Covid Brain and the Enneagram
Just a few months ago many of us were experiencing relief and joy as we began to resurface from lockdown, meeting face to face, heading towards a ‘new normal’ and summer breaks, a sense of “let’s get out and do everything we want to do”. Now, as we come to that place of transition as we slip from summer into autumn, in tune with the academic year everything ramps up, the world is trying to make up for lost time.
We are coming into this new season with ‘Covid’ brain, with a new set of feelings and anxieties - after 18 months of pandemic and lockdowns some of us are observing how we can be more distracted, unfocused, overwhelmed and lose the plot of a simple task. Trauma, uncertainty, and isolation takes it toll together with current messages on keeping safe.
Our brains and bodies are tired and recalibrating new circumstances is a challenge and we rely on our ‘surge capacity’, a collection of adaptive systems both physical and mental, for short term survival in acutely stressful situations. The response can only keep us going so long and eventually we deplete our surge capacity so we need a break to recharge.
How did your summer go? Did it provide the recovery and recharging of batteries you needed? What did your soul need most, and did you get it? Was the summer enough to fill your tanks and depleted soul? We all rest in different ways and need a long-term view for this ‘Covid marathon’.
What is your prescription that can bring kindnesses to your soul?
I have been reflecting on the need for all to have a break, space that we need for recovery from the pandemic as the world reopens and not to rush in and ‘binge’. For me summer has been full on, intense and busy with lots of good things but I absorb the emotion around me both global and personal and it is a draining experience. I am so aware, after the solitude of lockdown, how important it is for me to carve out time for contemplation, stillness and breathe work and know that, after a busy time, we do have to consciously seek space to restore ourselves to presence and grounding.
We all rest in different ways, but what does intentional rest look like that balances our core motivations and individual needs?
We are all taking in so much information, social media and the FOMO (fear of missing out). At the end of a working day watching box sets , for example, can help but we can still feel tired and unrefreshed having not done the things our body needs.
Create some space for soul care, including taking time to rest, replenish and discover things that breathe life into your soul that will have lasting impact with our everyday rhythms of life.
Here are some ideas of Nine types of soul rest: -
One – time away is not always possible but time to find space in nature and permission to put the do list to one side and relaxing the need to be continuously active and embrace uncertainty as an adventure.
Two – allow yourself to care for your own joys and things you love without being helpful and pulling into yourself rather than extending your thoughts and energy to others.
Three - how do you rest and fill your soul with joy with urge for forward movement in mind and body? Do tasks without an end goal and discover things which you might not be good at simply for fun.
Four – filling your soul might mean feeling okay and being grateful with how things are just as they are and finding space to make a connection to arts and nature.
Five - grounding yourself in your body to access vitality, inner resource and reserves and use solitude to recharge, not thinking very much about anything and enjoy peace of mind and heart.
Six - true courage means knowing when to act and when not too, give yourself a break from responsibility and give your active mind a rest, filling your soul taking wonderful walks and enjoy nature.
Seven – slow down how quickly you move, walk, and talk and find stillness to decompress and being grounded find a sense of freedom, delight and joy in what is and what’s possible.
Eight - find a safe, beautiful space that nourishes you while allowing yourself to let go of the need to save people and situations for a while.
Nine – soul rest is being awake to what’s important for you, respecting own feelings, thoughts, and desires whatever the responses of others. Alone time with own agenda.
Jill Foulger. Some ideas from ‘Wild at Heart’ podcast and Surge Capacity from Amy Cuddy in ‘The Washington Post’
Just a few months ago many of us were experiencing relief and joy as we began to resurface from lockdown, meeting face to face, heading towards a ‘new normal’ and summer breaks, a sense of “let’s get out and do everything we want to do”. Now, as we come to that place of transition as we slip from summer into autumn, in tune with the academic year everything ramps up, the world is trying to make up for lost time.
