Cosmic Rays Sara D.E.

I've put together  3 breathing exercises I like to teach/do. 

1.  RECENTERING BREATH (4 x 4). To use anytime you feel stressed, anxious or out of balance.

2. RELAXING BREATH (4 x 8 ). To fall asleep. Engages Parasympathetic Nervous System aka Rest & Digest System.

3. AWAKENING BREATH (rapid)- To wake up and get into workout mode naturally. Engaging Sympathethic Nervous System aka Fight or Flight.

Just like everything else, they take practice and consistency. Ideally if you can start by doing a few minutes of either 1&2 and 2/3 rounds of the last one! 

Whilst researching about the neuroscientific explanation behind the 𝑴𝑰𝑵𝑫-𝑩𝑶𝑫𝒀 𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑵𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵 I came across one of the best theories ever proposed: The 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐘𝐕𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐎𝐑𝐘.  According to the theory, we have three different pathways of response to a dangerous stimuli, interconnecting what happens on a neurocognitive and physical level, and each working is service of survival. Have a listen to find out more...

Sometimes the only thing standing between us and a happier life is ourselves. Many psychologists call this 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐫. In this episode we will uncover attachment styles which often lead to this pattern of behaviour as well as explaining what the term "cherophobia" means! 

Looking at the 3rd organising principle of the Polyvagal Theory: Hierarchy. No matter what state we're in, our nervous system is always ON, enacting a response to ensure our survival. There are 3 pathways each working in service of our safety, easily placed in a timeline starting from 500 million years ago: The Ventral Vegal (VVPS) Parasympathetic System, the Sympathetic System (SS) and the Dorsal Vagal Parasympathetic System (DVPS). The VVPS is a system of safety and connection where we have access to health growth and restoration (our HOME). The SS is our mobilisation response stata aka "fight or flight", where  protection is through action. Lastly, the DVPS is all about immobilisation, where we protect ourselves through disappearing and disconnecting. We can work through these states so that we can always find our way back home!

The way we’re built as humans makes it so that we are more receptive to danger than we are to safety. Meaning we often miss cues of safety. The 2nd organising principles of the Polyvagal Theory, Neuroception can be described as detection without awareness. It is how our nervous system takes in information without us being aware of it, so without involving the thinking parts of the brain. 

We are wired for connection, from the very first moment we come into existence. In this episode we start to explore the Polyvagal Theory (PVT). As explained by Deb Dana and following the theory of Stephen Porges, the PVT has 3 organising principles: 1. Co-regulation- Biological imperative. We don’t survive as human without another human to coregulate it. 2. Neuroception- Detection without awareness. How our nervous system takes information without the brain being involved. 3. Hieriary- 3 Predictable pathways of response: ventral vagal, sympathetic nervous sytem and dorsal vagal. Today we look at what Co-regulation is!