The Fight/Flight Response
https://youtu.be/xgS_BEHbReM
Hello, Spiritual Warrior!
The fight / flight response is a primal response in our bodies for self-preservation – a function of the autonomic nervous system that, essentially, keeps us alive during times of great stress.
When we perceive a threat, the first thing that happens in the body is perspiration – and the second is changes in the breath. We may either begin breathing rapidly, or we may hold our breath – either way, our blood starts flowing more quickly, enabling us to prepare in an instant for the threat lying before us. We may choose to fight, or we may choose to run, but either way, adrenaline, glucagon and cortisol surge into our physical body, preparing us for what is to come.
The fight / flight response was part of a biological evolutionary process so that we could fight or flee from the threats of the ancient world – such as tigers, lions – maybe even a wooly mammoth? – but in today’s world, most of us don’t live with those threats.
Police officers, first responders, and those in the military or living in a war zone deal with these types of stressors every day, but the majority of us don’t – however the fight / flight response is still strong in our bodies and can get activated numerous times each day as we navigate the stressful situations and people in our orbit.
We don’t have any control over when the fight / flight response starts, but we can definitely control how we manage it once it arrives. Turning to our breath is the key.
There are two breathing techniques that work as a pattern interrupt:
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Taking several long, slow, deep breaths – the slower the better!
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Practicing 16 Seconds – inhale to a count of 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4.
Try either of these practices the next time you find yourself entering into that fight / flight zone, and notice how quickly you can turn it around.
Thank you for joining me today – I look forward to seeing you in the gap!
Namaste. -davidji & Peaches the Buddha Princess
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Namaste. -davidji & Peaches the Buddha Princess