Good news for those that have a heightened nervous system. Have you ever wished that you weren't so emotionally sensitive?Or you are all revved up and can't shut it off? It can be exhausting to be like this and hard on other people. On the other hand, this sensitivity brings with it a number of strengths, usually in the field of empathy, compassion, perception and intuition. Still, it would be nicer to have all this at a lower level of intensity.
Well, the good news is that it can be modified. Through the discoveries in neuroscience, we can retrain the brain that sends and receives the signals from the nervous system. And this retraining will give us a 'pause' button, enable us to create the capacity for greater emotional regulation. Our breathing will deepen, we will feel safer, and we will respond from a more grounded place.
The first retraining piece is deceptively simple. It is taught by Thich Nhat Hahn as well as Richard Davidson, the Neuroscientist responsible for studying the brains of monks when they meditate. It is also used in healing from trauma. This is the beginning of creating new pathways in the brain that can be accessed AT WILL and allowing the old pathways to de-wire.
Here it is: Focus on breathing in and out for seven minutes per day. One method is to say "in" when you breathe in and "out" when you breathe out. Or say "one" on the in breath, "two" on the out breath until you get to ten, then start over. When you wander and judge yourself for wandering, just say "stop" and bring yourself back to your breath. I started doing this and felt quite distressed about how I had a strong need to think about whatever was on my mind and jumping all over the place. But, eventually, the mind does calm. Even though you haven't felt successful, you will find that you were just a little bit calmer at the end than at the beginning. It may last briefly but will become longer with each week.
The part that I find the most exciting is that I can go into this state wherever I am more easily at will now. I know I can strengthen it further and I will because I want this tool to help me live a live with more emotional equanimity.
Start doing it now so that when you are really upset, you can defuse it a bit more easily. This is not about denying emotions. This is about calming down enough to heed their true messages.
What does all this have to do with flourishing? Well, one can flourish more and experience more positive emotions when one is not 'trapped' in unpleasant emotional states that you feel like you can't shut them off. Don't let them take you hostage any more. They are your house guests.
On that note, I am going to the labyrinth to walk my breathing meditation.
Until next time, Johanna
www.johannavanderpol.com
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