Navigating Transitions: Essential Practices to Soothe your Nervous System

The energy this week has been chaotic and unpredictable as we approach a potent full moon in Aquarius. Ruled by Uranus, the planet of disruption and awakening, this moon will reveal what in our lives needs to break down in order for new potentials and possibilities to emerge. You may experience restlessness, discomfort and fatigue as we move through an intense period of change. During times of transition when life feels chaotic and unstable, our nervous system can go into overdrive. The following are three practices that have helped me in navigating stress and anxiety during times of intense initiations and upheaval.

1)    Nourish your body through high vibrational food and herbs

I have noticed that during periods of extreme stress, my eating habits often go awry.  A desire to eat chocolate cake, gelato and other comfort foods prevails and dessert suddenly becomes my primary meal choice. Understanding both my astrological sign and Ayurvedic dosha has greatly helped me in managing cravings and in learning how to calm my energy through nourishing foods. My Ayurvedic dosha is Vata, connected to the dry element of air. I am also an air sign (Libra) and by nature have an active mind. Eating cold foods causes Vata to become more “airy”, leading to an imbalance of energy and to an overly stimulated nervous system. When I made this realization, cut down on the sugar and increased hot, grounding foods (stews, root vegetables, golden milk, etc), my level of anxiety noticeably decreased. Incorporating warming and nourishing herbs such as ashwaganda and milky oats that support Vata energy also provided a natural way of calming my nervous system during a period of stress. For anyone not familiar with Aryuveda, I strongly encourage you to learn about your dosha and what foods both assist and inhibit its energetic balance. You can find a quiz for identifying your dosha here: https://webapp.chopra.com/en/public-dosha-quiz

2)    Engage in somatic practices to release stuck energy

When we experience anxiety, our mind tends to fixate upon the future or the past, rather than on being in the present moment. Somatic practices focus on the mind-body connection and are a powerful method for releasing stress, tension and trauma from the body. Breathwork, dance and shaking are three practices that have helped me when my mind goes into overdrive, providing a quick and easy way to come back into the body and into a state of presence. Incorporating these practices as part of your morning ritual can also help both your mood and focus for the day ahead. Meditation apps such as Insight Timer have short breathwork practices that you can do in 15 minutes or less. If you’d like to learn more about somatic dance, Sah D’Simone offers many great resources on his Instagram (@sadhsimone).

3)    Prioritize solo time to reconnect with your own energy

Navigating intense transitions and change can be both physically and emotionally draining. When we do not allow ourselves time to rest, reset and restore our energy, we become more prone to illness and burnout. Periods of initiation and instability often require space for integration, a need to become still amidst the chaos and reflect upon what lessons are being mirrored through our external environment. Practices that have helped me in reconnecting with my own energy include meditation, journaling, spending solo time in nature and Abhyanga (Aryuvedic self-massage). Doing a social media and technology detox is a powerful way to help you disconnect from the noise of your external environment and hear with greater clarity the wisdom of your inner voice.

As we move through this full moon and into eclipse season, you may experience a lot of disruption in your external environment. Having practices to help soothe and regulate your nervous system will support you in navigating change with greater ease and trust, enabling you to thrive through transitions.