Coming Back to Center….

When your body is ready to exhale…

Reposted from a Substack Article dated April 9, 2026

I want to talk about something that seems to be all the buzz these days…

And yet, if we’re being honest, it’s been around for a very long time. And myself along with you have been probably utilizing and doing it for quite some time. But maybe we just need a little reminder or even a refresher.

It’s just been called different things.

Different words.
Different language.
Different ways of trying to say the same thing:

Slow down.
Come back to yourself.
Find your center again. Be one with yourself, source and all that is around you. And makes up you.

These days, the term we hear most often is:

Nervous System Regulation.

And while that may sound new or even a bit clinical…

it’s actually something many of us have been touching into for years.

We just didn’t always have the language for it. Or we just simply weren’t taught what is was.

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You might have heard it called or may still hear it as:

Finding your rhythm. Your own cycle, pace, and or flow.
Getting back into your stride. The WAY you were meant to do things and of course the old Going with the flow. (well most of us have heard that one for a long time) but did we actually adhere it? or understand it?

I think or have personally found out for myself what was often missing…

was the embodiment piece. As one who has followed the old ways of the Goddess or perhaps even a good dose of the Divine Feminine along with the teachings and preaching of God and Jesus Christ. The embodiment piece was never really shown or taught to us. As matter of fact for many who grew up in religious households or settings the “body” or embodiment piece was actually frowned upon or looked at with disgrace. Let be more clear with this: Call it what you will pleasure, freedom or creative expression. Speaking your mind, Dancing when you should be sitting. Or even gyrating in your seat when you should be sitting still. This energy, this WAY of being moves through us on a daily basis and is as natural as our breath, and yet up until now we were taught, told and SHOWN to CONTAIN it.

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It’s funny when I think back to what some used to call the “crunchy” lifestyle…

You know the one.

Yoga.
Tai Chi.
Meditation.
Eating real, nourishing foods.
Getting outside.
Journal.
Being in community.
Creating just for the sake of creating.

For a long time, that way of living was dismissed by many.

And yet…

in so many ways…

they were actually getting it right.

This was all pieces and parts of embodiment-Embodying the holy spirit, Embodying the breath, Embodying the way our being was meant to receive, so it can give once again. From that full cup rather then empty or barely there.

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All of those things….

They support the nervous system.

They bring us back into regulation. The flow, the Know, and the Intuitive Wisdom Being that we are.

Not through force…
but through practice, presence, and awareness.

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And maybe that’s why we’re hearing so much about it now.

Because the world we are living in today…

is asking more of our nervous systems than ever before. Bigger, Better, Faster, Look at me, I am louder, I am stronger, I am HERE! Yes I realize this is what we are in conflict with and competing against. But it feels like we are being programmed and groomed to be machines and not the Human Beings that we actually are.

Constant stimulation.
Endless information.
Emotional overwhelm.
Disconnection… even when we are “connected.”

So let me ask you something…But before I do

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Take a breath here…

Not a forced one.
Just a natural inhale… and exhale.

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How did you sleep last night?

What did your evening look like before you went to bed?

Did you give yourself any time to wind down… (This is my favorite) We would use this with Richie when he would need to get ready for bed-We would joke about it being “wind” down time. But honestly, if you are ON and already wound up (hmm interesting spelling of words) then what can you do to relax, fall asleep and ask for a peaceful night.
or did/do you carry the energy of the day straight into your sleep?

How many times did you reach for your phone daily? (That is a hard one-unless you are really paying attention) and WHY?

What kind of conversations did you have during the day? Were they filled with inspiration? Hope and Forward thinking? or was it simply droning on about the latest news (which may or may not be false) Fb feed, or local politician doing this or that?

What kind of energy were you holding…
without even realizing it?

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Not to judge.

Not to overwhelm.

But simply to notice.

Because when we begin to notice…

we begin to understand.

And when we understand…

we begin to shift. I understand the world is filled with the opposite of what I am asking or pointing out here-and that is my point. I want to show, share and ask of you to see and do things from a different perspective so you ultimately feel like you are part of the solution even if it is in small ways.

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This doesn’t have to be complicated.

You don’t need to overhaul your entire life overnight.

Sometimes it’s the smallest shifts that begin to regulate the system:

A few deep breaths.
Stepping outside for fresh air.
Turning your phone off earlier.
Choosing a different kind of input.
Letting your body move in a way that feels natural.

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I share this not just from what I’ve been consciously working on over the past several months…

but also from looking back and realizing…

this has been woven into my work for a long time.

Through Heart Centered Living
Through self-awareness and coaching
Through creating spaces where people can slow down and reconnect

There’s something else I’d love to share with you…

A simple grounding practice I’ve been using — both for myself and with clients —
especially in those moments when things feel just a little too much.

Honestly it was a grounding meditation I created years ago when we lived in Greene and I was sitting out back on our deck, listening to the birds, watching the dragonflies around the pond and just feeling the omniscient presence of the nothingness and great mystery that birthed us. I use this over and over again. An oldie but goodie and when you happen to have a tool that works, why not use it, even if the new and improved one looks shinier. Might as well tick with what you know,

It’s a short, guided nervous system reset you can return to anytime. And if you happen to stop in to the Heart Center one day, you will see a specific spot dedicated just for this purpose. Not fancy, Not shiny, just a simple place to sit, reflect, breathe, and bring yourself back to center. At the Heart Center because that is where it starts.

Nothing complicated.
Just breath, awareness, and a gentle coming back to yourself.

🌿 A Gentle Offering

I’ve created something simple for you…

A short nervous system reset you can return to anytime. [Grounding Meditation ]

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And once you become aware of something like this… (This whole Nervous Reset/Regulation and the importance of it.

it doesn’t feel like another thing to “do.”

It simply becomes part of how you live.

This is the kind of work I now find myself holding space for more intentionally…

Creating moments where the body can soften,
the breath can deepen,
and something within begins to settle and realign.

Sometimes it’s not about doing more…
it’s about allowing the body to feel safe enough to let go

I was reminded of this recently while working with a client —
a personal trainer, someone very in tune with the body.

he even said this…

“I had no idea how much tension I was holding…
and once I relaxed and felt into my breath, everything just flowed better.”

And that’s the thing…

Sometimes it’s not about doing more.

It’s about allowing the body to feel safe enough to let go. Can you feel that huge exhale when you read that? Deep, Long, and down to the toes right?

If this is something you’re feeling called into —
learning how to work with your body instead of against it —

this is a space I’ve begun exploring with a lot more intention, focus and compassion
through my coaching work.

You can explore that here through [Heart Compass Coaching]

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Here’s what feels quietly lit this week… getting the head and heart in sync with each other especially now as we navigate these uncharted waters which is the prime focus for nervous regulation and reset.

🕯Candles Lit This Week

🕯Slowing down enough to notice

🕯The wisdom of the body

🕯Breath returning us to center

🕯Small shifts creating real change

🕯Trusting that we don’t have to hold it all

And one really big one I always recommend (This is coming in at the 11:11 AM mark) 🕯Find time to journal, write, draw or put things onto paper to bring you out of the head and into the full body. Just that act alone feels like the largest Exhale you can give yourself.

If this found you at the right moment… I’d love to hear what landed.

P.S. For those who are local, I’ll also be holding a sound, spirit and communication evening at the Heart Center next week…A space to experience this work in a more immersive way. Feel free to reach out if you’d like more details.