that we practice time and time again, in a continual and growing relationship with our bodies and nervous systems. (It’s all about the journey, isn’t it?)

I don’t know about you, but I learned a few things about myself over the past several days as well as some quick, easy techniques for cooling my jets when things get to be too much. I especially liked the breathing exercises on Days 1 and 3 as well as the grounding activities on Days 2 and 6. Those are simple practices that I can do anywhere, at any time – and no one will even notice. I love to sing and dance, so Days 8 and 11 might be things to do when I’m by myself in the car or at home. I employed Day 10’s five-finger breathing technique just yesterday while my husband and I were struggling through our taxes. (Eye roll . . . breathe . . . breathe . . . breathe!!!)

Now, in case you don’t have access to the archives through the Plus membership on Insight Timer, I’ve made a table for you with each day, lesson, and a brief description of the exercise. You’re always welcome to go back to any of my posts and refresh your memory, but I thought this may be a nice, quick reference guide you can come back to and use whenever you’d like.

1: Enhancing vagal toneSlow, rhythmic breathing:
5-count inhale, 5-count exhale
2: Body-based groundingContact, pressure, and sensation:
Notice contact, apply pressure, release
3: Extended exhale breathingReduce urgency:
3-count inhale, 6-count exhale
4: Self-soothing touchUsing touch to soothe:
Gentle tapping
5: Sensory orientationSense and organize for safety:
Use eyes and ears to notice; no judgment
6: Releasing physical tensionNotice, breathe, release:
Notice tension, breathe, let it go
7: Physiological sighAcute stress release:
Double inhale, long loud sigh
8: Humming for calmCalm through vibration:
Humming (static note or undulating)
9: Gentle ear massageSoothing touch:
Gently trace and massage the ears
10: Dual regulation 5-finger breathingTop-down and bottom-up regulation:
Trace the fingers, inhale up, exhale down
11: Rhythmic movementSoothe through movement:
Sway side to side or back and forth
12: Regulating through the eyesSoften the gaze:
Look left, breathe, look right, breathe

Which practices resonated most with you? Did you use any of the techniques repeatedly? When? Was there any particular exercise that you loved? Or not? Why? How did they make you feel? Did you notice any kind of shift? I’d truly love to know what you think and how you might use these techniques in the future.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed the challenge and will continue to use at least a few of the tools we learned to help you through the rough times. I wish you all the best!

Love and light . . .

#nervoussystemresetchallenge

#regulationtoolbox

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Nervous System Reset: Day 12

Okie doke! Day 12!

Our last lesson is with Anaïs Skoutariotis who leads us in a practice using our eyes. She explains that when we’re on alert and our nervous system is triggered, we use our eyes to protect ourselves. They focus or fixate on something. Our pupils react, eyes narrow sometimes. And, of course, they observe everything, looking for potential harm. But what we may not realize is that our eyes can also be used to calm the nervous system. Anaïs says that by “softening the gaze” and becoming aware of the edges of our surroundings we can actually tell our brains that it’s safe, therefore allowing ourselves to relax and reset. She tells us that, during the practice, we don’t have to focus our eyes on anything in particular, just be aware.

We begin by looking straight ahead, then letting our awareness drift to the edges of our field of vision. Then, without moving our heads, slowly look to the right. Breathe in. Breathe out. Then slowly look to the left. Breathe in. Breathe out. Back and forth we go. Pausing to breathe at each extreme. At this point she encourages us to allow our eye movements be smooth. Comfortable, without strain. She just tells us to let our brains take in the information, shapes, colors, etc.

Unfortunately, for me, I’m a very, very visual person and I immediately notice that my eyes are straining to go as far left or right as they can. Then I realize that it’s causing discomfort – and not just because I’ve pushed my eyes too far in any direction. There are simply too many ‘things’ in the room and that now irritates me. (For the record, my husband and I are in the middle of Swedish Death Cleaning and so things are definitely in disarray at the moment. Ugh.)

We finally come back to center and close our eyes. Breathe in. Breathe out. Think about what this exercise has done for us. Maybe there’s a shift. Calm. She finishes by asking us to take a moment to think back on the past 12 days and how these new skills have helped us. I’ll be following up this post with an overview of the challenge, so stay tuned.

But first, how did this lesson go for you? What did you think? Was it helpful? What did you notice? I hope you enjoy the rest of your day!

#nervoussystemresetchallenge

#softenthegaze

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Nervous System Reset: Day 11

Kelly Smith is our teacher today and her focus is on movement. Simple, gentle swaying or rocking back and forth. Moving our bodies in a predictable and rhythmic way helps to soothe the nervous system. She invites us to match the movement with our breath if we so choose.

