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Practice Guide: Restoring Balance Through Dhikr and Somatic Awareness
This guide supports the physiological understanding of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) by offering simple, embodied practices to restore parasympathetic tone and soften the dominance of left-brain, sympathetic overdrive.
1. Orienting the System (60 second)
Purpose: Bring awareness to the here and now, signalling safety to the midbrain and vagus nerve.
🟢 Do this anytime you feel overwhelmed or ungrounded.
Practice:
- Gently let your eyes scan the room or landscape.
- Name (silently or aloud) three things you see, hear, and physically feel.
- Turn your head slightly left and right, pausing when you feel drawn to one side.
- Let the breath slow naturally.
🌀 “I am here. I am now. Nothing is threatening.”
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2. Parasympathetic Breath (2–5 minutes)
Purpose: Shift from sympathetic dominance to rest, repair, reorganise.
Practice:
- Sit or lie in a comfortable position.
- Inhale softly through the nose for a count of 4.
- Exhale gently through the mouth for a count of 6 or 8.
- Pause briefly before the next inhale.
- Repeat for several minutes, allowing your body to settle.
🔁 “Inhale: I receive. Exhale: I release.”
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3. Dhikr-Based Remembrance (5–10 minutes)
Purpose: Use rhythmic repetition to quiet the left brain and awaken deep coherence.
Choose a word or phrase that feels resonant, sacred, or grounding:
- La ilaha illallah
- Om shanti
- God, God, God
- I am that I am
- Peace. Peace. Peace.
- A phrase/mantra that is comfortable for you
Practice:
- Sit in stillness, spine upright.
- Inhale slowly.
- On the exhale, repeat your chosen phrase softly or internally.
- Synchronise breath and phrase.
- When distracted, gently return to the phrase without judgement.
✨ Let repetition become rhythm, and rhythm become rest.
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4. Yin Posture with Breath (optional, 3–5 minutes)
Purpose: Add a somatic anchor for parasympathetic activation.
Practice:
- Sit or lie down. Place your hands over your lower belly or heart.
- Allow hands to be on your heart, or your thighs if sitting
- Let the weight of your hands soothe and stabilise.
- Allow the breath to fill under your palms.
- Stay connected to the physical sensation of warmth and support.
🪶 “This is where I rest. This is where I remember.”
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5. Integration and Closure (1 minute)
Purpose: Transition gently from practice to activity, maintaining coherence.
Practice:
- Place both hands on your chest or sternum.
- Whisper a word of gratitude or affirmation.
- Notice how your breath and body feel.
- Move slowly. Re-enter the day without haste.
🪷 “I return not just to doing, but to being.”
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Daily Application Suggestions
| Situation | Practice | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Before sleep | Parasympathetic Breath + Dhikr | 5–10 min |
| Morning routine | Orientation + Short Dhikr | 3–5 min |
| During stress | Orienting + Breath | 1–3 min |
| As integration | Yin posture + Repetition | 2–5 min |
🌿 Final Note
These practices are not about dogma or belief — they are physiological re-tunings, restoring the natural rhythms of the body. When done regularly, they repattern the nervous system to recognise safety, coherence, and deeper awareness.