We are coming into this new season with ‘Covid’ brain, with a new set of feelings and anxieties - after 18 months of pandemic and lockdowns some of us are observing how we can be more distracted, unfocused, overwhelmed and lose the plot of a simple task. Trauma, uncertainty, and isolation takes it toll together with current messages on keeping safe.
Our brains and bodies are tired and recalibrating new circumstances is a challenge and we rely on our ‘surge capacity’, a collection of adaptive systems both physical and mental, for short term survival in acutely stressful situations. The response can only keep us going so long and eventually we deplete our surge capacity so we need a break to recharge.
How did your summer go? Did it provide the recovery and recharging of batteries you needed? What did your soul need most, and did you get it? Was the summer enough to fill your tanks and depleted soul? We all rest in different ways and need a long-term view for this ‘Covid marathon’.
What is your prescription that can bring kindnesses to your soul?
I have been reflecting on the need for all to have a break, space that we need for recovery from the pandemic as the world reopens and not to rush in and ‘binge’. For me summer has been full on, intense and busy with lots of good things but I absorb the emotion around me both global and personal and it is a draining experience. I am so aware, after the solitude of lockdown, how important it is for me to carve out time for contemplation, stillness and breathe work and know that, after a busy time, we do have to consciously seek space to restore ourselves to presence and grounding.
We all rest in different ways, but what does intentional rest look like that balances our core motivations and individual needs?
We are all taking in so much information, social media and the FOMO (fear of missing out). At the end of a working day watching box sets , for example, can help but we can still feel tired and unrefreshed having not done the things our body needs.
Create some space for soul care, including taking time to rest, replenish and discover things that breathe life into your soul that will have lasting impact with our everyday rhythms of life.
Here are some ideas of Nine types of soul rest: -
One – time away is not always possible but time to find space in nature and permission to put the do list to one side and relaxing the need to be continuously active and embrace uncertainty as an adventure.
Two – allow yourself to care for your own joys and things you love without being helpful and pulling into yourself rather than extending your thoughts and energy to others.
Three - how do you rest and fill your soul with joy with urge for forward movement in mind and body? Do tasks without an end goal and discover things which you might not be good at simply for fun.
Four – filling your soul might mean feeling okay and being grateful with how things are just as they are and finding space to make a connection to arts and nature.
Five - grounding yourself in your body to access vitality, inner resource and reserves and use solitude to recharge, not thinking very much about anything and enjoy peace of mind and heart.
Six - true courage means knowing when to act and when not too, give yourself a break from responsibility and give your active mind a rest, filling your soul taking wonderful walks and enjoy nature.
Seven – slow down how quickly you move, walk, and talk and find stillness to decompress and being grounded find a sense of freedom, delight and joy in what is and what’s possible.
Eight - find a safe, beautiful space that nourishes you while allowing yourself to let go of the need to save people and situations for a while.
Nine – soul rest is being awake to what’s important for you, respecting own feelings, thoughts, and desires whatever the responses of others. Alone time with own agenda.
Jill Foulger. Some ideas from ‘Wild at Heart’ podcast and Surge Capacity from Amy Cuddy in ‘The Washington Post’
The Polyvagal Theory and The Enneagram
This is a brief introduction to Polyvagal Theory by Stephen Porges which is a fascinating explanation of how our body handles emotional stress. This feels pertinent when our lives have been impacted by the Covid pandemic and the increased amounts of stress. As Enneagram practitioners, we are aware of the importance of the mind/body connection to help observe our internal self and listen to the signals our body sends out about pain, discomfort or imbalance.
Polyvagal Theory describes the ways that our stress-response system works on a biological level. It teaches that we have evolved to default first to “fight or flight” mode, and then, if that doesn’t work, move into freeze mode, elicited by our more primitive brain. The Vagus nerve plays a central part in regulating our emotional and physical health and counterbalances the fight or flight system by triggering a relaxation response in our body. It runs from the brain through the face and thorax to the abdomen and 80% of the fibres are sensory, which means it is giving critical information on the body’s wellbeing.
