Beyond Stress: Meet the Quiet Power of Your Vagus Nerve

Have you ever felt overwhelmed for no obvious reason—your heart racing, your breath shallow, your body tense? That’s not “just stress.” It’s your nervous system calling out for calm, and the vagus nerve is the messenger that can lead you there.

At PEMA Mind and Motion, we see the body not as a set of disconnected systems, but as a wise and deeply integrated guide. And the vagus nerve is one of its most profound communicators—linking your brain, heart, lungs, and gut in a silent conversation that shapes how safe, present, and connected you feel in the world.

What is the Vagus Nerve?

The vagus nerve (Latin for “wandering”) is the longest cranial nerve in your body. It touches almost every major organ and plays a key role in regulating your parasympathetic nervous system, your body’s natural “rest and digest” response. When the vagus nerve is activated, it signals to your body that it’s safe to soften, to exhale, to return to calm.

But for many of us, especially those who have experienced trauma, prolonged stress, or burnout, this calming pathway can get a little lost. We find ourselves stuck in cycles of hyper-alertness, anxiety, or emotional numbness. Sound familiar?

Reclaiming Regulation, One Breath at a Time

Here’s the beautiful truth: you can train your vagus nerve.

Just like a muscle, it becomes stronger the more you gently and consistently engage it. Simple tools like slow exhalations, humming, gentle movement, and mindful connection can start to reawaken the body's natural rhythm of regulation.

This isn’t about fixing yourself. It’s about listening.

The vagus nerve reminds us that healing isn’t something we force, it’s something we allow.

When you attune to the signals of your nervous system with compassion, something shifts. Your breath deepens. Your shoulders drop. You start to feel more you again.

Let’s Practice Together

To support you in this journey, I’ve created a free guided meditation that gently activates the vagus nerve and supports nervous system reset. It's a simple yet potent 10-minute practice you can return to any time you feel off-centre or overwhelmed.

👉 Click here to listen now

This isn’t just a meditation—it’s a moment to come home to yourself.

You don’t need to do more. You don’t need to be more. You just need to give your nervous system the space to remember how to feel safe again.

With love and motion,


Monica Pema


PEMA Mind and Motion