Before the body can relax, it needs to feel safe. This sounds obvious – but it’s often misunderstood. Safety is not a thought. It is a physiological state. Safety according to neuroscience Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory explains that the nervous system constantly scans for cues of safety or threat – a process called neuroception. This happens: below conscious awareness faster than rational thought primarily through bodily signals If the body senses instability, pressure or