YogaRogueUK - Blogs and Articles
Musings, articles and blogs from Helen, YogaRogueUK.
Awareness is Everything: Listening to the Whispers of the Nervous System
Your nervous system is always communicating—are you listening?
Polyvagal Theory helps us understand how we shift through states of connection, activation, and shutdown in response to safety or threat. By tuning in, we can navigate these states with awareness rather than being swept along by old patterns.
This isn’t about fixing—it’s about noticing. A simple pause, a breath, or a small gesture of care can help restore balance.
So today, take a moment. How is your nervous system speaking? How are you nervous-system-ing?
Published Mach 17, 2025
Holding Grief and Hope: Cultivating Resilience on the Journey
Living with chronic illness, pain, or fatigue can feel like an invisible weight. It’s a journey where grief for what’s been lost often coexists with hope for brighter days.
Self-compassion and resilience are essential tools for navigating this path. By acknowledging both grief and hope, and treating ourselves with kindness, we can create space for healing and growth.
Simple practices—mindfulness, connection, and balancing tenderness with strength—can help us build a foundation of care for ourselves, even during the hardest moments.
How do you cultivate self-compassion and resilience in your daily life?
Published January 28, 2025
The Transformative Practice of Reflection: A Path to Resilience and Wellness
Reflection is a powerful practice for growth and resilience, especially during challenging times. It’s a chance to pause, acknowledge your journey, and recognise how far you’ve come.
By exploring your experiences with kindness, you can uncover hidden strengths, process emotions, and discover new possibilities. Whether it’s finding hope within grief or celebrating small victories, reflection helps you connect with yourself and your path.
Take a moment today to honour your progress—you’re doing more than you realise, and every step matters.
Published January 09, 2025
Nurturing Self-Love and Compassion
in the Year Ahead
Reflection is a powerful practice for growth and resilience, especially during challenging times. It’s a chance to pause, acknowledge your journey, and recognise how far you’ve come.
By exploring your experiences with kindness, you can uncover hidden strengths, process emotions, and discover new possibilities. Whether it’s finding hope within grief or celebrating small victories, reflection helps you connect with yourself and your path.
Take a moment today to honour your progress—you’re doing more than you realise, and every step matters.
Published January 09, 2025
Polyvagal Theory 11:
Understanding the Overactive Vagus Nerve Through the Lens of Polyvagal Theory
The vagus nerve is a cornerstone of our autonomic nervous system, influencing vital functions like heart rate, digestion, breathing, and stress response.
Polyvagal Theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, provides a framework for understanding the vagus nerve’s role in regulating our responses to safety and threat. When this system becomes dysregulated, such as in the case of an overactive vagal nerve, it can lead to a cascade of challenges.
Here we begin to explore what this means, its implications for chronic health conditions, and how we can find balance.
Sign up for the YogaRogueUK Advent Calendar 2024 for more insights and practices!
Published December 24, 2024
Polyvagal Theory 10:
Calibrating Practices for Your Nervous System: Finding Balance and Building Resilience
Calibration is a vital concept for supporting your nervous system, particularly for those navigating health challenges.
By tuning your practices—whether it’s yoga, breathwork, or day-to-day activities—to meet your current needs, you can help shift toward a ventral vagal state, the state of safety and connection.
Here’s how to embrace calibration as a cornerstone of resilience and self-care.
Sign up for the YogaRogueUK Advent Calendar 2024 for more insights and practices!
Published December 23, 2024
Polyvagal Theory 9:
Sprinkling Small Practices Throughout Your Day for Nervous System Regulation
In the rush of daily life, finding ways to regulate your nervous system can make all the difference to your emotional well-being and resilience.
By weaving small practices into your routine, you can build a toolkit that supports balance, connection, and calm—especially when life feels overwhelming.
Sign up for the YogaRogueUK Advent Calendar 2024 for more insights and practices!
Published December 22, 2024
Polyvagal Theory 8:
Exploring the Window of Tolerance: Building Nervous System Resilience
When considering Polyvagal Theory and nervous system regulation, one powerful concept to understand is the "window of tolerance."
This concept provides a framework for recognising and working within your nervous system’s capacity to manage stress and engage with life.
Learning to gently expand this window is key to building resilience, especially for those with health challenges.
Sign up for the YogaRogueUK Advent Calendar 2024 for more insights and practices!
Published December 21, 2024
Polyvagal Theory 7:
What Polyvagal Theory Can Teach Us About Health Challenges
Your nervous system shapes how you feel and respond to the world.
Through polyvagal theory, we can understand three key states:
Ventral Vagal (Calm & Connection): Feeling grounded and safe.
