Somatic Practices for Anxiety: Calming the Nervous System

# Somatic Practices for Anxiety: Calming the Nervous System My dearest friends, In our journey toward wholeness and healing, we often focus on the mind, believing that if we can just think our way out of suffering, we will find peace. But what if I told you that your body, in its infinite wisdom, holds the key to calming the storms of anxiety and returning you to a state of inner harmony? This, my loves, is the beautiful and raw promise of somatic practices. For over thirty years, I have had the privilege of guiding beautiful souls like you on their paths of spiritual awakening. And time and time again, I have witnessed the incredible power that comes from turning our attention inward, not just to our thoughts and emotions, but to the very sensations that live and breathe within our physical form. Anxiety, you see, is not just a mental state; it is a full-body experience. It’s the tightness in your chest, the knot in your stomach, the racing of your heart. And so, to truly heal it, we must learn to speak the language of the body. ## The Body’s Sacred Language Somatic practices are gentle yet powerful tools that invite us to listen to the sacred language of our bodies. The word “somatic” comes from the Greek word “soma,” which means “the living body.” These practices are not about forcing or fixing, but about creating a safe and loving space for our bodies to be seen, heard, and felt. They are about cultivating a deep and intimate relationship with ourselves, one that is grounded in presence, compassion, and love. In our fast-paced world, it is so easy to become disconnected from our bodies. We live in our heads, lost in a sea of worries, to-do lists, and digital distractions. But our bodies are always here, in the present moment, patiently waiting for us to come home. And when we do, when we finally turn our attention to the sensations of our breath, the feeling of our feet on the earth, the gentle rhythm of our own heartbeat, something magical begins to happen. We begin to feel safe. We begin to feel grounded. We begin to remember who we truly are. ## The Body Keeps the Score: Honoring the Wisdom of Dr. Bessel van der Kolk I remember a moment during a workshop in Denver when a client’s chest tightened so badly she could barely breathe. I guided her through a simple trembling exercise, encouraging her to let the tension physically shake loose. Within minutes, the flood of release wasn’t just emotional—it rattled through her nervous system like a reset button. That’s when I realized the body isn’t lying; it holds the unspoken pain until it can finally spill out.

A weighted blanket can feel like a hug from the universe, especially on nights when the mind will not stop. *(paid link)*

The brilliant Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, in his new book, “The Body Keeps the Score,” reminds us that trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint of that experience on our mind, brain, and body. When we experience something overwhelming, and we are unable to process it fully, the energy of that experience can become trapped in our nervous system. This is not a sign of weakness, my loves; it is proof of our incredible resilience. Our bodies, in their infinite wisdom, hold onto this energy to protect us. But over time, this trapped energy can manifest as anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and a host of other physical and emotional challenges. Somatic practices offer us a gentle and compassionate way to begin to release this stored energy, not by reliving the trauma, but by creating a sense of safety in the present moment. As we learn to listen to our bodies, to track our sensations with curiosity and kindness, we begin to create new neural pathways in the brain. We begin to teach our nervous system that it is safe to let go, that it is safe to relax, that it is safe to heal. ## The Polyvagal Theory: A Ladder to Love To understand how somatic practices work, it is helpful to have a basic understanding of our autonomic nervous system. The pioneering work of Dr. Stephen Porges and his Polyvagal Theory has given us a beautiful map of this inner space. Think of it as a ladder with three rungs. At the top of the ladder is our ventral vagal state, our social engagement system. What we're looking at is where we feel safe, connected, and joyful. It is the state of love. When our nervous system detects a threat, we move down the ladder into our sympathetic state, the classic “fight or flight” response. Our heart races, our muscles tense, and we are flooded with adrenaline and cortisol. What we're looking at is the state of anxiety. And if the threat is too overwhelming, we may move all the way down to the bottom of the ladder, into our dorsal vagal state, a state of shutdown or collapse. What we're looking at is where we feel numb, disconnected, and hopeless. The beauty of somatic practices is that they help us to gently climb back up the ladder, from a state of shutdown or anxiety to a state of safety and connection. By working with the body, with the breath, with gentle movement, we can send signals of safety to our nervous system, reminding it that the threat has passed and that it is safe to come back into the present moment. ## Somatic Experiencing: The Legacy of Dr. Peter Levine I’ve sat in countless hours with Amma’s teachings, feeling her embrace calm my racing mind when anxiety felt like a wildfire. But the real work happened in quiet moments alone, lying on the floor, breath jagged, letting my own body convulse and convulse until the tight cage of ego cracked open. That raw surrender to physical sensation was the gate—a brutal, beautiful passage beyond just thinking my way “out” of the dark.

If anxiety is part of your journey, magnesium glycinate is one of the simplest things you can add. *(paid link)* I'm not talking about some magic cure here. But your nervous system burns through magnesium when it's stuck in fight-or-flight mode, and most of us are running on empty anyway. The glycinate form actually gets absorbed instead of just giving you the shits like other types. Take it before bed and notice if your muscles stop gripping so hard. Sometimes the simplest interventions work because your body has been screaming for basic support all along.

