安 Taming the Tiger, Waking the Possum

Introduction Welcome to Taming the Tiger VT!

Acupuncture Acupuncture has been around for about 4000 years and is an effective and painless (really) way to deal with stress. It involves inserting very small needles into acupuncture points and can be as simple and quick as five needles in the ear (NADA protocol). […]

Swimming Swimming triggers the “mammalian diving reflex”, lowers our heart rate, blood pressure, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and makes us feel calm and regulated. It also decreases vasopressin, or anti-diuretic hormone, which drives the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, and […]

Hand Holding Talk about ancient. Hand holding has very dramatic effects on brain function. It turns our frontal lobes and reasoning center on, and shuts down the limbic system along with our emotional reactions. If we do it with someone we love it shuts down […]

Dancing Dancing is a very simple and traditional means of socially interacting, as well as a great way to just have fun. Science has recently shown that it can effect the hormone levels of both cortisol and testosterone, the stress and power hormones, and effect […]

Singing Now we’re talking, well, actually singing. Singing can help calm our brains and bodies, and once again help us to engage with others. A Swedish study found that singing in moderate tones can help us synchronize our breathing with others, and regulate our heart […]

Meditation Many meditation practices involve focusing on the breath. This can be challenging for some people and may require substantial practice to achieve. Guided meditation involves focusing attention on images and guided thoughts. It does not require a great deal of practice to be beneficial. A […]

Breathing Breathing involves slowing down and regulating our hearts, which then sends a signal to the brain that all is well. Breathing is the only autonomic activity that we can consciously control. It is a very ancient practice that has been used by religious and […]

Power Posing Power posing involves standing or sitting in high (versus low) power positions for a few minutes. It is a recent technique developed by Amy Cuddy that changes our sense of confidence and improves our presentation and effect on others. It decreases the level […]

Tapping Tapping involves tapping on acupressure points, while making a positive statement. It is an ancient technique that has been used for thousands of years for calming the mind, and alleviating distress. It calms the limbic or emotional response of our brain, changes the electrical […]