The Autonomic Ladder by D Dana (below) illustrates the Polyvagal Theory.
We work our way up and down this ladder all the time in small and large shifts and not unlike our shifts along the connection lines in the Enneagram. The ladder is dynamic, moving between emotional states and knowing where you are on this ladder helps us make conscious choices and encourages flexibility in those shifts.
The theory describes how the autonomic nervous system evolved into three parts:
Ventral Vagal. Safe and connected. Can be described as connected, warm, open-hearted, curious, compassion, joy, engaged, flow, capable, organised, present, passionate, at ease. The green light for normal life.
Sympathetic. Fight/ flight /mobilisation. Survival strategy response and assessing danger. Can be described as out of control, overwhelming, angry, confrontational, ready to run, anxiety, worry, fear, and panic.
Dorsal Vagal. Freeze/immobilized/ shutdown. Our emergency survival state can be described as feeling hopeless, stuck, shut down, disconnected, out of focus, cold, numb, silent, dark, foggy, conserving energy, depression, dissociate.
The different parts work together in optimal balance and rhythm regulating energy to create a healthy ‘vagal tone’ that allows us to respond with resilience to the ups and downs of life. How safe and connected or fearful and shut down we feel depends on which system is activated. The key goal is to learn what it feels like when we are in Ventral Vagal, the safe and connected state, and what we need to do when we leave this place of connection and activate a different state. This may mean we move out of flight/fight or shutdown mode and back into the safe and connected state.
At times we spend more time further down the ladder and have a harder time “climbing” up. Our aim is to avoid rigid response patterns so if we leave our connected state and we can begin to recover more easily from stress rather than feeling stuck in a difficult place.
How do we develop flexibility and resilience? If we can stimulate the Ventral Vagal it triggers a relaxation response in our bodies which is calming and de-stressing. We can regulate the functioning of the Vagus nerve and come ‘up the ladder’ by altering the rhythm of breathing and by movement.
The moment we anticipate stress in any form, most of us tend to stop breathing and hold our breath. Breath holding activates the fight/flight/freeze response; it tends to increase the sensation of pain, stiffness, anxiety, or fear.
We should aim to breathe more slowly (aim for six breaths per minute) and more deeply, from the belly. Think about expanding your abdomen and widening your rib cage as you inhale. Exhale longer than you inhale. It’s the exhale that triggers the relaxation response and brings more Ventral Vagal energy into the system- like a ‘sigh’, an intentional ‘sigh’. The Enneagram provides a unique illustration of how each personality responds to stress differently and Peter O’Hanrahan has specific conscious breathing practices for each Enneagram type.
Refer to www./theenneagramatwork.com/conscious-breathing-practices.
In addition, introducing body movement is a great way to reconnect the body and mind into the present moment and can include stretching, big breaths, laughter, touching another (connection), massage, practicing mindful body awareness, and yoga.
The Polyvagal Theory supports the transformational work we are already doing with the Enneagram through our current embodiment and conscious relationship with the instincts and the centres of intelligence. The theory enhances how we can bring our wisdom, our personality type insights and awareness in our bodies and integrate these aspects of ourselves.
Jill Foulger
The Ancient Art of Walking. A restorative and natural response to stress.
During lockdown many of us are rediscovering one of the most instinctual actions of our bodies, walking! An activity we mostly don’t think about unless we can’t walk and yet now many of us are finding the simple joy and restorative power of walking, alone or with a companion in as natural environment as we can find. We were designed and created to walk and all the holistic benefits we experience as a result.
In lockdown whether isolated or locked up with family we are carrying new levels of ‘free floating anxiety’, which isn’t surprising.
The whole of our landscape has changed, our whole world has been shaken, those things we took for granted have turned on their axes, we have lost many of our freedoms and all is shrouded in a cloak of fear; wear a mask, keep your distance, and wash your hands. The horror of the pandemic which has been unleashed in our communities and continuing announcing of the death toll on 24 hours of news has a flavour of a medieval drama.