Dr. Peter Levine, the developer of Somatic Experiencing®, has shown us that animals in the wild have a natural ability to discharge the high levels of energy they accumulate during stressful events. They literally shake it off! As humans, we have this same innate ability, but we often suppress it due to social conditioning. Somatic Experiencing is a powerful modality that helps us to tap into this natural healing intelligence. One of the core principles of Somatic Experiencing is the idea of “pendulation,” which is the gentle shifting of our attention between a state of resource and a state of challenge. A resource is anything that helps us to feel safe, grounded, and connected. It could be the feeling of our feet on the floor, the warmth of a blanket, or the memory of a loved one. By gently touching into the discomfort of anxiety and then returning to a place of resource, we begin to expand our capacity to be with difficult sensations without becoming overwhelmed. We begin to build a more resilient nervous system, one that can work through the ups and downs of life with greater ease and grace. ## Practical Somatic Practices for a Calmer You My dear friends, the beauty of somatic practices is that they are simple, accessible, and can be done anywhere, at any time. Here are a few gentle practices that you can begin to explore in your own life: **1. Grounding:** * Sit or stand in a comfortable position. Feel your feet on the floor. Notice the points of contact between your body and the surface that is supporting you. * Bring your awareness to the sensation of gravity. Feel the weight of your body, the pull of the earth. * Gently press your feet into the floor, as if you are growing roots down into the earth. Feel the stability and support of the ground beneath you. * Take a few slow, deep breaths, imagining that you are breathing all the way down into your feet. **2. Resourcing:**

If you want to understand how trauma lives in the body, The Body Keeps the Score will change everything. *(paid link)* Seriously. Van der Kolk doesn't just talk about trauma ~ he shows you exactly how it gets stuck in your tissues, your breath, your gut. The guy spent decades figuring out why talking alone doesn't heal trauma. Because it can't. Your nervous system doesn't speak in words ~ it speaks in sensations, in tension, in that tight feeling in your chest when anxiety hits. This book will make you realize that your body isn't betraying you when it freaks out... it's trying to protect you with information that never got processed.

* Close your eyes and bring to mind a person, a place, a pet, or a memory that brings you a sense of peace and joy. your resource. * As you hold this resource in your mind, notice what happens in your body. Do you feel a sense of warmth, a softening, a gentle expansion? Allow yourself to savor these pleasant sensations. * Whenever you are feeling anxious or overwhelmed, you can return to your resource. It is a safe harbor in the storm, a reminder of the love and beauty that is always available to you. **3. The Self-Hug:** * Wrap your arms around yourself, giving yourself a gentle and loving hug. * Squeeze your arms with a comfortable pressure. Feel the warmth and containment of your own embrace. * Take a few slow, deep breaths, allowing yourself to receive this simple act of self-love. * This practice is a beautiful way to soothe your nervous system and to remind yourself that you are never alone. ## The Spiritual Heart of Somatic Healing As we journey deeper into the world of somatic practices, we begin to realize that this is not just about calming our nervous system; it is about coming home to ourselves. It is about remembering the truth of who we are, beneath the layers of anxiety, fear, and conditioning. It is a spiritual path, a path of love. The great teacher Gabor Maté has spoken extensively about the connection between unresolved trauma and physical and emotional illness. He reminds us that our biography becomes our biology. By tending to the wounds of the past, by learning to listen to the wisdom of our bodies, we are not only healing our anxiety; we are creating a foundation for a healthier and more vibrant life on all levels. Somatic practices invite us to become more present, more embodied, more compassionate with ourselves and with others. They teach us that our bodies are not our enemies; they are our greatest allies on the path of healing and awakening. They are sacred vessels of wisdom, love, and grace.

Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now remains one of the most important spiritual books of our time. *(paid link)* Look, I get it - everyone and their yoga teacher quotes this book. It's become spiritual wallpaper at this point. But here's the thing: Tolle cracked something essential about how anxiety actually works in the body. When you're spiraling, you're literally not present. Your nervous system is firing based on some imagined future disaster or past trauma, not what's actually happening right now. Think about that. Your body is responding to a story, not reality. The guy wasn't just philosophizing - he was mapping out how to interrupt that cycle at the somatic level, even if he didn't use that language. He understood that the mind creates the anxiety, but the body holds it. And if you can catch yourself in that moment of mental time travel, you can literally feel your nervous system downshift. It's not mystical bullshit. It's physiology.

## A Gentle Invitation My dearest friends, I invite you to approach these practices with a spirit of gentleness, curiosity, and self-compassion. There is no right or wrong way to do them. It is simply about showing up for yourself, moment by moment, breath by breath. Some days will be easier than others. Some days, the anxiety may feel overwhelming. And that is okay. Be gentle with yourself. Remember that you are a beautiful work in progress, a masterpiece in the making. As you begin to explore the world of somatic practices, you may find it helpful to work with a trained therapist or practitioner who can provide you with guidance and support. But know that you have everything you need within you to begin this journey of healing. You have your breath. You have your body. You have your own beautiful heart. May you walk this path with courage, with grace, and with an abundance of love. May you remember the incredible wisdom and resilience that resides within you. And may you come to know, in the very cells of your being, that you are whole, you are worthy, and you are deeply, deeply loved. With all my love, Paul Wagner