Simple holistic techniques to shift from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest

Have you ever noticed how your shoulders creep up to your ears when you’re stressed? Or how your breath becomes shallow, your mind races and your body feels like it’s bracing for an invisible threat? This is your nervous system trapped in survival mode — the ancient fight-or-flight response that once kept us safe but now leaves so many of us feeling stuck, drained and disconnected.

I know this feeling too well — and I also know that you don’t have to live in that tight, wired state forever.

Through my practice — whether I hold space for you with Reiki, Sound Healing or gentle energy rituals — I guide you back to your natural rest-and-digest state. But today, I want to share a few simple ways you can start calming your nervous system right now, wherever you are.

1. Anchor your breath Holistic Techniques

The easiest, most powerful shift begins with your breath. Right now, place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. Take a slow inhale through your nose for a count of 4, letting your belly rise. Hold for a gentle pause, then exhale through your mouth for a count of 6. Repeat this 5 times.

When you lengthen your exhale, you send a message to your vagus nerve: it’s safe to relax now.

2. Ground through your senses

When your thoughts spin into the future or cling to the past, your body suffers. A quick way to reset is to come back to the present moment. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method:

• Notice 5 things you can see

• Touch 4 things you can feel

• Listen for 3 sounds

• Take in 2 scents

• Savour 1 thing you can taste

This mindful pause can interrupt the stress loop and bring you gently home to your body.

3. Soothing self-touch

Your body craves comfort. Place both hands over your heart or wrap your arms around yourself in a soft hug. Whisper words you wish someone else would say: You are safe. You are held. It’s okay to slow down.

This small act of self-compassion can calm an overactive fight-or-flight response in seconds.

4. Sound & vibration

Did you know that sound can reset your nervous system? Soft music, singing bowls or even humming a simple “mmm” can activate your parasympathetic state — your natural calm mode. In my Sound Healing sessions, the vibration of crystal bowls, tuning forks and gentle instruments create a safe space where your body unwinds effortlessly.

5. Ask for gentle support

While these tools are beautiful, sometimes what we need most is not to do it all alone. This is why my Reiki & Sound Healing sessions exist — to give your mind permission to rest, your body space to let go and your spirit a chance to feel whole again. Holistic Techniques

Every session is a reminder: you can shift from survival to serenity. You can step out of the tension and into soft, nourishing peace — and you don’t have to wait for life to “calm down” first.

If you feel called to experience this deep reset in a safe, warm space, I invite you to book a session with me. Let’s breathe, release and come back to what truly matters: your peace.

Singing bowl - an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply and remember that your body knows how to heal.

Reiki + Ritual

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