Sympathetic holding and parasympathetic release: Vagal tone and beta, alpha and theta in bio-somatic dance movement naturotherapy

Abstract

This article will be of interest to somatic movement dance therapists who work with people suffering from stress, anxiety and depression. Anyone suffering from sympathetic neural expression (fear and anxiety) might find this article useful. Within this article I detail information and practice that supports participants moving from a sympathetic state into parasympathetic release. Two of my students have provided practice-based enactments of the physiological theory they study on the programme ‘bio-somatic dance movement naturotherapy’. The article is divided into five parts. Each part provides theory about the autonomic nervous system (ANS), the vagus nerve and the practice of bio-somatic dance movement naturotherapy. The first part is called ‘The intelligence of the autonomic nervous system’. The second part is called ‘The vagus nerve'. The third part is called ‘The geography of the autonomic nervous system’. The fourth part is called ‘The New Vagus’. The fifth part is called ‘Beta, alpha and theta’. The article provides essential information on embodied healing, offered to enhance our understanding about the scientific underpinnings of practice. Another area covered is the relationship between the parasympathetic and beta, alpha and theta.