What is CORE?

Breathing offers a direct means to influence the autonomic nervous system, allowing us to consciously shift our physiological state. Slow, deep, and rhythmic breathing, especially diaphragmatic breathing, activates the parasympathetic nervous system by stimulating the vagus nerve. This process signals the brain to reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure, and decrease stress hormones, fostering a calming “rest and digest” response and promoting overall relaxation.

Conversely, rapid, shallow breathing can stimulate the sympathetic “fight or flight” system, increasing alertness and energy. While useful for short bursts of focus or action, sustained shallow breathing can perpetuate a heightened state of arousal, contributing to chronic stress.

Certain forceful breathing techniques can be used to teach us how to find regulation through finding calmness in the middle of an upregulated nervous system. We create the upregulation in a safe, comfortable environment, and then we can use that as a blueprint for staying calm under pressure, teaching our nervous system how to do this. These techniques can also intentionally upregulate the nervous system for increased energy.

By understanding and manipulating these breath patterns, individuals gain the ability to consciously regulate their internal state, enhancing both resilience and well-being.

Heart coherence is an optimal state where the heart, brain, and nervous system synchronize, reflected in a smooth, balanced heart rhythm (Heart Rate Variability). This physiological harmony, primarily mediated by the vagus nerve, enhances emotional regulation, mental clarity, and resilience, while significantly reducing stress and anxiety.

The HeartMath Institute is a key leader in this field, providing tools and techniques to achieve coherence. Their methods are adopted by diverse organizations, including healthcare systems (e.g., Kaiser Permanente, Baptist Health), corporate businesses, sports teams (e.g., NFL, NBA, Olympians), and educational institutions, all aiming to improve well-being, performance, and stress management.

We can’t truly be regulated, focused, or grounded if we leave the body behind.

The body is not just a vehicle for the mind — it is the ground of our experience. In somatics, the “body” refers to the living, felt sense of our inner landscape — where thoughts, emotions, and past experiences are woven into posture, tension patterns, and movement habits.

When we disconnect from the body, we lose access to the very signals and resources that guide regulation, clarity, and presence. The body holds the keys to self-regulation because it is where our nervous system operates — where safety or threat is sensed, and where survival energy is stored or released.

Somatic practices invite us back into this internal world. Through mindful movement, breath, and felt awareness, they help us listen to the body’s messages, release chronic tension, and re-educate the nervous system. The result is greater physical freedom, emotional resilience, and the ability to stay focused, calm, and connected — because we are inhabiting ourselves fully.