The activity in this lesson reminds me of being in a rocking chair. I remember calming my own children in a rocking chair – it not only soothed them but me as well. The practice is simple, for sure, though I can’t see doing this lying down. LOL I was in an overstuffed chair and it was too difficult to go back and forth so I swayed from side to side. It felt like dancing to slow song.

What did you think of this practice? Do you enjoy movement to help you reset?

One more day left in the challenge. I hope you’ve enjoyed it so far. Until tomorrow . . .

#nervoussystemresetchallenge

#swaysway

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Nervous System Reset: Day 10

“Dual Regulation Five-Finger Breathing Practice”

When I first heard the title of today’s lesson I thought, What in the world is this? Can’t we just breathe or something? I’m not in the mood for, like, finger puppets . . .

Oh holy cow. I was not expecting this.

Our teacher, Dr. Jud Brewer, has a technique that blends breath, movement, sight, and touch in one exercise. He says that it’s a quick and easy way to hit the reset button whenever we need to instead of “waiting for tomorrow”. The ‘dual regulation’ part of it is described in this way: from the top down and from the bottom up. In other words, from the brain to the body and from the body to the brain. The strategy of this practice is to keep the brain busy so that it can’t wander or swirl out of control. It has to focus on a specific task. The body does the breathing part, working to calm things down and send the signal to the brain to switch from “fight or flight” to “rest and digest”. He calls the whole process “multi-modal load”. I call it amazing.

So here’s what to do: with the index finger of one hand, start at the outside bottom of your pinky. As you inhale, move your finger up your pinky, pause at the top, then move your finger down the inside of your pinky as you exhale. Repeat for each of the other fingers. Then reverse it. Start at the thumb and work your way back to your pinky. Ten breaths total.

Tracing the fingers and watching the process keeps your brain occupied. Focused. The steady breathing and touch help to soothe the body and reset the nervous system. It reminds me very much of my use of a japa mala which is a meditation necklace. I hold it in one hand and repeat a mantra as I touch each bead. It makes it very difficult for my brain to wander off when it’s focused on something seemingly mundane yet very specific. Usually by the time I get all the way around it I’ve achieved an incredibly relaxed meditative state and I feel so much better. Rested.

I thought this was pretty cool. Not gonna lie. It certainly wasn’t what I’d expected, that’s for sure. I’m glad I did it. And what’s even better is that I noticed that nothing else crept into my thoughts during the practice. It really distracted my brain, just enough to let things settle.

What do you think of this exercise? Is it something you’d use in a pinch, to maybe lessen some anxiety or reduce a feeling of overwhelm? How did you feel when you were done? Let me know . . .

I hope you had a nice reset today with this lesson and I hope that you can use it in the future. I know I will. Have a wonderful evening everyone!

#nervoussystemresetchallenge

#fivefingerbreathing

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Nervous System Reset: Day 9

We’ve learned a few different ways to reset things: sight, sound, touch. Today is an extension of the touch theory – ear massage. I’ll be honest, I tried it and then just sat quietly. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I had wrap around earbuds, or because it was about 3:30 in the morning when I did this, but it wasn’t quite what I needed today. And that’s ok.

Andrew Johnson says that our ears provide direct pathways to our nervous system and that gentle touch can be a great way to send calming signals to the brain. We don’t want to stimulate anything, we want to create a feeling of safety. He tells us that everything in the exercise is completely up to us whether or not we want to participate.

First, Andrew leads us through a couple of breaths, reminding us that this is our time to simply be. There’s nothing else to do. Nothing to fix. Next, we place our hands on our chests and take a moment to notice the sensation. No judgment. Then he asks us to bring one hand up to an ear and just hold it. Notice how it feels. We switch sides and do the same thing. Finally, with one ear first then the other, he asks us to follow the outside edge of the ear, up then down. After the exercise, Andrew asks us to notice how we feel, or if we notice any kind of shift.

That’s it. That’s the technique. Again, it wasn’t really for me but I could imagine myself doing something similar with, say, rubbing my fingers together, or maybe tracing the edges of my face or temples. We’ll see.

What did you think? Is it something you’d use to calm your nervous system? How did you feel afterward? Whatever you feel is valid – just remember that this is exploration of different ways of calming the nervous system and we need to do what works for us.

I hope you’re enjoying the challenge and that you have a great day!

#nervoussystemresetchallenge

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Nervous System Reset: Day 8

Hummmmmmm . . . hummmmmmmm . . . hummmmmmmmmmmmm . . .

