I’m especially happy to share our feature story with you this month. Preparing this edition for print happened to coincide with a bi-annual 21-Day Nervous System Reset practice I’ve been participating in for the past few years with a community called The Reconnected out of Australia.

In “Introduction to Somatic Therapies: Reconnecting Mind and Body in an Overstimulated World,” editor Sheldon C. Baker explores an array of somatic therapies, from simple at-home practices like breathwork, body scans and humming to guided methods such as craniosacral therapy, Rolfing and EMDR, that help release stress and trauma stored in the body. Drawing on insights from physicians and psychologists, the piece shows how reconnecting with our body’s sensations can calm the nervous system and restore a lasting sense of balance.

As I started my day and sat down to write this letter in preparation for sending this edition off to print, I decided to do my breathwork practice before digging into work. I’m so glad I did. It reinforced what I’ve experienced firsthand and what science backs up: We can unwind the patterns our nervous system learned in response to difficult past experiences.

We’re not only unwinding those patterns, but are also simultaneously rewiring the nervous system to respond differently in the future during experiences that may have, in the past, triggered a heightened stress response. Thank goodness for neuroplasticity!

Fittingly, the breathwork practice I performed that morning felt like it had lifted a veil in a particular area of life and work that I’ve been struggling with a bit lately. It makes me wonder why I wait for a 21-day offering to do the practice instead of doing it daily. That’s a whole other issue that perhaps I’ll bring to my next session.

In “Healing Harmonies: How Sound Therapy Supports Modern Wellness,” writer Zak Logan explores how singing bowls, binaural beats and even simple humming can stimulate the vagus nerve and help shift the body out of fight-or-flight. If you’ve ever wondered why a gong bath can leave you feeling like you just took a nap you didn’t know you needed, this one’s for you.

If movement speaks to you more than sound, don’t miss “Movement Becomes Feeling,” our Business Spotlight on yoga therapist Brittany Capozzi. Her story of using belly dancing and yoga to reconnect with a body she spent years hiding is a beautiful companion to our feature. Sometimes the body doesn’t need a script. It simply needs an invitation.

I hope this issue offers a gentle nudge in the direction of ease in your life.

Peace,