My family recently inherited a box turtle. She is 60+ years old, adorable, and has a real personality, including a temper. I had the idea of training her to be a “comfort reptile” to move around the office and assist people as they release old traumas. Well, this didn’t work out. The litter training was a total failure, and her emotional range is rather limited! Okay, I’m just kidding about the “comfort reptile” part.
In MacLean’s triune brain model, the basal ganglia are referred to as the reptilian or primal brain, as this structure is in control of our innate and automatic self-preserving behavior patterns, which ensure our survival and that of our species. The primal brain is also in charge of Feeding, Fighting, Fleeing, and… Reproduction.
When our nervous system holds a pattern of defense, it heavily activates the reptilian portion of our brain. Over time, our postural pattern changes, our mind-body connection weakens, and our vagal-tone is imbalanced. We hold onto stress energy and fear. Sleep patterns are interrupted. Our emotional state can become unbalanced.
As part of the exam process that I employ, I measure the tone of the nervous system. Network care is great for ushering healing from the inside out. You can reach balance in your mind-body and activate your inner healing. If you are suffering from a chronic condition, hold onto too much fear, or even find yourself dating a reptile, give me a call!