This is today’s practice. Humming. Now, I’ve grown up with music. Whether it’s playing various instruments, singing, or just listening to it, music is part of me. It calms me. It excites my senses. It can even stir strong emotions and I’ve been known to break into tears on occasion. Interestingly enough, however, I’ve never actually used it in my meditation practice. I honestly hadn’t thought of it. I know there are some who chant (think, Om) but it didn’t really appeal to me. Then when I started using Insight Timer and found the “Enchanted” sound I realized that, at low volume, the vibration lulled me into a nice state of being and I was able to really relax.

It’s that feeling that Ada and Nathan talk about in today’s session. Ada says that, when we hum, the vibration settles into our faces, throats, and chests sending signals to the vagus nerve. It then interprets those vibrations as signs that it’s’ safe therefore allowing our bodies to rest, regulate, and recharge. Nathan starts us out by asking us to take a deep breath and notice how our bodies are cradled by wherever we are. We take another breath in, then let it out slowly. Finally, we breathe in and, on the exhale, we’re invited to “find a hum”. It could be low, mid-range, or high. We don’t even need to stay on the same note. We can glide up and down and even hum a tune if we choose. I tried it for a bit and then found myself matching their tones and harmonizing with them throughout the rest of the session.

At the end of our lesson Nathan encourages us to notice how we feel. Ada asks if we feel differently. If we don’t notice anything, that’s ok. But she reminds us that the little steps we take now will lead to bigger changes for us moving forward. She says, “. . . every time we take a moment to reset we create an opening that interrupts the patterns of compounding stress.” What a cool way to think about it!

So whether we hum, touch, move, or breathe – it doesn’t matter. What matters is that we take the time to soothe and reset regularly. Two minutes or ten. Whatever time we carve out for calm is good. Did you try humming today? Have you ever used it in your practice? How did you feel? Did you notice any kind of shift?

By the way, I ended up following Wakes (Ada and Nathan) on Insight Timer and went back and previewed a few of their tracks. Some of them are actual songs and others have a kind of ethereal tone which was beautiful. Very talented people!

I hope you tried this exercise today, even if humming isn’t your thing. Sometimes we need to step outside of our comfort zones. Who knows, we might be pleasantly surprised.

Namaste.

#nervoussystemresetchallenge

#hum

#wakes

#adaandnathan

#insightimer

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Nervous System Reset: Day 7

Physiological Sigh. That’s what Rachel Fearnley calls it. I’m not really sure how I feel about it to be honest. I mean, I like breathwork but this didn’t feel like comfortable to me. It might be different for you.

In our lesson, Rachel tells us that by doing this breathing pattern it helps to promote clarity, to calm the body, and to reduce feelings of stress. She invites us to move or make sounds should that feel right. She also reminds us that if it doesn’t feel good, or it creates overwhelm, then we should return to normal breathing patterns. Here’s the recipe: breathe in, take another short breath in, then let it out with a sigh, lengthening the exhale. So, in, in, long sigh out. In, in, long sigh out. Rachel says that the two breaths in are meant to fill the lungs completely and the long exhale is supposed to be a signal to the nervous system that it’s safe.

After a few rounds she encourages us to let our bodies move with the rhythm of the breathing pattern. Maybe our shoulders go up a little, then down. Or maybe move our arms. Or maybe some swaying. Then she suggests that perhaps there’s a sound that wants to ‘escape’. A louder sigh. Or some sound associated with frustration or sadness or any other emotion we may feel. Let it out, she says. Let it happen.

I tried once and decided it wasn’t for me. And that’s ok. I guess I’m not a let-it-all-out kinda gal. How did you feel during this meditation? Did you feel moved to vocalize your emotions? How did that feel? Did you move with the rhythm of your breath? I’m curious to know what you think of this lesson.

In the meantime, I hope you find some time to yourself so that you can recharge and reset. Have a wonderful evening!

#nervoussystemresetchallenge

#letitout

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Nervous System Reset: Day 6

Today was all about being comfy and safe. Tramaine Cato brings us back to the sensation of touch, though not as an active participant but rather as a passive observer. By connecting the body and its sensations, we can teach the nervous system to regulate itself. She lets us decide which position we’d like to be in for the meditation – but whatever we choose should be comfortable.

She begins by telling us to feel the sensation of whatever supports our bodies. Then rest there for a bit. Then she encourages us to feel our breathing, the natural rhythm of it. She suggests deepening the breath. Throughout the whole process she wants us to simply notice what’s going on without labeling, without fixing – just be. It’s ok to just be here. Notice if parts of our bodies feel tense. Notice if there’s calmness. Even sensations of discomfort should simply be observed. Tramaine wants us to sit with all of the things we feel without judgment. And by doing all of these things we’re teaching our bodies that we’re in a safe space, letting the sensations come and go.

