Perceiving Our Bodies as Spaceships
Posted by Margarita Navarrete-Hutchinson on Monday, January 22, 2018 Under: Mind
I self-published Your Body is a Spaceship, in 2014, which applies the Pressure Rainbow to emotional states, in addition to being a way of communicating physically perceived pressure.
The analogy puts the conscious mind as the "navigator" and our bodies, being the vessels we inhabit, our "spaceships."
There is a finite amount of energy available to each vessel.
When a vessel is navigating through "safe" space, it's protective systems are not engaged--thus more resources are available to the immune system to maintain/repair/restore the ship.
When our systems perceive a threat (which could be triggered by something as simple as an opinion, even when we ARE actually safe), our resources are redirected as our protective systems are engaged--which suppresses immune function, and our vessels become more susceptible to stress/pressure.
Any kind of prolonged excited state, while not being the result of an unpleasant threat, could deplete the resources available to the immune system. That's why "happy/good" stress can be just as taxing on the system "uncomfortable/bad" stress. To our vessels, it's all an increase of pressure--blood pressure, heart rate, adrenaline release--that can deplete not just our own vessels, but the vessels we come into contact with, too.
Have you ever experienced feeling worn out after interacting with an intensely happy, high energy individual? Alternately, have you experienced feeling a burst of energy while interacting with the same persona? How about feeling down after interacting with a depressed person, or anxious after exposure to an angry person?
(The funny part, to me, is that it is our *perception* of the other person that triggers the response, paired with our perception of ourselves, in addition to the variety of variables that can affect how we perceive others; even moreso sometimes than the individual's "actual" state--like maybe we think someone is upset, but in actuality are not, but due to our perceiving them as "upset" our vessels react/respond as if we are interacting with an "upset" person...it's another article in itself...)
Our emotional states and reactions affect the people in our proximity, just as theirs can affect us; it takes mindfulness and conscious practice to perceive it, and even moreso to NOT be affected--to consciously choose to our emotional states.
If we cannot, and our vessels' protective systems continue on alert, we may need to navigate away from that space/environment and/or spaceships/people. Or shift our perception of the situation/person....
Thus, the Pressure Rainbow helps keep us "safe," as we better understand how our bodies/vessels are perceiving pressure, in whatever space/setting/environment we are in. As we listen to our bodies, we can more readily make the necessary changes we need to make; so then our spaceships acknowledge that we are "safe" and our resources continue bolstering our immune systems.
As we practice perceiving pressure on our systems, we become more attuned to our emotional states, and can be more proactive in our self-care. Less neurological stress results in a more relaxed system: disengaged muscles vs. muscles engaged and ready for action, and a stronger immune system vs. a depleted immune system.
Stress isn't "bad"; exposing ourselves to safe stressors, like challenging ourselves with chosen, novel experiences or pushing our bodies through exercise, helps us condition our bodies to more readily cope with higher levels of pressure--resulting in a vessel that is less likely to perceive "danger" when there is none, and remain calmer when there is actual danger, so that we can better think of solutions instead of just reacting/freaking out.
On my journey in this vessel I have realized that I can choose to feel gratitude, to the person/situation that triggered my alert system, for being challenged; and granting me the opportunity to practice choosing/maintaining my emotional space. When my spaceship is shaken up, I can feel gratitude for the opportunity to practice recovering and returning to my "safe" space.
That gratitude is a fabulous tool on this wonderful voyage we are enjoying. The benefits/virtues of gratitude I shall save for another article.
May we all navigate our vessels with kindness and authenticity.
The analogy puts the conscious mind as the "navigator" and our bodies, being the vessels we inhabit, our "spaceships."
There is a finite amount of energy available to each vessel.
When a vessel is navigating through "safe" space, it's protective systems are not engaged--thus more resources are available to the immune system to maintain/repair/restore the ship.
When our systems perceive a threat (which could be triggered by something as simple as an opinion, even when we ARE actually safe), our resources are redirected as our protective systems are engaged--which suppresses immune function, and our vessels become more susceptible to stress/pressure.
Any kind of prolonged excited state, while not being the result of an unpleasant threat, could deplete the resources available to the immune system. That's why "happy/good" stress can be just as taxing on the system "uncomfortable/bad" stress. To our vessels, it's all an increase of pressure--blood pressure, heart rate, adrenaline release--that can deplete not just our own vessels, but the vessels we come into contact with, too.
Have you ever experienced feeling worn out after interacting with an intensely happy, high energy individual? Alternately, have you experienced feeling a burst of energy while interacting with the same persona? How about feeling down after interacting with a depressed person, or anxious after exposure to an angry person?
(The funny part, to me, is that it is our *perception* of the other person that triggers the response, paired with our perception of ourselves, in addition to the variety of variables that can affect how we perceive others; even moreso sometimes than the individual's "actual" state--like maybe we think someone is upset, but in actuality are not, but due to our perceiving them as "upset" our vessels react/respond as if we are interacting with an "upset" person...it's another article in itself...)
Our emotional states and reactions affect the people in our proximity, just as theirs can affect us; it takes mindfulness and conscious practice to perceive it, and even moreso to NOT be affected--to consciously choose to our emotional states.
If we cannot, and our vessels' protective systems continue on alert, we may need to navigate away from that space/environment and/or spaceships/people. Or shift our perception of the situation/person....
Thus, the Pressure Rainbow helps keep us "safe," as we better understand how our bodies/vessels are perceiving pressure, in whatever space/setting/environment we are in. As we listen to our bodies, we can more readily make the necessary changes we need to make; so then our spaceships acknowledge that we are "safe" and our resources continue bolstering our immune systems.
As we practice perceiving pressure on our systems, we become more attuned to our emotional states, and can be more proactive in our self-care. Less neurological stress results in a more relaxed system: disengaged muscles vs. muscles engaged and ready for action, and a stronger immune system vs. a depleted immune system.
Stress isn't "bad"; exposing ourselves to safe stressors, like challenging ourselves with chosen, novel experiences or pushing our bodies through exercise, helps us condition our bodies to more readily cope with higher levels of pressure--resulting in a vessel that is less likely to perceive "danger" when there is none, and remain calmer when there is actual danger, so that we can better think of solutions instead of just reacting/freaking out.
On my journey in this vessel I have realized that I can choose to feel gratitude, to the person/situation that triggered my alert system, for being challenged; and granting me the opportunity to practice choosing/maintaining my emotional space. When my spaceship is shaken up, I can feel gratitude for the opportunity to practice recovering and returning to my "safe" space.
That gratitude is a fabulous tool on this wonderful voyage we are enjoying. The benefits/virtues of gratitude I shall save for another article.
May we all navigate our vessels with kindness and authenticity.
In : Mind
Tags: pressure stress coping tools perception
Sharing tools that assist us, as we figure out the "Humanning," help us on the journey of life, together.
If my insights may be of service to others, I am grateful for the opportunity to share.
May they serve you well.
