Body-Oriented Foundations: Harnessing the Wisdom of Our Nervous System
Our bodies are amazing, complex machines that are designed to respond and adapt to the environment around us. One of the key systems that enables us to do this is our nervous system and in this post I’m offering a brief 101 on how it works and why I include body-oriented foundations as one of the three pillars in my coaching.
Because, understanding the basics of how our body and nervous system work, and how it responds to stress, grief, loss, endings and change, can help us engage with these challenges in a more empowered and compassionate way.
First, let's talk about the two main branches of the nervous system: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The SNS is often referred to as the "fight or flight" response, as it's responsible for our survival response to threats. When activated, it triggers a cascade of physiological changes in the body, such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and increased muscle tension, to help us respond quickly to danger.
On the other hand, the PNS is responsible for our "rest and digest" response. It helps us recover and regenerate, and is associated with feelings of relaxation and calmness. When engaged, it slows down our heart rate, decreases muscle tension, and enhances our digestion and immune function.
In today’s modern world, many of us are constantly in a state of activation, even on “good” days (think caffeine, emails, traffic, sugar, meetings, deadlines, 24/7 news and media, etc), which can lead to chronic activation of the SNS. As you might imagine, or perhaps have experienced for yourself, this chronic activation can lead to a range of physical and emotional symptoms, such as anxiety, muscle tension, and digestive issues.
It's also important to understand that our bodies have an additional built-in survival response to a perceived threat called "freeze." When we experience a level of stress or trauma that is overwhelming our nervous system can also initiate a version of a shut down, causing us to dissociate or feel numb. While this response can be adaptive in the short term, chronic freeze can lead to feelings of disconnection, hopelessness, and depression.
Why is this important for loss, endings & seasons of change?
1 | Self-awareness
During times of adversity or change, there is an increased load of perceived threats that the nervous system is processing. Knowing how our nervous system responds to stressors can help us become more self-aware of our physical and emotional reactions. It allows us to recognize when we are in a state of fight, flight or freeze, or rest and digest. This awareness can help us better regulate our responses and make conscious choices about how we might engage with difficult situations.
2 | Empowerment
When we understand the physiological changes that occur in our body during stress or grief, we can feel truly empowered to take actions to support our well-being. By recognizing the signs of chronic activation of the sympathetic nervous system, or chronic protective freeze, we can actively seek ways to engage the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation and calmness.
3 | Compassion
Knowledge about how our body is working to protect us can foster compassion for ourselves and others who are experiencing grief or difficult emotions. Recognizing that our body's responses are natural and adaptive can reduce self-judgment and increase understanding. It allows us to approach ourselves and others with kindness and empathy, acknowledging that our responses are rooted in our biology and not a sign of weakness or failure.
4 | Regulation and resilience
Yes, there’s so much more to resilience than grit and just pushing on through. Understanding how our nervous system functions can help us develop strategies for regulating our emotional states and cultivating an embodied version of resilience.
5 | Healing and recovery
Having this basic understanding of the nervous system, and more importantly getting to know how each of us responds in our own body, can inform approaches to seeking support that is actually, well, supportive.
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By now we all know about the mind-body connection. What perhaps isn’t so well known is that it’s a two-way highway of information, with 80% of that information going from the body TO the brain.
Let that percolate for a moment.
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By not including the body and nervous system in the equation we are limiting ourselves to only 20% of the potential for meaningful and appropriate support during times of loss, endings or change.
Incorporating body-oriented foundations allows us to tap into the power of our nervous system and leverage its innate wisdom. By understanding how our body responds and adapts to stress, grief, loss, endings, and change, we can engage with these challenges in a more holistic and comprehensive way.
