What cues "familiar" somatically when everything changes?
Your body needs ways to support experiences of "threat" in order to maintain neuroplasticity in times of upheaval or change - even positive change!
Thank you for being here, offering your precious time to the reading of this piece.
I am committed to the exercise of writing this without AI (even if I occassionally use AI images).
I blew my life up again. I seem to like doing this.
The above photo is both quite literal and metaphorical for what “bus life” behind-the-scenes actually looks like. Yeah, it’s all gorgeous nature photos until we go over a bump…which is often.
Sometimes we’re camped out in absolutely gorgeous places with the doors flung open to fresh mountain air.
More often than not, we’ve slept at a Lowe’s or Home Depot to save a buck before we hit our next petition spot for the day or grind out some homeschool stuff at a park…
So yah, life is beautiful and full of adventure. It’s also bumpy, unfamiliar and super dis-regulating.
(Picture of our tire blowout on a 4-lane highway week 1 😩😳🙀)
I flung all four of us head long into this adventure and if I’m being real it has been SO FRIGGIN’ STRESSFUL. It is a struggle some days to remember that the whole point of this was to have fun, take in the beauty, and discover new parts of ourselves.
Some days I fully question my sanity with this choice, and why I feel the need to keep pursuing experiences that feel big. Is it a fear of settling that keeps a hunger in my heart for new adventure, even at the cost of losing the tiny wisps of security I’ve glimpsed for a moment here and there? Is it a deep felt sense, an inner knowing that only through combing the ends of the Earth will I learn what my soul came into this lifetime to learn, and only then find a resting place where my deepest work and community building can come through?
I don’t have an answer, only calls that I must follow, and a summons to share with you what’s coming through thus far.
The somatic lesson of this experience reminds me that taking great leaps needs great nervous system support.
I have realized through visceral lived experience, and also been reminded from my NeuroSomatic Intelligence training, that our bodies NEED cues of safety to maintain our neuroplasticity during times of increased threat load.
Paraphrased, my body is perceiving threat in all of this change and the intensity of day-to-day catastrophes, things breaking, kid and dogs’ needs and small and large-scale unknowns (like where we are gonna sleep each night or take a good dump - besides our lovely bucket toilet haha!). Totally makes sense that this moment in life would feel threatening to a nervous system that is constantly scanning for danger. I’ve upended so much of our feeling of control and stability and thrown everything sideways. So, my body needs lots of cues of familiarity to feel safe and maintain neuroplasticity right now.
Neuroplasticity: “the brain's lifelong ability to reorganize itself by forming, strengthening, or pruning neural connections in response to new experiences, learning, or injury. It breaks the myth that the brain is "hard-wired" and fixed after childhood, acting instead as a highly adaptable organ.” - quoted Scholarly Article here.
In order to maintain a brain that can learn and adapt in this newly stressful environment, I need to consistently show my nervous system that we are safe. If I don’t, the meltdowns are gonna just keep intensifying, and brain fog, chronic pain and other stress overload symptoms of my soma could kick in. My nervous system could perceive so much threat that my ability to form new long term memories decreases. Basically if I don’t support my stress responses I won’t function and I definitely won’t be able to learn as much from the courses I’m in, OR FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF BUS LIFE THAT IS HERE TO TEACH ME SO MUCH AM I RIGHT??!
Have I convinced you? We need somatic support for any big change.
Here are some ways to cue safety to your nervous system that have been working for me.
Somatic resourcing
First of all, resource with what IS familiar. If you’re spiraling out about something that’s changing, take time to observe and feel into what is staying the same.
When I say feel into, I mean notice what happens in your body as you experience. In my case, this looks like staying really present in cuddles with kiddo, in playing with my dogs. Let these everyday things be a meditation on the mundane. Whisper a prayer of gratitude for the little things as you experience them.
Second, what physical practices can stay the same? What practices do you have that feel familiar wherever you go? For me, this has been showing up on my yoga mat, but it could be as simple as mindfully brushing your teeth.
What can you consume that is familiar? What songs can come through, like old friends, reminding you of your own emotional journey with them in various phases of life? Music is major for me…see what I did there hehee ;P. But fer real, playing songs I have a long history with is like putting on a favorite sweater. (A favorite sweater could be another resource! Could also be familiar foods, books, objects.)
Another beautiful visual, auditory and even olfactory resource that has shown up to cue familiar for me is the flora and fauna on this journey! I grew up in Vermont and California has so many plants and animals I’ve gradually come to know. But going on this quest and seeing rosa rugosa, buttercups, robins, chipmunks, weeping willows and other cherished childhood friends everywhere we go has been a balm to my soul.
When you resource somatically, take the time to notice the thing that is bringing you pleasure and support, and observe the response in your body. Do you shoulders drop as the music hits? Does your breath expand as you let your eyes rest on the waving willow branches? Do your muscles feel enlivened and supple as you laugh at creatures playing? Does your jaw slacken as you take that familiar asana? What is it for you that helps you know this resource is helping?
Somatic Drills
Besides this moment-to-moment somatic resourcing way of life, we also have hundreds of neurosomatic drills available to us that cue safety to our nervous system.
Here are a couple for you to try at home! Make sure you perform a range of motion test to see how these drills are landing in your body. And if you want an amazing demo, grab a month of access to The WBC Hub on Skool and go to the class from Piper Rose in our summit in January to follow along!
Try some tongue play. I’m serious. Your tongue muscle is a direct connector to polyvagal nerve clusters around the throat and jaw. Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, test your range of motion, and then slide your tongue all around your teeth, front and back, top and bottom, then do the same range of motion test to see if your body softened (cueing parasympathetic). Better yet, don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed, do a drill when you’re feeling fine, do em all throughout the day!
Try some bone striking. Test range, then with soft fists, rap all along your chest, up and down your arms. Test range again. What happened for you?
If you want to learn loads more somatic drills we can continue this work together 1:1 or in group coaching sessions on the hub. For now, I hope this helps!
Creator Corner Collective
It just makes sense to use this feature space this month to highlight the amazing work of Piper, referenced above! Piper taught at our summit in January and their workshop was a highlight for many who attended.
In my experience of them, Piper is incredibly knowledgeable and also holds an attuned and open presence that helps people feel safe to go deep in their healing and transformation.
Piper says, “My coaching methodology weaves together applied neurology, somatic (body-based) practices, shifting subconscious mindsets, spiritual guidance, and insightful guided inquiry. Within this holistic framework, individuals are empowered to become the architects of their own healing journey, establishing a deep connection and unwavering trust in their innate wisdom. This approach focuses on restoring the nervous system to a place of safety and capacity through innovative applied neurology techniques. An intimate relationship to the primal nervous system is the foundation for permanent changes in your thoughts, behaviors, and actions.”
You can learn more about their practice here. And make sure to follow them on IG for insightful and humorous content that will help along your journey!
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