By Christina Haverkort (9/20 -updated 02/23)
Energetically, the vagus nerve’s key function is Memory and Navigation; it collects and stores memory from every system in the body. It is the greatest ‘Feeler‘ nerve in the body that is powered by the electrical nervous system in the body. It is a multifaceted essential nerve runs from the brain all the way down to the tailbone along the spine, but along the way it branches out to connect to various organs before verging back into the central channel again, along the spine.The vagus nerve, one of twelve cranial nerves, is also called Cranial Nerve Number Ten. The longest and most complex of the cranial nerves, it is also an energy channel – as all nerves are – and, as are the anatomical systems of the human body.
Much research and differing opinions have gone into this super highway nerve. My research of the human energy field has inevitably delved into a deeper investigation of the vagus nerve. This research has revealed that all traumatic memory is held –‘memorized’, if you will – within the pathway of the vagus nerve. It is a multi-complex system that incrementally carries and stores information that affects all areas of the human body. This includes:
Trauma to any and all sensory organs;
Trauma to the heart, physiologically, emotionally, or psychically;
Trauma to any and all other major organs or glands or tissues;
Trauma stored in the gut-biome.
Trauma can be anything from a physical, emotional or toxic overload to the body. Traumatic memory is held in our body tissues. Memories leave an imprint on us that shows in our body language, posture, facial expression, vocalization, and in the way we react to things. It is recognized that trauma leaves indentations in the Auric field on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual planes. Memories stay alive and can be awakened in our energy systems; in soft tissue, muscles and joints, and, after time, they can manifest as the onset of body dysfunction and disability. Unresolved traumatic memory cannot help but affect our general spirits, which may then range from manic, to lack of reason, to glumness, and into depression.
Scientifically and anatomically, the vagus nerve runs from the brainstem at ear level, through the face, down the throat, into the heart and lungs and into the gut viscera. It is a vital part of the central nervous system, with nerve fi in the parasympathetic nervous system, which communicates motor and sensory impulses to every organ in the body. Much new scientific research has been done on the vagus nerve, seen notably in the works of Dr. Steven Porges, and The Poly-Vagal Theory (Recommended Reading).
The Energetic Lens & Vagus Nerve Trauma Release
Looking at the human body through an energetic lens leads to an inexplicably organized intelligent system. Processing trauma through the energy field, is common but, to process it directly through the vagus nerve pathway, specific to whichever organ or system wherein the trauma is held, is cutting-edge. This is my work.
To determine exactly where the trauma is stored in the body, I guide them through the energetic anatomy of the vagus nerve, or to specific areas along the vagus nerve pathways to determine where in the body the trauma is being held, and/or in what anatomical system or energy system it is in. This is a detailed, complex journey recommended for those who have worked with me several times prior to before embarking into the Vagus Nerve Trauma Release. While there are many way to process and release trauma in the body I find this way is direct and effective. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), on the other hand is much more complex and significant. PTSD takes more time to work through the multiple layers of trauma packaged in many body systems, therefore the Vagus Nerve Release is not recommended until much later.
To date, my findings continue to exceed my expectations. This process enables my clients and I to discern just where in the body their trauma is stored; in what organ, tissue or what part of the brain or cranial nerve in the sensory system. Significantly, when trauma affects a sensory organ like the eyes, sinuses, salivary glands or vestibulocochlear nerves; and this easily happens and can go undetected – the result is, the sensory organ becomes compromised, and can affect other organs in the body and their function, until the trauma is processed at the nervous system level.
The vagus nerve can be visually located and/or physically felt by a person seeing or sensing into their own bodies energy field, after significant grounding has taken place, as grounding should be the basis of all healing work. It is detectable in the human energy field and has a distinguishable primary feature in the brain and the auric Field (outside of the body). This feature is similar between people, although the location and appearance of that feature appears unique based on the past trauma or current stress that an individual is carrying. This is a fascinating discovery but not the only discovery, in the animal kingdom, the vagus nerve plays a massive role in survival and migration. While my progress in this field of study continues, I am documenting case studies toward a future publication.
In an energetic sense, and quite possibly physically the vagus nerve is connected to the pituitary gland, the master gland of the endocrine system. This is the beginning of the energetic aspect of the nerve; from this point the key feature stems off the from this area behind the eyes. With my help, clients can often ‘see’ it with the inner eye (which is known as the pineal gland) or ‘feel’ it in their field of energy. If there is trauma in any of the sensory organs or in the brain itself, the key feature is unclear, or is seen as something different; or, it may be found/seen or felt at the brainstem level.
My energy work practice not only stems from the work with my clients, but my own ability to work on myself. My higher sense perception of the human energy field, extends into my own work on myself. When I talk about the energy anatomy of the vagus nerve or trauma or any subject, the information and research is gathered from my ability to take myself through my own energy system. We all have an energy field, it is universal and accessible to all.
The key feature of the vagus nerve asks us to understand the primal nature of this vital nerve. As incredible as it may seem, the energy field of the vagus nerve speaks to a very early stage in human evolution that relates to our ancestors; those who lived in, and supported their survival with, the animal kingdom. The innate expression of the vagus nerve’s purpose lies here. The aforementioned feature gauges whether or not there is threat, danger, or safety in the immediate environment, therefore plays a vital role in how the body responds to fear or threat. When we coherently apply this body response from ancestral times to the many common stressors we endure in our modern world, it is easy to understand how a primal fight/flight response of old becomes embedded in the heart, the psyche, and the conscious mind. This is all seen, and understood in the energy field.