It’s not easy to just be in the moment or feel things without trying to explain them, create a story about them, or wonder where they came from but I think this exercise is a great way to practice the art of noticing them – then letting them go.

What did you think of today’s lesson? Did you find it easy or difficult to practice this? Let me know in the comments.

Hope you have a great rest of your day!

P.S. Go to the Day 5 post if you weren’t able to see what mesmerized me yesterday. 😉

#nervoussystemresetchallenge

#justbe

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Nervous System Reset: Day 5

Continuing with our exploration with the senses, Bhanu Joy Harrison joins us in the practice of Sensory Orientation. Day 4 was all about touch. Day 5 is about sight and sound. Admittedly, this is something I prefer over touch but not something that I actively practice as a way of grounding myself. I like sitting in silence most of the time. Occasionally I have a very low background noise, like Insight Timer’s “Enchanting” which sounds like a bunch of monks chanting. At first I didn’t really enjoy it but once I lowered the volume I found that the vibration of the singing was actually incredibly soothing.

Bhanu Joy says that by letting your gaze scan the room and your ears take in the sounds, without stories, analyzing, or naming, you allow yourself to be curious about your surroundings. Consequently, once your senses have determined that the space is safe, your body can come back to center. To the here-and-now rather than wallowing in the past or worrying about the future.

First, we let our eyes wander in every direction. We notice shapes and colors. We simply take in what we see. No explanations. Just notice. (Unfortunately for me I also noticed how cluttered my space was and it instantly set my teeth on edge. Can you say “sensory overload”?!?!) Then we move on to sounds. There wasn’t much going on in the room. Nothing going on outside either. I sat very quietly for a few moments and noticed the gentle whirring noise of my essential oil diffuser. My eyes focused on it, noticing the mist as it billowed over the sides and dispersed across the surface of the shelf. Swirling. Falling over the edge. Dissipating. My eyes then drifted to the constantly changing colors of the diffuser as it danced through the tree limbs etched all around it. Green morphing to yellow. Orange deepening to red then brightening through lavender to purple. Dark blue transforming into sky blue followed by aqua, then returning to green. And so the cycle continued again . . . and again . . . whirring . . . dancing . . .

Next thing I knew, Bhanu Joy was wishing me well. The meditation was over.

I hadn’t expected to have this profound a reaction to the exercise. I was pleasantly surprised. I was also a bit perplexed – I had to backtrack to listen to what I’d missed which, thankfully, wasn’t really that much. She asked us to pay attention to how our bodies felt after our practice and I have to say that I was pretty cozy. I switched to the timer and meditated for another 15 minutes or so, mesmerized by the dancing lights, the soothing sounds of the tiny motor, and the delightful aroma of lavender. The experience lulled me into a state of deep relaxation and contentment. It reminds me of evenings spent around a campfire, sitting quietly, listening to the crickets and the crackle of the fire, watching the flames dance and play on the logs.

Did you enjoy the lesson? What sensory experiences have you had that invite deep meditation or relaxation? What’s your go-to sense for meditation? I’d love to know your thoughts.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your day. Love and light . . .

P.S. If you can’t see the “movie” at the top, view it on the website . . .

#nervoussystemresetchallenge

#sensoryorientation

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.

Nervous System Reset: Day 4

I know. It’s late. My apologies. I was tending to some family stuff . . .

Scarlett Grace, our teacher today, led us through a session where she introduced “self-soothing touch”. Touch can be an important and very personal human experience. Scarlett tells us that touch is one of the ways we teach the body that it’s safe. It takes us outside of our brains and into our bodies. Instead of thinking our way out of stress, touch gives our bodies comfort, therefore calming us down. Then the nervous system can relay the message to the brain that everything is ok and that it’s safe to relax.

It was interesting, though I’m not really sure it’s my cup of tea. I’m not a tapper. Occasionally I’ll lay a hand on my belly or on my heart, but that’s about it and typically because it’s part of the guided lesson I’m listening to. Usually my hands are kind of folded in my lap or my index finger and thumb are touching, forming a circle. That’s about all I need to feel grounded and centered. But if this is a technique that you enjoyed and would actually use, then by all means go for it.

I hope that you had a great day and that you get lots of rest tonight.

Namaste.

#nervoussystemresetchallenge

The information provided on this website is intended for educational purposes only and is, in no way, a substitute for professional medical advice. The events, practices, and opinions discussed here are those of the author and should be treated as such. ALWAYS talk with your doctor about conditions, medications, and concerns you have about your health and work together to determine the best course of action for you.