Learning to Shift States
On activation, downregulation, and what the body already knows how to do
The nervous system doesn’t respond to logic or willpower, but it can learn to be witnessed.
I’ve been teaching a weekly yoga class focused on bone strength.
We hold classical poses like Warrior 1, Warrior 2, and Triangle for about a minute on each side. It’s challenging. Even in that one minute, heat builds, the breath picks up, and the heart rate rises. The effort in a static hold like that is focused and intense.
After a couple of holds, we come back to Mountain pose. We “shake it out” a bit and then move into stillness for about 5 or 6 breaths. It is surprisingly difficult to be still after the intensity, but it offers an interesting exploration.
Nothing dramatic is happening on the outside. But internally, there’s a shift.
The invitation within this space of stillness is simple: notice. It might be some heat in the body, a faster heart rate, or faster breathing. There is nothing to fix or to do.
Gradually (and I can even feel this in the room), there is a downshift in energy. Breathing slows and deepens, the heart rate slows, and bodies start to settle and recalibrate.
What we’re witnessing is upregulation followed by a downshift. The body moves through effort, then it is offered space to settle. The process is simple but intricate and more useful than it first appears.
It has occurred to me over time that what is being practiced here isn’t a yoga pose. It’s the act of noticing with a different level of intention. It isn’t about making a shape but witnessing.
Since I began teaching this class, it has become easier for me to recognize when I’m activated in daily life.
And as a result, it has been easier to downshift with more intention. There is a little more space … not to force calm, but to pause, notice, and decide what I actually need. I might allow my jaw to unclench, my muscles to soften, and usually, I can breathe a little deeper automatically.
Learning to witness and acknowledge the body-based experience is a practice of conscientiousness. Whatever shifts occur from there come from a little more space and awareness.
Peace ✌️