Vagal Toning & Empathy Circle

Wednesdays on Zoom

9am AZ time

45 Min Guided Practice + 45 Min Empathy Circle

Sliding Scale $20/$15/$10/$5

Check in opens 5 min Prior

Vagal Toning is an applied polyvagal theory modality that includes a variety of somatic practices which naturally stimulate the vagus nerve. Natural vagus nerve stimulation, or neuromodulation, is a way of gently awakening the Ventral Vagal Complex (VVC), or your social engagement nervous system, in a way that is both soothing and stimulating to the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) as a whole, with an emphasis on choice and safety. As we tone the vagus nerve together in class, we are strengthening the pathway of the social nervous system through repeated practices in a setting of connection and care. This class is suitable for all levels and can be modified so you can participate in the way you are most comfortable with, seated, standing, lying down, moving around, camera on if you feel comfortable, or off if you prefer. No special equipment is required. I do my best to begin and end on time, and registered participants are welcome to join when they can, and as they are. I do not consider it an interruption if your circumstances are such that you end up joining late, or leaving early, though the sequence of the class does build upon itself from the start. Right now I am sharing practices that are known to have a mostly balancing impact on the ANS for most people.

Practices that are offered may include:

• Self Havening Touch, Self Holding
• Psychosomatic Practices to Build Embodied Resource States (Visualizations Enhanced by Engaging the Senses)
• Self Attunement & Mindfulness Practices
• Conscious & Intentional Breathing Practices
• Acupressure & Self Massage to Awaken Sensory Awareness
• Gratitude
• Intention Setting
• Grounding
• Contralateral Movements
• Loving Kindness Meditation
• Joint Rotations
• Reflex Integration
• Self-Tapping
• Balance Practice
• Postural Resets
• Eye Movements
• Pandicular Movement
• Rocking
• Pendulation Practice
• Humming, Singing, Vocalizations or Chanting
• Sharing Poetry
• Positive Social Connections

I have noticed these practices have been a profound help in my efforts to deepen my ability to consciously shape my nervous system towards balance, and they are also opening up my capacity to embody my spirit. For me, this has felt like more access to a sense of love and inherent safety that grounds me in hope and courage. This has been helping me move towards making the meanings out of the whole range of my lived experiences that guide me towards resilience, wonder, and wellbeing.

I love connecting with other people's authentic experience. If you are moved to give feedback about my class, please use this feedback form and receive my gratitude and delight.

According to Dr. Arielle Schwartz, author of Applied Polyvagal Theory in Yoga:

"What is vagal tone?

Vagal tone is measured through the oscillations in heart rate variability that occur with the breath. This is referred to as Heart Rate Variability or HRV. Healthy tone of your vagus nerve involves a slight increase in heart rate on the inhalation and a decrease in heart rate when you exhale.

Healthy vagal tone can be thought of as an optimal balance of parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system actions. People with higher HRV can move more easily from excitement to relaxed and can recover more easily from stress.

Simply put, vagal toning [is the practice of] adding gentle stimulation to the vagus nerve pathway through breath, sound, eye-movements, self-applied touch, and gentle movements that help [us] come into balance.

Since most of us are sympathetic dominant, balance involves more down-regulation of the nervous system into the parasympathetic. However, some of us need up-regulating strategies to come out of fatigue or collapse. In that case, the same balancing vagal toning practices will still work, and you can also emphasize the inhalation and gentle expansive movements to up-regulate your system whereas you would emphasize the exhalation and inward awareness to down-regulate your system.

And what is happening as we tone the vagus nerve? We are strengthening the nerve pathway of the social engagement system through repeated practices within the context of connection and safety and we are resetting baseline HRV through conscious breathing, movement, [touch], and self-compassion."

Photo by Fuu J on Unsplash

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