With the arrival of the sympathetic nervous system, movement as a survival strategy was added and fight and flight were now possible. To get a flavor of the mobilization of this system imagine a shark attacking or a fish darting to escape.

The experience of connection encompasses four domains: connection to self, connection to other people (and pets), connection to nature and the world around us, and connection to spirit. With connection we feel safely embodied, accompanied by others, at home in the environment, and in harmony with spirit.

Immobilization and disappearing are the survival strategies of the dorsal vagal system.

connection, brings a sense of relationship. The experience of connection encompasses four domains: connection to self, connection to other people (and pets), connection to nature and the world around us, and connection to spirit.

In survival mode, the dorsal vagus takes us out of awareness, out of connection, and into collapse and immobilization.

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines listening as “hearing something with thoughtful attention.”

While we may think our brains are in charge, the heart of our daily experience and the way we navigate the world begins in our bodies with the autonomic nervous system. This is the place where the stories emerge about who we are and how the world works, what we do and how we feel. It is our biology that shapes our experiences of safety and

While the world seems to be increasingly focused on self-regulation and independence, co-regulation is the foundation for safely navigating daily living.

Our story, and how we think, feel, and act, begins with neuroception.