Building Resilience Through Somatic Intelligence

You miss your bus and you're late for your first class of the day. You spill your coffee on your laptop while doing your accounting. You pull your backpack out of your friend's car (while she's waiting for you to jump out) and all of the contents spill out onto the street in busy traffic. @*#! happens.

These unexpected moments send a jolt through your nervous system—a rush of adrenaline designed to prepare your body for "fight or flight," our natural response to perceived danger. But when adrenaline surges every time something goes wrong, it can wear down your ability to cope, making it even harder to recover from future challenges.

The good news? You can strengthen your body-based somatic intelligence to quickly respond to and recover from stress. Somatic intelligence is understanding how your body reacts to difficulty and using that awareness to support yourself. Life will always bring moments of adversity, but by cultivating somatic intelligence, you can navigate them with greater ease.

In her book, Resilience: Powerful Practices for Bouncing Back from Disappointment, Difficulty, and Even Disaster, the author Linda Graham explores the resources we have within us to build resilience. While resilience involves emotional intelligence, developing somatic intelligence is foundational. Without it, engaging in other resilience practices becomes more difficult.

Supporting our somatic intelligence means learning to regulate our nervous system through body-based practices that help us maintain a sense of safety. We can use our yoga practice to develop these techniques; helping us to become better equipped for resilience and growth.

Here are five simple, science-backed practices you can use on your mat, (outlined in her book) to strengthen somatic intelligence:

1. Breathing: To breathe is to be alive. Every inhalation activates the sympathetic nervous system slightly (or intensely, if you hyperventilate), while every exhalation engages the parasympathetic system (which can even cause fainting in extreme fear). Your breath naturally cycles between energizing and relaxing you.
   

   You can harness this rhythm to regulate your nervous system. Simply pause and bring your awareness to your breath. Notice where you feel it most—at your nostrils, in your throat, or with the rise and fall of your chest or belly. Take a moment to appreciate the breath that sustains you, moment after moment.
   

2. Deep Sigh: A deep sigh is a built-in reset for your nervous system. Breathing in fully and exhaling deeply (with a longer exhale) shifts the body from an over-activated sympathetic state into a more balanced parasympathetic state.
   

   Even in difficult moments, pairing frustration with a sigh can shift your physiology toward relief, helping you respond more calmly and wisely.

   
   

3. Touch: Safe, warm touch activates the release of oxytocin—the "tend and befriend" hormone, which counters the effects of cortisol, the stress hormone.

   
   

   Oxytocin is part of our brain-body social engagement system, which is crucial for well-being and safety. Because human connection is so vital, touch, proximity, and eye contact create a visceral sense of reassurance that says, "Everything is okay."

   
   

4. Hand on the Heart: Research shows that placing your hand over your heart while breathing gently can calm both body and mind. Even recalling a moment of feeling safe with another person can trigger oxytocin release, reinforcing a sense of safety and trust.

   
   

   How:

   • Place your hand on your heart and breathe softly and deeply.

   • Recall one moment when you felt safe, loved, or cherished—by a partner, child, friend, teacher, or even a pet.

   • Savor the feeling of that moment for 20-30 seconds.

   • Repeat frequently to strengthen your neural pathways for resilience, and use this practice whenever you feel unsettled.

     
     

5. Movement: Shifting your posture shifts your physiology, which in turn affects your emotions and mood.

   
   

   Research suggests that standing in a confident pose—hands on hips, chest open, head high—can reduce feelings of fear or anxiety. Yoga poses, especially those associated with strength and balance (warrior and mountain pose, for example), can enhance confidence even more.

   
   

   If you're feeling fear, anger, sadness, or frustration, try changing your posture to reflect the emotional state you want to cultivate.

There are many more practices outlined in Resilience that can help you calm your body, restore balance, and build a deeper sense of safety. By integrating these tools into daily life, you strengthen your ability to navigate difficulties with grace.

Resilience isn't just about bouncing back; it's about learning to trust that you can. And that trust—your ability to soothe yourself in the face of setbacks—is where true resilience begins.