You are right on time to breathe, Cindy!
Resources
Cindy’s Regulating Flow Recording
15 minutes to practice:
Vagus Nerve Self-Touch Massage:
Body Awareness Extended Hum
Box Breaths
Autonomic Highway
The autonomic highway defined by Sarah Baldwin is a great tool to begin to learn about your state of the nervous system and which regulating resources to use when you are feeling a certain way.
I recommend printing this out and referencing throughout the day.
4 Voo Breaths Recording
4 Voos. 2 minutes. Notice how you feel. We breathe in for 4 and voo for about 6 seconds on each.
With each voo, envision it reaching further down the abdomen with the last one encouraging engagement in the pelvic floor.
Sensory-Awareness Massage to Try
7 minutes to stimulate the vagus nerve and other cranial nerves to destress and build the mind-body connection.
This is similar to what we did but with a bit of a different spin - thought you may want to try.
The Basic Exercise We Tried
This is what we tried at first. It repositions the first and second neck vertebrae and increases blood flood to the brain stem so the cranial nerves, including the vagus nerve, can work optimally.
5.12.25
Signs of Your Body Regulating
Shift from tension and heaviness in chest, shaking in hands to lightness and presence in the body
Less hitching in the exhale and more of a smooth flow from abdomen to chest
Breaths + Regulating Resources Practiced
Butterfly Shape with Courageous Ball Massage
Stonehedge with Paper Boat Breath
Stonehedge with soundbowl inhales and exhales (started at 3-3 in and out, made it to 7-7 in and out)
Further Investigation (If You Want)
Practice the Voo breaths while traveling
Reference the autonomic ladder to check in with your states throughout the day
4.29.25
Signs of Your Body Regulating
Release and tingle down left side while massaging the vagus nerve
Heaviness in chest at first after lying down with legs on chair, which dissipated throughout the breath flow
Magenta -> Green present as you brought awareness to different areas of the body
Breaths + Regulating Resources Practiced
Vagus Nerve Exploration with Courgeous Ball
Basic Exercise by Stanley Rosenberg
Box Breath
Resonant Breath
Further Investigation (If You Want)
Practice the 15-Minute Recording 3-4x per week
Keep notes about how your breath moves and feels when you are feeling anxious