Finding Glimmers: A Nervous System Regulating Practice

Many of our nervous systems become very skilled at scanning for danger. This is not a flaw. It is a protective response that develops when life has required us to stay alert. But when the nervous system spends most of its time looking for what might go wrong, it can begin to overlook the signals of safety that are also present.

This session introduces the concept of glimmers. These are small moments, usually sensory experiences, that signal safety to the nervous system. They might be simple things like warmth, supportive contact with the ground, pleasant sounds, or a brief sense of ease in the body.

This practice helps you gently train your attention to notice moments when your body receives the message that, right now, you are safe.
Over time, intentionally noticing these moments can help your nervous system become more flexible, settled, and responsive.

Transcript

Today, I want to introduce a concept called glimmers and guide you through a simple practice that you can use to start noticing them more intentionally in your life. You can think of this as a short teaching paired with a guided reflection or a practice that you can use regularly with or without the recording. Before we begin, Take a moment to get comfortable. You can sit, Lie down, Or simply pause wherever you are. There's nothing you need to change or fix right now. Try your best to get comfortable and notice how your body feels in this moment. Now pay attention to your breathing as you breathe in and out. Glimmers are small moments that signal safety to the nervous system. Simple ordinary things, Usually a sensory experience that tells us that in this moment everything is okay. The warmth of sunlight on your skin, A friendly smile from someone passing by, The sound of rain outside, A pet resting beside you or purring on your lap. They are brief moments where something in the body settles, Softens, Or feels just a little bit easier. Often they pass by quickly. Sometimes we don't notice them at all, Usually because our minds are on something we have to do, Something in the future that we're thinking about, Something in the past that we're replaying in our minds. And that's not a failure on our part. That's simply how our nervous systems work. We are designed to scan for danger. That is a protective mechanism that has allowed humans to stay safe for a very long time. When life has been stressful, Overwhelming, Or unpredictable, The system can become especially skilled at detecting what might go wrong. It becomes very good at noticing potential threats. But something interesting happens over time. When our nervous systems spend a lot of time scanning for danger, They start to overlook the signals of safety that are also present. Not because safety isn't there in that moment, But because the system has simply become very practiced at looking in one direction. A glimmer's practice gently helps you retrain your nervous system to notice the other directions as well. A glimmer practice is not about pretending things are fine when they are not. It's not about gratitude or forcing positivity. And it's not about convincing yourself to feel grateful or happy. These approaches feel forced because they ask the mind to override what the body is feeling and they can actually backfire and make us feel less safe because we are trying to convince ourselves that we don't feel the way that we feel. A glimmer is different. It is simply drawing attention to a moment that tells the nervous system right now, In its own language or the way that it speaks and interprets the world around us, That in this small moment, There is some degree of safety. Nothing more, Just information in a form that it can understand. And when the nervous system receives that information, It can sometimes soften, Regulate, And settle. An important part of this practice is being in the present moment. Our minds often travel in two directions, Back into past experiences or forward into imagined futures. That is completely normal. Brains think that's what they are made to do. But when we are replaying something that already happened or anticipating something that has not happened yet, The brain isn't good at distinguishing between that thing happening now and that thing happening in the future or in the past. And that can lead the body to react as though the event is happening to us in the present moment. So paying attention to glimmers or the cues around us that tell us what is happening here in this moment brings us back to the moment that we are in and returns us to the present. You'll notice that there's an overlap with concepts of mindfulness here, But glimmers are specifically focusing on the cues that tell your nervous system that in this moment you're okay. Now that you know what glimmers are, Let's spend a few minutes together practicing noticing them. Again, There's nothing you need to force. This is an invitation to notice something that's already here with you. If it feels comfortable, You can focus your attention on your breathing. Without forcing or changing it, Just notice the breath coming in and moving out. Breath work is so effective because of all the reasons we just discussed. If the breath can move in and out with relative ease, That's a signal to your body that you're okay in this moment. Now let's widen our awareness a little. Notice the environment around you. Is there a sound that feels pleasant? You might hear birds outside, The familiar sound of traffic passing by your windows, The hum of your family moving about the home. Let your attention rest there a moment. If you notice that one of those sounds brings you even a small sense of ease, Allow yourself to linger with that for a few seconds, Just noticing. Now bring your attention to the physical sensations in your body. Is there a place that feels supported or comfortable? Maybe the chair beneath you, Your feet on the floor, A comfortable piece of clothing that you're wearing, A warm blanket that you're covered up with. Notice the feeling of being held or supported or comforted in some way. And again, If the body responds even with the smallest sense of settling, Notice that. You don't have to struggle to hold on to it. Pause long enough to allow your nervous system to receive the information. You might also notice visual cues around you. There may be something in the environment that you've placed there because it's a color, That you enjoy. There may be light moving across the room or coming from a lamp or a light fixture that you like. A plant, A photograph, Something familiar that feels comforting when you look at it. Let your eyes rest there gently. Notice what happens in the body when you look at it. Even a subtle shift counts here. Take another breath here. Notice how it feels. Over time, Practicing this regularly can gently retrain the nervous system to notice safety cues more easily. Not instead of noticing challenges, But alongside them in a more balanced way. You might begin to ask yourself simple questions throughout the day, Like, What feels okay right now? What is one small thing in this moment that my body experiences as safe? Where do I feel a tiny bit of ease? Sometimes the answer will be very small. The warmth of tea in your hands, A breeze on your face, A moment of quiet or stillness in the middle of a busy day. And that's enough. Each time you notice a glimmer and allow yourself to experience it for even a few seconds, You're giving your nervous system new information. Information that safety exists in this moment, Too. Before we finish, Take one more breath in. And out. Notice your body noticing the space around you. And remembering that glimmers are simple and brief, But powerful signals to the nervous system. I hope that this will help you to carry gentle awareness with you today. Simply noticing, Allowing moments of safety to register when they appear. Thank you for practicing with me.