All systems go
I was in the car with one of my best friends, Braden, and he said to me, “you should do a blog post on choosing the nervous system“
We talk about the nervous system a lot, and I told him it was in the queue. I have a lot of things I wanna write about and this topic is one of them however the nervous system as a subject, is trending.
As someone who literally can’t stand trends, I want to make it very clear that I’m not going to talk about this as a way to follow the Zeitgeist, no hacks no 10 ways to regulate the nervous system, because there are plenty of those on social media.
I’m fascinated by the nervous system, and the nervous system itself is not a trend.
In yoga, particularly kundalini yoga, he nervous system is a major focal point and the play, between sympathetic and parasympathetic, through breath, mantra, mudras and archetypal symbology The practice is ancient, brilliant and is creatively potent. It is ever evolving has the power to transform.
Our body is full of systems and they work together intrinsically so simply choosing the nervous system isn’t enough. Its profoundly influenced by other systems and particularly the fascia.
Although, In keeping with the spirit of the request, “ choosing the nervous system”, I’m choosing to listen to the intelligence of the body, to have presence, to breathe deeply and to integrate emotions, expressing them as intended.
I’m fascinated by the nervous system, but I’m even more fascinated by how the fascia works with the nervous system, and all the systems of the body.
The web of fascia is alive, it's intelligent and everywhere from just under the skin to the bone. It serves to support and protect, it registers emotion and sensation. long before the brain does.
Though if we are misaligned, chronically dehydrated , or don’t breathe properly, the fascia will get stuck in protection mode, sending energy to the same places over and over again, which will cause a lockdown and compromised movement.
I’ve seen and experienced, through lockdown and freedom within my own body, the magic of learning how to communicate with it.
Fascia is the record keeper, and since it wraps, holds, and connects everything together, it responds to emotion, trauma. habit, posture, and attitude, and it requires breath and movement to fulfill its purpose.
The more I’ve paid attention the more I experience how the body holds emotion and memory.
I was in a yoga workshop early in my teaching, of deep hip openings ,when of a sudden tears. came pouring out I wasn’t in pain or crying because. It hurt physically. Something unlocked inside of me and I felt a powerful release.
On another occasion, I was re receiving some bodywork called Rolfing, which directly addresses fascial an adhesions and scar tissue. When the Rolfer worked on my jaw area, a very intense stream of tears flooded out.
Tears aren’t the only thing that release from fascia decompression.
I have experienced rage, when doing some vulnerable yoga poses, and I’ve had bursts of joy and laughter. With whatever arises, I breathe deeply and intentionally stay present. This has brought me a lot of freedom.
The body stores what we haven’t had space or safety to feel. That’s where healing has to begin, not just with mindset, but with movement and breath, along with the willingness to stay.
In the book, “The Body Keeps Score”, by Dr. Bessell VanDer Kolk, writes about how trauma isn’t just a psychological issue. Trauma actually imprints on the body. He shows how traumatic experiences shape the brain development, body awareness, and the immune system, and explains how trauma can’t simply be healed by identification and talk alone, the body must be included.
Peter Levine, creator of Somatic Experiencing, observed that animals in the wild trembled naturally, to shake off stress or a threat, completing the stress cycle.
Humans often override these instincts, getting stuck in freeze or fight. The unprocessed energy that’s produced through this stress gets stuck in our fascia and our nervous system
He says trauma is s not the event, that it’s the residual energy, stuck in the body. When we don’t get to complete the instinctual cycle of fight fight freeze release, we have repercussions. Movement, breath stillness and integration are vital to healing.
Creative expression as a healing modality
Art is my language, and my most honest form of communication. It comes from the deepest part of me and is filtered through everything I experience. its not separate from my body.
I need my body to be aligned, fluid, and strong enough to express what’s inside.
At 13, I had my first art therapy session, and I loved it.. For years I thought that I wanted be an art therapist, that was so cool to me.
Funnily enough, my sister Natal Natalie, ended up getting a masters in art therapy, and I got a masters in fine art. I wouldn’t change this for the world. I’m still in the grind, and plan to be for a lifetime.
Art is somatic, whether it be painting, singing, drawing dancing., We allow ourselves to tap into a place that’s non-linear, and we can give shape to what may not ha have words, like grief, trauma, longing, passion, joy, love.
Fascia responds to this energy and softens with the vibration, and the movement, the breath and the sounds.
As we move in creative ways, the fascia becoms more fluid which tells the nervous system, that it’s safe. That safety allows space for emotions to move, for insights to come through and gives freedom to the body.
Some days I go to the studio feeling flat but after I draw or paint, I’m amazed at the energy and the emotion that emerged. It may be something I need to face and work through, It’s not always bad or scary though,, sometimes, it is a gift of peace or joyful expression.
When fascia it dense and full of adhesions, its like trying to make a painting with a tube of paint that hasn’t been sealed properly. What’s inside is hard and dry, and is very difficult to work with, the impulse is there, but communication is compromised.
When fascia is hydrated and the nervous system feels safe, creativity flows. A clear, grounded expression comes though.
Creativity needs a clear channel, and the body is that channel. Moving with presence, breath and intention, allowing emotions, allows all the systems
The body
The heart
The mind
The art…
to freely communicate.
All systems go.