“The great thing, then, in all education, is to make our nervous system our ally instead of our enemy.” – William James

We’re in the thick of it, friends. December 9. Thanksgiving is over, the holidays are in full swing, with nearly a month to go.

How does the bustle of the season affect you? If you’re like me, your sympathetic nervous system – aka “fight or flight"– is trying to take center stage, overwhelming your friendly lil "rest and digest” parasympathetic nervous system.

This may sound odd, but one of the things I’m committed to this holiday season is trying to rebalance the relationship of my nervous system. I’d like it to look a little more like:

I’ve been playing with this new visualization technique to try to strengthen my parasympathetic nervous system. See if it works for you!

In this basic visualization, focus on your five senses, allowing your parasympathetic to take center stage, slowing down the big dog.

What does your place look like? Describe your place in words. For example, “It’s lush and green. There are small, feathery, green mosses on the rocks. The pagoda is both red and orange at the same time.”

What does your place sound like? “You can hear the sound of the rushing waterfall. There is the rustling of rice paper, as if someone is writing on it.”

What does your place smell like? “It smells like it’s just rained, damp and fresh. Like overturned soil. And is that burning incense?”

What does your place taste like? Get creative with it. “I taste drops of water from the waterfall. I taste the mango mochi I just snacked on.”

What do you feel in your place? “The air is cool on my skin. I feel the light brush of the branches as I push past them. I feel the dirt and rocks crunching under my feet.”

Visualization is all about transporting your mind into a new space. There is no right or wrong way to visualize. If you’ve transported yourself mentally, you’ve succeeded.

If you end up giving this technique a try, I’d love to hear about it. You can even tag @bevoya on Instagram and I will share your visualization inspiration with others!