Sympathetic (Mobilisation): Fight or flight, urgency and stress.
Dorsal Vagal (Shutdown): Fatigue or disconnection.
Chronic stress or trauma can leave you stuck in survival modes, affecting your health and well-being.
With small, intentional practices, you can move toward calm, resilience, and connection.
Sign up for the YogaRogueUK Advent Calendar 2024 for more insights and practices!
Published December 15, 2024
Polyvagal Theory 6:
How Your Nervous System Shapes Your Story
Safety & Connection: Calm, grounded, and open to relationships and creativity.
Mobilisation: Stress or urgency triggers fight-or-flight, making connection harder.
Shutdown: Overwhelm leads to withdrawal and disconnection.
Your 'nervous-system-ing' is ever changing. Practices like using breath, movement, or connecting with a loved one can gently shift you back to calm, connection and build resilience.
Sign up for the YogaRogueUK Advent Calendar 2024 for more insights and practices!
Published December 13, 2024
Polyvagal Theory 5:
Tuning into Your Nervous System: Name and Notice
Your nervous system holds valuable insights into your well-being. By understanding its states—ventral vagal (calm and connection), sympathetic (stress and urgency), and dorsal vagal (shutdown and fatigue)—you can better navigate your emotional and physical experiences.
Start by pausing throughout your day to notice how you feel, physically and emotionally. Ask yourself, “What is my nervous system trying to tell me?” This simple practice of awareness helps you respond with curiosity and compassion rather than judgment.
Incorporate mindful habits, like journaling or gentle movement, to strengthen your connection with your body. With time, you’ll cultivate resilience, self-compassion, and deeper understanding.
Sign up for the YogaRogueUK Advent Calendar 2024 for more insights and practices!
Published December 10, 2024
Polyvagal Theory 4:
Understanding Ventral Vagal Anchors for Emotional Regulation
Discover the power of ventral vagal anchors through the lens of Polyvagal Theory. These resources—people, activities, places, and moments—help us access states of calm, connection, and safety, fostering emotional regulation and resilience.
By reflecting on “Who, What, Where, and When,” we can identify our unique anchors and deepen them across four domains: self-care, co-regulation with others, connection to nature, and a sense of purpose.
Engaging regularly with these anchors not only strengthens our ability to navigate life’s challenges but also enhances overall well-being. Start building your library of ventral vagal anchors today—small steps lead to profound shifts.
Sign up for the YogaRogueUK Advent Calendar 2024 for more insights and practices!
Published December 08, 2024
Polyvagal Theory 3:
Discovering the Power of Glimmers
Polyvagal Theory offers a fresh perspective on how our nervous system shapes emotions and interactions.
By understanding its three states—ventral vagal (calm and connection), sympathetic (fight/flight), and dorsal vagal (shutdown)—we can respond to life’s challenges with greater awareness.
Enter glimmers: those fleeting sparks of safety and joy, like a child’s laugh or sunlight through the leaves, that signal to your nervous system, “You’re safe.” Noticing glimmers can gently guide you back to calm and connection, toning your nervous system over time.
Want to explore this transformative practice? Start today: pause, notice a moment of delight, and let it anchor you in the present. Glimmers may be small, but their impact is profound.
Sign up for the YogaRogueUK Advent Calendar 2024 for more insights and practices!
Published December 07, 2024
Polyvagal Theory 2:
An Introduction to The Underlying Principles
In this article we look at the three underlying principles of Polyvagal Theory:
- Neuroception: The subconscious process of detecting safety or danger in our environment, relationships, and body.
- Hierarchy of States: The nervous system moves between three states—ventral vagal (calm), sympathetic (fight/flight), and dorsal vagal (shutdown). Awareness helps us shift toward safety.
- Coregulation: Connection as a biological need, where positive interactions like a smile or kind word regulate the nervous system.
Understanding these principles helps us navigate stress, improve emotional regulation, and build resilience, even when managing chronic pain or fatigue.
✨ Sign up for the YogaRogueUK Advent Calendar 2024 for more insights and practices!
Article will be published December 04, 2024
Polyvagal Theory 1:
An Introduction to States
In this article we begin to look at Polyvagal Theory, a framework by Stephen Porges and developed by Deb Dana, that reveals how our nervous system shapes experiences of safety, stress, and connection.
This article, comes from Day 2 of the YogaRogueUK Advent Calendar 2024 and looks at:
- Ventral Vagal State: Calm, connection, and resilience.
- Sympathetic State: Fight-or-flight survival mode.
- Dorsal Vagal State: Shutdown and disconnection.
By understanding these states, we can build awareness, foster resilience, and enhance well-being.
