Here is how it works: you first find where your nervous system is. No worries, I also have a cheat sheet for that, you can find it here
And then, once you find where you are, look at the ladder, and find your way up to ventral. For example, if you are in fight or flight, your work would be first discharge some of the sympathetic energy (you could walk in place, or GENTLY shake your body) and then add more safety and connection to reconnect with your agency: your voice, your push for boundaries, your walking away. Intentional movement and resourcing work great for this. And voilà! You are now in a more ventral state.
Down in flop? Then the work is to first discharge the dorsal energy by bringing more presence to your body (you could massage your legs, or simply find the place in your body that feels more present), then you need to reconnect with your agency through safe fight or flight energy. And voilà! You are now in ventral.
In freeze? You start by discharging the dorsal energy, then discharge your fight or flight energy (there is always sympathetic energy in freeze) and then reconnect with agency by adding safety so you can move to ventral.
Do you see a pattern here?
All states of survival must go through agency in order to come back to safety and connection.
Agency is always the way back to ourselves.
And it makes sense, because the reason we go into survival in the first place, is because we felt overwhelmed, unresourced, and without hope. So reconnecting with our agency, our power, our voice, and our fire, will undoubtedly move us out of survival.
You are your most authentic when you live in your power.
Keep this in mind next time you feel lost in anger, or in numbness: WWAMD: What Would Authentic Me Do?
I have a feeling authentic you is amazingly undeniable.
With lots of intention, curiosity, and love
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