Energetic Anatomy
In the energetic anatomy of the Vagus Nerve, it begins as a bilateral nerve located in the cerebral cortex, at a depth not far in behind your eyes, connected to the pituitary gland, the master gland of the endocrine system. From there it goes into the brainstem and attaches into the field of the Pineal Gland. From the cerebral cortex on each side, this bilateral nerve leads to the visual cortex at the back of the head. This is where memory is stored from the collection of incoming and outgoing data from the sensory organs in the rest of the cranial nerve system. The cranial nerves innervate the eyes, sinuses, taste buds, parts of the inner ear, and go down the neck to the clavicles. From the visual cortex it runs into the brainstem. The vagus nerve travels down both sides of the throat/neck, the left side is the Sympathetic pathway and the right side is the parasympathetic pathway, taps into the thyroid Gland, then the thymus Gland (part of the Immune and endocrine system). It continues down the dorsal spine, along the way feeding into the back of the heart. These two areas – the visual cortex and the back of the heart; I think of these as modulators. As key energetic centers in the body, they are significant points in the vagus network. Remember, they contain the totality of the body’s stored memory of all traumas, including ancestral trauma and the ancient fight/flight response that has been filtered through time to present day. The heart, one modulator, stores memory for trauma that happens in the body; the visual cortex, a second modulator, stores memory of trauma that is held in the cranial nerve system.
From the heart, the vagus nerve continues down the spine with points along its path, which connect to other organs like the lungs, and diaphragm. It then continues to the stomach, connecting the spleen, pancreas, gallbladder, and liver. Continuing from there, the vagus nerve links to the kidneys, then branches into several innervated places serving multiple sections of the intestinal folds; At Lumbar 1 through 5. At lumbar 5, the vagus nerve joins the peripheral nervous system, and then ties into the lymph system and reproductive system. It then re-joins the central channel (along the spine) and feeds into the colon and finally to the coccyx, commonly called the tailbone. This area is yet one more modulator in the body. The coccyx has the prize role of storing memory for the entire body.
The Vagus Nerve Release Hold
The Vagus Nerve Release Hold (VNRH) is my discovery of how you can calm the vagus nerve over stimulation. By firmly pressing on each side of the neck, where the parasympathetic pathway travels on the right and the sympathetic pathway travels on the left side. Because these are opposing poles or fields, when you connect them through a sealed circuitry via your wrists that carry the same positive and negative poles, you create a sealed circuit. Blending two poles creates a circuitry of energy. The resulting creation is calming all sensory receptors from all other cranial nerves and their consistent electric firings. Doing the VNRH, you are stimulating the nerve but what you want to do is calm it, because your sensory organs may be over activated. This is a beneficial practice to relieving discomfort and calming yourself down from; anxiety, concussion symptoms, bright lights, loud sounds, putrid smells, overactive mind, panic attacks, trauma, stress, anything that over stimulates your system.
This came to my attention not long after my research in 2020: *In the neuro-scientific explanation of how stress affects our bodies, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, or HPA axis as it is commonly called, describes the interaction between the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. What the HPA axis involves the body’s reaction to stress. When something stressful happens to us, our initial response is mediated by the sympathetic nervous system. This response occurs almost immediately, and results in the secretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine, both of which work to enact changes that you would generally expect if you felt stressed and/or frightened, like increased heart rate and perspiration (Neuroscientificallychallenged.com). Very interesting, as all systems are connected.
With this basic but detailed description, it is easy to see what an organized, complex system this; exists primarily for the purpose of connecting all body systems, collecting data and storing memory. All the information is in the field of energy, this is a universal field. This information I have shared with you comes from my consistent meditation practice, with being able to accurately tune into my energy field to gather information required for my research. Working through the human energy field is consistently fascinating in every aspect.
Now that it’s clear that the vagus nerve connects to, and is able to access, all key organs and systems in the body, let’s look at how it processes our experiences.
Every day, we have to navigate our environments, interactions with others, places, spaces, and whatever we experience. Imagine your head as a radio wave receiver or a very capable antenna. This antenna scopes and records every moment of every day in every experience you have during your lifetime; most notably it records trauma and mental and emotional stress. What’s important here is that ALL the sensory organs in the cranial nervous system connect to your limbic system. The limbic system is the part of your brain that deals with emotions, and the memory of them. Its role is to simultaneously record every experience on every level: in the fields of energy in the mental, physical and emotional. In addition, every organ in your body relates to some part of your brain, making the entire system connected in more ways than what is founded by science. I will discuss these connections in another publication.
In Conclusion
The vagus nerve is a continuously active, powerful superhighway connecting the entire body’s electrical communication system, endocrine system, immune system and digestive system. Key drivers are the peripheral and autonomic nervous systems. The visual cortex, the heart and coccyx act as modulators and memory banks in the vagus nerve system, which can be utilized therapeutically in as ‘calming’ areas. Not only is the vagus nerve accessible for locating where trauma is stored, but what I am finding it is a communication system, to detect what body system is holding trauma. It maps out for us an effective route, that which we can approach through another system. Working through the human energy field may seem to be a novel approach to processing trauma, but it is effective and works on all levels simultaneously, physically, emotionally and mentally. It may also be considered extraordinary that the efficacy of this work can be checked after seven days. The truly astonishing component in this method of treatment is that after stored traumatic energy is processed through the vagus nerve system, the distinguishing characteristic changes to what can be considered a healthier, more balanced paradigm.
trauma release, memory, vagus nerve, energy healing, energy medicine, healing trauma through the vagus nerve