Another way to self-regulate our autonomic nervous system is to do the exercises in this book. A host of other practices from cultures and traditions around the world have been used for centuries with good effect: meditation, tai chi, and yogic breathing (pranayama), to name a few. When we meditate, we sit still, overcoming any impulse to fight or run. We also learn to keep awake, avoiding the tendency to withdraw and dissociate. When we do tai chi, we move slowly, simulating the movements of a very relaxed state. Moving slowly also makes it easier to sense our body and to be present in it.
