Core Life Skills

Two core life skills to learn are down regulation and self regulation of stress. The central nervous system response can be up-regulated, down regulated and self regulated. Any psychological or physical change, whether imagined or happening in real time that negatively disrupts neutral (homeostasis/inner stability) will cause the stress response to activate. To find neutral in our lives, we must learn and actively practice self regulation and down regulation of the stress response for a much smoother journey.

Self regulation

• An "acquired capacity" or a cultivated skill.
• Self observation, monitoring, control and reflection.
• Awareness of when your emotions are escalating.
• Maintaining control over your reactions.
• Ability to remain grounded and calm, with level emotions.
• Ability to resist impulsive behaviours.
• Ability to react appropriately to challenges.
• Can draw from a toolkit of practices to be able to ground and centre.
• Ability to regulate the frequency, duration and level of distress, heightened reactions and impulsive behaviours.

Why self regulate?

Improves the ability to face the demands and challenges of modern life with adaptability, resilience and resolve. A core emotional maturity skill to maintain wellbeing. From a Taoist perspective, to be able to stand in the eye of your hurricane and not be moved or disturbed by what is going on around you, a continual process of finding centre.

Down regulation

• An "acquired capacity" or a cultivated skill.
• A biological process - the parasympathetic system response.
• This state is incompatible with stress, anxiety, anger, rage.
• Ability to calm yourself down and level your emotions during times of stress.
• Ability to take a pause during distress, to be able to create space to down regulate.
• Can draw from a toolkit of practices to be able to ground and centre yourself to de-stress.

Why down regulate?

Our bodies are not designed to live in the stress response 24/7, the toll on the physiological body and our mental state is immense. Down regulation helps improve the functioning of all body systems from lowering heart rate and blood pressure, improving digestion, brain functioning, hormone production, tissue repair, and inflammation control, to name a mere few. We must foster the rest state as much as possible in our lives, as we are not built for the demands that modern life present. We must have an off switch.

How?

Down regulation and self regulation are at the core of everything we do in all Tai Chi, Qigong, meditation, mindfulness and breathwork practices. Whether you focus on this aspect in your training or not, simply keep training, the body knows what to do. Whether moving slowly or sitting in stillness, the environment you create gives the body and mind the right cues to enter into a relaxed state. It's the hidden in plain sight secret to life. The best thing you can do to help yourself across your whole life is learn how to down regulate and self regulate stress. Bring your state of being back into your control and learn the art of being at ease. Read more about the mind body connection and how to trick the mind and body into relaxing.