Nervous System Regulation · Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn · Reiki · Manifest Differently
Nervous System Regulation: Fight, Flight, Freeze and FawnA guide to what your body is doing, and how verbal Reiki can support it
Your nervous system is not working against you.
What is nervous system regulation?
Nervous system regulation is the ability to move flexibly between states: alert when the moment asks for it, relaxed when it doesn't, and able to come back to settled after stress. It isn't about feeling calm all the time. It is about having room to feel what you feel and return to yourself.
When that flexibility gets lost, people may describe feeling stuck in alarm, stuck in shutdown, or swinging between the two. That is often called being dysregulated, an informal term and not a diagnosis.
This page is a map of the territory. Each part has its own page for going deeper, and none of it is medical or clinical advice.
The four trauma responses
When the nervous system senses a threat, it tends to reach for one of four survival responses. They are often called trauma responses, though everyone has them.
Fight
Moving toward the threat: irritability, defensiveness, the urge to confront.
Read About Fight or FlightThe trauma therapist Pete Walker added fawn to the fight, flight and freeze model in his writing on complex trauma. People often move between these responses, sometimes within the same day.
Where am I right now?
A quick check-in. Offered as reflection and not as a prescription.
- Pause and take one slower breath than usual.
- Notice your body. Is it tight and buzzing, heavy and flat, or fairly steady?
- Name the closest state: revved up, shut down or settled.
- Notice what might help, such as slowing your exhale if you are revved up or a small movement if you are shut down.
- Let it be good enough, and check in again later.
For a fuller version, see the window of tolerance, which maps the three states in more detail.
The two sides of the nervous system
Underneath the four responses are two branches of your autonomic nervous system. The sympathetic side mobilizes you to act, like a gas pedal, and the parasympathetic side helps you rest and recover, like a brake. Fight and flight lean on the first. Rest and digest lean on the second.
For what each side does in the body, see sympathetic vs parasympathetic.
A note on polyvagal theory
You may come across polyvagal theory, developed by Stephen Porges. It describes the nervous system as shifting between states of safety and connection, mobilization, and shutdown, and it has shaped much of how people talk about trauma responses today.
It is an influential lens, and it also has its critics. I share it as one way of understanding what the body is doing, and not as settled science.
Signs your system is under strain
When a nervous system has carried a lot for a long time, people describe tension, exhaustion, numbness, brain fog, trouble sleeping and feeling easily triggered, among other things. These signs overlap with medical conditions, so if yours are severe, persistent or alarming, please see a doctor.
For a fuller list, see signs of a dysregulated nervous system.
Go deeper, one page at a time
Each of these goes into detail on one part of the map.
Where these patterns begin
The four responses describe what your body does. They do not explain why it learned to do it. Often the answer lies in the family and early experiences that shaped you, which I call core wounds.
If you want to look at where a pattern may have started, the core wounds page is the place to begin.
Where Reiki and verbal Reiki fit
Reiki is a gentle practice of energetic support, and many people experience it as deeply restful. I'm not claiming it treats or cures anything. I offer it as a complement, a way to give the body a quiet space to settle.
Verbal Reiki
I use my voice alongside the Reiki, guiding you through imagery and somatic awareness while the Reiki is held.
Slow and quiet
The pace is gentle, so your body can settle without being asked to perform or push.
In company
Settling often happens more easily alongside other people. In the Temple, the work is done in community.
Alongside care
Reiki can sit next to medical or therapeutic support. It never replaces it.
New to Reiki itself? What Is Reiki? explains it plainly.
Free activations to begin with
My Reiki for Healing and Nervous System playlist gathers free Reiki activations for the nervous system in one place. Find a quiet spot, choose one that feels right, and listen in a way that feels steady.
Reiki for Healing and Nervous System · Playlist
You can listen any time, and if you drift off along the way, let yourself. Receive only what feels right. Open the playlist on YouTube.
Where to go from here
Take whichever door feels steady, at your own pace.
The Ongoing Work
Walk it in the Temple of Mysteries
Temple of Mysteries is my ongoing home for this work, built on Inanna's descent. We move through the seven gates, releasing a layer at each one, including the survival responses we learned along the way. The shedding happens through verbal Reiki, in the company of a community walking it with you.
You also receive a library of every activation from my YouTube channel, plus member-only transmissions.
Enter the TempleNot sure where to start?
A short quiz that names the gate you are standing at right now.
Take the Gate QuizRead the story
The seven gates of Inanna's descent, and why I walk with her.
The Seven Gates of InannaFrequently asked questions
What is nervous system regulation?
Nervous system regulation is the ability to move flexibly between states of activation and rest, and to return to a settled state after stress. It is an informal term and not a clinical diagnosis.
What are the four trauma responses?
The four commonly named survival responses are fight, flight, freeze and fawn. Fight and flight mobilize the body, freeze stills it, and fawn moves toward other people to keep the peace. They are often called trauma responses, though anyone can have them.
Does having a trauma response mean I have trauma?
Not necessarily. These are normal survival responses that everyone has. They are often described in trauma work when they become automatic or stuck, and only a qualified professional can tell you what applies to you.
What does a dysregulated nervous system feel like?
People describe tension, a racing heart, exhaustion, numbness, brain fog, trouble sleeping and feeling easily triggered. It is an informal description and not a diagnosis, and many of these signs overlap with medical conditions.
How do I regulate my nervous system?
Many people find that rest, slower breathing, movement, warmth, safe relationships and gentle practices help the body settle. Change usually comes gradually, and if you are struggling, a trauma-informed therapist can offer support.
What is polyvagal theory?
Polyvagal theory, developed by Stephen Porges, is one popular way of describing how the nervous system shifts between states of safety, mobilization and shutdown. It is influential, and it also has its critics.
Can Reiki support nervous system regulation?
Reiki is a complementary practice that many people find deeply restful, and it can offer the body a quiet space to settle. It does not treat or cure any condition and is not a substitute for medical or mental health care.
Guided by Carissa Andrews, Reiki Master and lineage holder.
Reiki is a complementary practice and not a substitute for medical or mental health care. No specific outcomes are promised or guaranteed. This page is educational and is not therapy or clinical advice.