Nervous System Regulation as Spiritual Practice: 6 Tools I Love

Whimsical but common stuff I use to reconnect to my body

As a person with PTSD, I’m no stranger to the fight-or-flight response. When I’m there, it’s hard to connect with others because my body is focusing all of its energy on keeping me safe. Obviously, staying in this state long-term is not the most adaptive strategy, so along my journey, I’ve found a number of tools that can help regulate my nervous system.

Since I believe spiritual work is about connecting to, participating in, and experiencing divine love (in God, in myself, in other humans, etc.), then a critical component of spirituality is making sure we as individuals feel safe enough to connect. And so, for myself, I consider nervous system regulation tools to be a form of spiritual practice¹ because those tools put me in a space to connect with the love all around me. Below, I’m going to outline six tools I use to regulate my nervous system.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a therapist. When looking into nervous system regulation tools for yourself, I would always recommend talking with a licensed therapist. Along those same lines, if a practice/tool shared in this post sounds like it wouldn’t be a good fit for you, don’t do it. This is your body, your spirituality, your choice. I firmly believe that honoring your body is central to spirituality of any kind. In this post, I’m simply sharing what’s worked for my own nervous system, and I encourage you to listen to your own body throughout reading this post and as you consider what nervous system regulation might look like for you.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled program of tools that I use to regulate my nervous system…

Cooling: Stones and Fans

Getting overheated tends to raise my anxiety, so I like to keep a few tools around that can cool me down. The most obvious tool is, of course, fans, which I have a lot of, including a battery-powered one I can wear as a necklace. I also love using rocks to cool down, as they are cool to the touch and instantly grounding. I regularly wear a stone bracelet and carry a jade roller, which is both cooling and massaging.

My jade roller is from the dollar store and can fit into just about any purse or pocket. Even more portable? Stone bracelets, which can often be procured inexpensively at metaphysical shops or thrift stores.

Silicone Scrubbers

For me, pressure has an almost instant calming effect, and early in my PTSD journey, I found that silicone scalp scrubbers were great—and reasonably portable—tools toward that end. I often use one of these things to gently apply pressure to my arms, legs, or stomach when I’m beginning to feel dysregulated.

Rubbabu Stress Balls

A while ago, I walked into a cute little local shop and accidentally stumbled upon these things called Rubbabu stress balls.

Made of natural rubber foam, these stress balls were unlike anything I’d seen before. The golf ball version was particularly calming to me. When I held it like in the picture below, I found an instant sense of groundedness.

I hope this picture isn’t too weird, but this is what using the Rubbabu golf ball looks like for me and what I look like in that calming state. I wanted to authentically share that experience.

Interpretive Dance

With the right playlist and moving my body, I can process emotions and regulate my nervous system. I have different playlists for different emotions/experiences, each with different vibes of songs, informing the dance moves I choose to use.

Blurry picture of interpretive dancing in the kitchen. In this picture, I’m using a ribbon-like accessory as a part of this practice.

Squishies

I think squishy things in general are just great for comfort. But more specifically, I adore squishies² that look like food. They’re fascinating to me because they are realistic, and they often have different textures, all of which fill me with a sense of wonder, which leads me to my next tool...

Realistic food squishies that look like some of my favorite desserts

“Emergency Wonder”: Vintage Coffee Table Books, Plastic Butterflies, and More

When I’m feeling especially burned out and need nervous system regulation quickly, I have a few tools that require very little effort. I call these the “emergency wonder” tools because they immediately fill me with a sense of wonder by reminding me of the beauty in the world. In turn, that “wonder reminder” gives me a sense of peace and reconnection to love, hope, and community.

My random “emergency wonder” tools include candles, vintage coffee table books, colorful DIY magazines, and plastic butterflies (just to name a few).

A jar of “emergency wonder” that I keep on my desk

These tools are by no means exhaustive, and while I describe/experience them as spiritual, they are tools that are readily available to all, regardless of spiritual label (or lack of label) or whether or not you experience these tools as spiritual. Whatever tools you use to regulate your nervous system, know that you are enough and that the unique work of reconnecting to your particular body is needed, valid, and valuable.

P. S. What practices/tools (spiritual or otherwise) do you use for nervous system regulation?

In Wonder,

Kandi Zeller (she/her)

Instagram: @kandi.zeller

Book Me for an Editing Project: tinyurl.com/kandizelleredits

1. While I describe/experience these tools/practices as spiritual, that is not everyone’s experience. These tools are for all, regardless of spiritual label (or lack of label) or whether you experience these tools as spiritual or as some other adjective(s). Labels, while helpful in describing our experiences, are ultimately insufficient, so I want to hold space for that tension here.

2. (Side note: Moriah Elizabeth’s Squishy Makeovers is peak YouTube comfort content, which I also use for nervous system regulation.)