Exploring Sacral Wisdom Through Polyvagal Theory

Hey wild-hearted wanderer,

I want to give you another little peek into the creation of my first Your Living Body Map, which is helping me explore the role our nervous system plays in our inner authority and how connected we feel to it. I must say, I’m still at the very early stages of this work, but I wanted to share it as a living experiment with you.

You may or may not know this, but I’m deepening my knowledge of Polyvagal Theory, specifically how it can help us explore Human Design through the lens of embodied awareness.

Polyvagal Theory is a science of connection that offers a map of the nervous system. To me, it’s an invitation to be more fully present in our bodies. Through that, we become more present in our relationships, our work, and our environments. This ties beautifully with a system like Human Design because, ultimately, embodied deconditioning is the practice of presence.

It asks of us:

Can I witness this without disconnecting from my body?

Can I feel this without identifying with its story?

Can I trust that what emerges through my body, even if it’s uncomfortable, is not wrong — but rather a signal that we’ve moved from one nervous system state to another?

Seen through the lens of Polyvagal Theory and Human Design, the patterns we notice in ourselves become gentle signposts, guiding us toward awareness, presence, and self-understanding. They offer real-time feedback on how regulated or dysregulated our nervous system is, and how connected we feel to our own body and inner guidance.

For example, our frustration doesn’t simply mean we’ve taken the wrong action. What if it’s also a signal that we’re acting from a sympathetic state of urgency, because we’re afraid to let go of control and want to guarantee a certain outcome?

So how can we build trust in our body’s intelligence and in its internal rhythm and pace?

The dorsal vagal state, often described as shutdown and withdrawal, is another example. It means we are energetically unavailable, but someone with a defined Sacral could simply be offline, recuperating until the next phase of doing emerges. It doesn’t automatically mean we’re disconnected from life, we’re simply recharging.

So how can we cultivate a practice that lets us know the difference?

Ultimately, the biggest shift I’ve seen in myself with this work has been internal. It’s never really about fixing an external problem. Rather, it’s about creating capacity for safety within tension and uncoupling my mental stories from my states of dysregulation.

It’s about noticing the story, naming the state, reconnecting with the body, and once we move back into equilibrium, using that regulated state to rewrite the story.

When it comes to inner authority as defined by Human Design, our internal decision-making is only as reliable as how safe we feel in our body. Awareness of different nervous system states becomes a way to differentiate protective strategies from our truth.

In today’s letter, I want us to specifically explore our sacral yes, no, and maybe.

Through my own explorations, I’m noticing that our Sacral responses aren’t fixed signals — they shift depending on which nervous system state we’re in. Responses vary depending on whether we feel safe and connected, alert and mobilized, or low and withdrawn.

For example:

A yes when we feel connected to ourselves and others may look and feel very different under stress.
A no might be firm and grounded in safety but reactive under pressure.
A maybe can invite curiosity in one moment but freeze decision-making in another.

As I mentioned, I’m still in the middle of this exploration, and it’s messy and beautiful all at once.

It’s exactly the kind of process I’m mapping in the first YLBM I’m creating for a client, which dives deeper into how our body’s intelligence shows up in the bodygraph and offers body-led practices and prompts to help you connect with your unique nervous system. Seeing shifts in the sacral is only one thread of what the body knows, and I’m amazed at how much emerges when we watch it without needing immediate answers.

If you’d like to try a little experiment for yourself, here are a few basic prompts to get you started:

• Notice a decision you make in a calm, relaxed moment. How does your sacral respond? Is it a clear yes, a gentle no, or a maybe that invites curiosity? Pay attention to any bodily sensations.

• Now notice a decision when you feel activated or tense. How is the response different? What sensations are present in your body?

• Notice a decision in a low-energy or withdrawn moment. What signals show up now?

This is simply about observing, and maybe journaling what you notice. Often, when we first start noticing decision-making across different states, reflection happens in hindsight. In my experience, the more we reflect, the more we begin to notice subtleties in real time.

I’d love to hear from you if you try this: what shifts do you notice in your sacral yes, no, or maybe depending on how your body feels? Hit reply and share one observation. Your reflections help me see patterns I can’t notice alone.

If this exploration resonated with you and you’d like to take it a step further, Your Living Body Map offers a guided, embodied deep dive into your own body’s intelligence. It’s a chance to map your unique design in a personalised, reflective way.

A quick note: the price will be updating on October 1st to £222. To honour those who apply before then, all applications submitted before October 1st will be held at the current price of £122.

If you feel called to explore your body and design more deeply, this seasonal shift is the percfect time for it. I’d love to support you in noticing, reflecting, and integrating your own living body wisdom.