Regulating the Nervous System in Spiritual Work (Clelia Vahni Lewis)

We can’t separate our nervous system from the nervous systems of others we are in relationship to since we affect one another. In a practical sense, we are not separate. Nervous systems do not develop in isolation. If we are not regulated and have children, there is an immediate effect on them. Co-regulation is the regulation of emotions and behaviors in relationships or groups. We don’t have the family and tribal traditions that produce co-regulation today. Group protocols can help groups self-regulate as an organism. We may think spiritual practices or understanding will do the psychological or physiological work that is necessary and then find we need to address it. Spiritual practices are potentially nervous system regulating, which is not the aim of practices but one aspect of them that can support our spiritual journey. Psychological work is not the same as spiritual work. The point of spiritual work is to allow for consciousness in the body to disidentify and come into relationship with a much larger Reality. For that to take place without the organism going into panic, we need a grounded sense of self. A healthy ego is necessary in order to transcend it. We don’t need to beat ourselves up for not having regulated nervous systems. The idea is not to stop reacting but to maintain continuity of presence and awareness. It’s beneficial to relax. Without encountering and engaging a level of energetic intensity, we may not get to the wakefulness that allows for transformation. A well-regulated nervous system can move flexibly between different states and experiences and be in relationship with the unknown. Breath can be an indicator of whether we’re regulated or not and is also a pathway toward regulation. Clelia Vahni Lewis is the author of Stainless Heart: The Wisdom of Remorse and a freelance editor specializing in works of dharma, spiritual practice, self-help, and memoir.