✨ Sign up for the YogaRogueUK Advent Calendar 2024 for more insights and practices!
Article will be published December 02, 2024
Mindful Monday:
Embracing Confusion: A Mindful Path to Clarity and Creativity
Learn how to navigate confusion mindfully and transform it into clarity and creativity.
Explore practices like pausing, self-awareness, and mindfulness meditation to embrace confusion as a tool for growth and self-discovery.
We have 'Mindful Monday most weeks, exploring an emotion or experience.
This writing emerged from the exploration and discussion.
✨
November 24, 2024
Mindful Monday:
Embracing Droplets of Glee
Discover the transformative power of small, joyful moments; “droplets of glee.”
These subtle sparks of happiness, whether from a warm laugh, a beautiful leaf, or a fond memory, can shift your emotional and physical state, even in challenging times.
By practicing presence, building a “ventral vagal library” of uplifting moments, and embracing visualisation , you can invite lightness, resilience, and calm connection into your daily life.
Glee doesn’t have to be grand—it’s often found in the little things.
Pause, breathe, and welcome these droplets into your day. ✨
November 18, 2024
Passion and Purpose:
The Journey Continues
Passion and purpose matter—perhaps even more so when life’s challenges alter the path we thought we were on.
Chronic health conditions can shape-shift our lives, often impacting everything we do, the way we view ourselves, and the goals we once had.
They challenge us to reconsider, to slow down, and ultimately to transform.
When health becomes uncertain, it can feel like a loss of identity, direction, and dreams.
Yet within this shift lies the potential for deep, meaningful growth and rediscovery.
November 9, 2024
Embracing the Ebb and Flow of Self-Care:
Lessons from Our Morning Practice
As the seasons change, I’m reminded that self-care is always evolving.
Sometimes it requires rest and stillness; other times, it needs energy and joyful connection.
Our needs shift with life's rhythms, and true self-care is about honouring those changes.
How will you nourish yourself this season?
Listen closely and trust what feels right, moment by moment.
November 5, 2024
Finding Calm and Ease with Intentional Physiological Sighing
The physiological sigh—a double inhale followed by a long exhale—is a powerful tool for managing stress, overwhelm, and burnout.
By activating the parasympathetic nervous system, this simple breathing technique can help reduce anxiety, improve oxygen exchange, and regulate emotional states.
Whether you’re dealing with chronic fatigue, chronic pain, or daily stressors, incorporating the physiological sigh into your routine can enhance relaxation, support nervous system regulation, and promote overall well-being.
Start by practicing it daily, focusing on mindful breathing and awareness, to experience the benefits of this effective and natural stress-relief method.
August 26, 2024
The Power of a Sigh: Discovering Emotional Balance and Inner Calm
Have you ever taken a moment to notice your sighs during a busy day? Sighing may appear to be a simple act, but it serves as a powerful tool for emotional regulation and balancing the nervous system.
Here, we look into how various types of sighs, ranging from those of despair to those of contentment, act as indicators of our internal state.
By becoming attuned to these subtle cues and using them intentionally, we can enhance our self-awareness, manage our emotions more effectively, and navigate toward a calmer, more balanced nervous system.
Come and explore how harnessing the power of a sigh can truly support nervous system resilience.
August 25, 2024
Embracing Humility:
The Power of Accepting Help
Embracing Humility: The Power of Accepting Help
In life, we often face challenges—whether they are physical tasks, emotional struggles, or professional hurdles. A powerful lesson from my childhood taught me that true strength is found not in bearing burdens alone, but in having the humility to accept help when needed. This idea of balancing independence with interdependence is a key element of personal and community well-being.
Research shows that those who embrace humility and seek help not only cultivate stronger personal relationships but also feel more connected to their communities. It’s a reminder that vulnerability is a path to deeper connection, not weakness. By asking for support, we create a ripple effect of trust, gratitude, and shared strength that enriches both our lives and those of the people around us.
August 14, 2024
From Clinical Practice to Rediscovery:
A glimpse into a Doctor's Journey
Through Loss and Embodiment
This is a brief introduction of the transformative journey from being a medical professional to becoming a yoga teacher and embodiment coach.
There are themes of loss, rebirth, and the profound realisation and story offering hope and resilience, emphasising the potential for growth and discovery even in the face of personal upheavals.
This is for professionals in all fields, and I hope encourages you to see beyond roles and titles, and to fulfilment and identity in the continuous evolution of personal and professional lives.
Click the image to read on LinkedIn, or download above.
April 28, 2024
©Copyright. All rights reserved.
We need your consent to load the translations
We use a third-party service to translate the website content that may collect data about your activity. Please review the details in the privacy policy and accept the service to view the translations.