All these triggers can activate body’s stress response, we are alert for danger; tension, increased heart rate, butterflies in stomach… our body responds with a cocktail of chemicals designed for a short duration for us to assess the threat and respond so we can fight if we are too weak to fight , flight, if too slow to run – freeze – this state is not designed for prolonged periods and we need to allow our bodies to recover and return to safe state. Often, we just live with a constant state of alert, so we need to ‘drain’ the stress off.
Movement is medicine, as we walk and talk, we are using an ancient energy, and ‘draining’ off the stress is by getting into our bodies, literally walking .We have always depended on each other, the group for survival. A connection even 2 metres apart helps us to shift from an anxious state into something more calming, communal walking with a friend – feels safe and feel-good chemicals are released.
It can allow more perspective on the present moment, mindful of our current experience and the movement loosens us up, allows for reflection and self-discovery as we move sharing stories , as our narrative flows we can receive new insights, clarity, and ideas. Neuroscience research tells us if we think of something positive for 15 seconds it can change our mood.
Japan is known for healthy lifestyles and longevity. They have developed ‘Forest Therapy’ a practice of spending time in forested areas for the purpose of enhancing health, wellness and happiness.
Japanese go on forest bathing trips, ‘Shinrin-Yoku forests’, dedicated woods where people go to walk and immerse themselves in the embrace of the woods, commune with nature and bath in the healing microbes and phytoncides that flow from plants , soil, and trees.
All this sounds like we are going ‘back to the beginning’ , to walk, that most basic and simplest of human activity, yet is’ profound in its impact.
T S Elliot writes:
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Jill Foulger
During lockdown many of us are rediscovering one of the most instinctual actions of our bodies, walking! An activity we mostly don’t think about unless we can’t walk and yet now many of us are finding the simple joy and restorative power of walking, alone or with a companion in as natural environment as we can find. We were designed and created to walk and all the holistic benefits we experience as a result.
In lockdown whether isolated or locked up with family we are carrying new levels of ‘free floating anxiety’, which isn’t surprising.
The whole of our landscape has changed, our whole world has been shaken, those things we took for granted have turned on their axes, we have lost many of our freedoms and all is shrouded in a cloak of fear; wear a mask, keep your distance, and wash your hands. The horror of the pandemic which has been unleashed in our communities and continuing announcing of the death toll on 24 hours of news has a flavour of a medieval drama.
All these triggers can activate body’s stress response, we are alert for danger; tension, increased heart rate, butterflies in stomach… our body responds with a cocktail of chemicals designed for a short duration for us to assess the threat and respond so we can fight if we are too weak to fight , flight, if too slow to run – freeze – this state is not designed for prolonged periods and we need to allow our bodies to recover and return to safe state. Often, we just live with a constant state of alert, so we need to ‘drain’ the stress off.
Movement is medicine, as we walk and talk, we are using an ancient energy, and ‘draining’ off the stress is by getting into our bodies, literally walking .We have always depended on each other, the group for survival. A connection even 2 metres apart helps us to shift from an anxious state into something more calming, communal walking with a friend – feels safe and feel-good chemicals are released.
It can allow more perspective on the present moment, mindful of our current experience and the movement loosens us up, allows for reflection and self-discovery as we move sharing stories , as our narrative flows we can receive new insights, clarity, and ideas. Neuroscience research tells us if we think of something positive for 15 seconds it can change our mood.
Japan is known for healthy lifestyles and longevity. They have developed ‘Forest Therapy’ a practice of spending time in forested areas for the purpose of enhancing health, wellness and happiness.
Japanese go on forest bathing trips, ‘Shinrin-Yoku forests’, dedicated woods where people go to walk and immerse themselves in the embrace of the woods, commune with nature and bath in the healing microbes and phytoncides that flow from plants , soil, and trees.
All this sounds like we are going ‘back to the beginning’ , to walk, that most basic and simplest of human activity, yet is’ profound in its impact.
T S Elliot writes:
We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.
Jill Foulger