the wandering ghost is an ebroidery piece by Lia Pas depicting the vagus nerve, which wanders throughout the body (hence, vagus/vagrant &c.). It’s a very long nerve. Research shows that vagus nerve inflammation happens in various ME/CFS symptoms.
It effects multiple organs, and has an immunity component.
I’m here because this is something Luara the OT mentioned when I was seeing her for panic attacks, so I figured this would be interesting.
Polyvagal Theory Primer??
Polyvagal theory gives this nerve three sections: dorsal (abdominal), sympathetic (along the spine) and ventral (chest and face). Dorsal -> survival, sympathetic, social -> ventral. Laura also associated each of these with a “depth” of the brain, which is where each of these sections’ nerves originates/ends.
You can get into different “states” whereby one part of the vagus nerve is “dominating”. Okay this feels a little woo to me but I’m going to go along cos I trust Lia.
Dorsal states are associated with heaviness, shame, low energy. That sort of wanting-to-dissapear feeling. Depression, and post-exertional malaise.
Sympathetic states are classic fight or flight, anxiety and agitation.
Ventral states are the nice ones; calm and engaged with the world.
Image that Lia likes and which works for me: imagine a warm/golden halo around your ribs and heart.
Interoception -> awareness of inside of body, Neuroception -> awareness of your nervous system, Eustress -> positive stress (like splashing your face with cold water),
Shifting our of sympathetic involves, for Lia, deep breathing and self-awareness. Modulating out of a dorsal state first requires identifying which sort of fatigue it is (ie, not physical or cognitive PEM sort). She does this by finding pleasure in things like scents, tastes and sound. Gently modulates.
“Glimmers” are “micro-moments of regulation that foster feelings of well-being” (Deb Dana) or what Lia calls “tiny beautiful things”. knickknacks and moments. Things you appreciate nad make you feel nice. I definitely relate to this, taking the time to notice the nice things i put in my room is very helpful.
Even if your fatigue is a physiological sort you can’t “just” modulate out of, these practices can make it easier to wait it out.
There’s some nifty exercises in here that you can try.
Why does this seem woo to me?? Like it’s from books and I trust her. Like… I wouldn’t be suspicious if the answer were some sort of more involved medical therapy. I guess… I feel like it isn’t “real” in away? Like, you can just do it. Is that it? c/o Dijkstra if you explain something well enough it seems so easy nobody thinks its impressive anymore. This is all very science informed but, idk. I’m just having an emotional response. Probably because I’m physics-brained.
This is an example of an art thing called symptomology where artists make art about their personal experiences of their symptoms and how they experience that. yeah.
My takeaways
- Gosh bodies are complex. You really do think with your body, or at least your vagus nerve :P
- Want to try some of those exercises.
- This is so cool!!