Touching the Invisible: Mapping the Nervous System Through the Gunas

In this blog series so far, through the lens of Somatic Alignment, we’ve explored de-armoring and organ resets—how armor shapes not just our physiology but also our culture and the collective nervous system. We’ve looked at how shifting awareness from life-depleting thoughts to life-affirming ones leads to presence and how this shift changes everything. We’ve seen how the breath becomes a portal to coherence when infused with conscious attention. And we’ve embraced ourselves as electromagnetic beings—wired for flow, resonance, and renewal.

Now, we turn to the realm of touch. Touch is not just a mechanical act—it is a language. A metaphor. A form of communication that reaches beneath the surface, into places words cannot go. Just as a thought transforms a breath, a subtle shift in intention transforms a touch. In Somatic Alignment, touch is not about force or fixing—it’s about listening. It’s how we enter into relationship with the nervous system, fascia, organs, and the deeper intelligence of the body. When offered with attunement, touch becomes a key—unlocking dormant pathways, restoring flow, and inviting the system to remember its original wholeness.

This is where the gunas—Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—come into play. These ancient yogic principles represent the fundamental qualities of energy present in everything. Using the lens of the gunas, we can better understand how touch can be used to meet the system exactly where it is.

The gunas also mirror the three primary nervous system states:

• Sattvic touch aligns with the ventral vagal state (safety, connection, ease).

• Rajasic touch engages the sympathetic state (activation, mobilization).

• Tamasic touch corresponds to the dorsal vagal state (collapse, shutdown, grounding).

Each of these qualities of touch serves a purpose. In a Somatic Alignment session, we move through layers of holding and release—an example of this would be in how a person could start a session in Tamas (heaviness, resistance), move through Rajas (activation, movement), and finally arrive in Sattva (clarity, balance, presence). This mirrors the natural arc or ladder of nervous system activation. Using the appropriate energy of touch will be very important to meet the body where it is, thus supporting the body in unwinding old patterns and discovering new possibilities.

1. Sattvic Touch – The Touch of Presence (Ventral Vagal: Safety, Connection, Flow)

Sattvic touch embodies clarity, balance, and deep presence. It is neutral yet profoundly intelligent, offering a mirror for the body’s own wisdom. It does not impose or manipulate; instead, it listens—creating the conditions for the system to self-organize.

Sattvic touch corresponds to the ventral vagal state—where we feel safe, connected, and in flow. This is the state where healing, integration, and connection naturally unfold.

Sattvic touch feels like:

• Stillness, deep listening, and a mirror-like presence.

• Spaciousness—allowing the body to unwind on its own.

• The felt sense of being met without agenda—which, in itself, is profoundly regulating.

2. Rajasic Touch – The Touch of Activation (Sympathetic: Mobilization, Energy, Reactivity)

Rajas is the energy of movement, stimulation, and transformation. Rajasic touch is engaging and activating—bringing awareness to places that have been frozen or disconnected. It stirs things up and encourages energy flow.

This aligns with the sympathetic state—our mobilization system. This is the state of action, fight-or-flight, and heightened alertness. When used skillfully, Rajasic touch calls energy back into circulation, helping to wake up areas of dissociation or stagnation.

Rajasic touch feels like:

• Warmth, circulation, and the stirring of energy.

• A nudge toward engagement, calling the body back into presence.

• A dynamic, responsive interaction—like a gentle push into awareness.

However, just as too much sympathetic activation leads to overwhelm, too much Rajasic touch can agitate the system. It must be balanced with Sattvic stillness to support true resolution.

3. Tamasic Touch – The Touch of Deep Grounding (Dorsal Vagal: Collapse, Shutdown, Conservation)

Tamas represents inertia, heaviness, and unconsciousness. Tamasic touch is dense, steady, and deep. It’s also like water—just as water always finds its way to the lowest place, Tamasic touch in a Somatic Alignment session tends to sink into the deepest layer of the body’s holding. It draws energy inward, coagulating it into a specific area and forming a kind of energetic well. This well becomes a place where energy accumulates and gathers itself. Then, on the release, there’s a redistribution—a return of movement and flow to the area that was once stagnant. It offers containment, a sense of structure and boundary, allowing the body to settle into safety and stillness. Tamasic touch helps the system find the ground from which new movement can emerge.

In the nervous system, this corresponds to the dorsal vagal state—which can manifest as collapse, exhaustion, or dissociation. When applied consciously, Tamasic touch is reassuring—helping a client feel anchored and supported. However, if used without attunement, it can reinforce a stuck, frozen state.

Tamasic touch feels like:

• Deep, steady pressure that helps the body land.

• A weighted sense of containment—offering stability and reassurance.

• The slow, inevitable pull of gravity—allowing energy to sink and integrate.

From this framework, we can see why beginning and ending with Sattvic touch is so important. It sets the tone with connection, trust, safety, and balance. Sattva listens first—attuning to the system without imposing. Only then, as the body reveals its patterns and speaks its needs, do we meet it with the denser depth of Tamas or the activating fire of Rajas. This sequence honors the intelligence of the system, allowing the touch to be a dialogue rather than a directive.

The Arc of Regulation: Moving Through These States

In a Somatic Alignment session, we are not working on a single part or layer of the body—we are working WITH the entire system: muscles, fascia, organs, breath, energy, and the nervous system.

The nervous system functions like a ladder—we shift states in sequence rather than leaping from one to another. If we’re in deep shutdown (dorsal vagal), we don’t immediately jump into a state of ease and connection (ventral vagal). Instead, we must pass through a phase of activation (sympathetic), even if only briefly. This is why sensations like shaking, heat, or spontaneous movement often arise just before deep relaxation in a session. The body is recalibrating—learning how to move between states and metabolize energies or emotions that once kept it stuck or overly anchored in one dominant state. It’s important to remember that regulation isn’t the same as relaxation—regulation is the capacity to respond appropriately to the moment, with flexibility and presence.

De-Armoring, Touch, and Regulation

De-armoring isn’t just about muscular tension—it’s about how the entire system has adapted to past experiences. This includes layers of armor that exist not only in the body but also on a mental level, affecting the way we think about ourselves, others, and the world. That’s why it’s so important that when we use touch, we’re in communication with the whole system—not just the physical body. Touch in this context becomes a way of listening, of honoring the intelligence of the system and the many ways it has learned to protect itself.

In a well-paced session, we use all three types of touch, allowing the body to move through its natural cycles.

The Goal: A Body That Can Adapt and Flow

A regulated system isn’t one that never experiences stress—it’s one that can shift states fluidly. When we release chronic patterns we restore the body’s ability to respond, rather than react.

Wherever you are in your journey—whether receiving or offering touch—the invitation is to listen.

What is the body asking for?

Maybe it’s asking not to be touched at all.

And how can we meet it with presence, patience, and trust?

That’s where true transformation happens.