Vegas or Vagus? Finding Balance Through the Alexander Technique and Nervous System Healing

Discover how the vagus nerve and the Alexander Technique in Sheffield help reduce stress, restore balance, and support nervous system health.

Vegas or Vagus? Finding Your Way Back to Balance

After attending a neuroscience webinar on Staying Strong Despite Passive‑Aggressiveness in the Constellations series with my mentor Sarah Peyton, I stumbled onto a daily poetry site and found David Mura’s poem Vegas Rave Muse. My brain was clearly in one place – vagus nerves and neuroscience, and then I suddenly realised he was talking about slot machines and gambling in Vegas! I had gone down a different neuronal pathway.

That moment inspired these words.

Vegas Nerve

Flashing neon, blinking bright, a restless current through the night. The hum of casino laughter swells, coins clatter, hands fold, fortune tells.

My heart quickens to the pulse of the room, a tide of noise, a rolling doom. This city, a jangled nervous thread, a shimmer of gold, a flashing dread.

But what if the lights could soften low, if breath could slow, if ease could grow? What if the body’s deeper stream could whisper through the flashing gleam?

The vagus nerve hums beneath my skin, a tuning fork for all within. The work I offer—gentle, wide— reminds the breath, reclaims the stride.

Not forced, not held, no need to brace, just space to pause, just room for grace. No shame, no blame, just choice revealed, a way to shift, a path to heal.

Once you see where you stand, the way ahead is yours to steer. Not by force, but by intent, by quiet knowing, by moving clear.

The Vagus Nerve and the Alexander Technique

The vagus nerve is central to calming the nervous system, supporting better breathing, and restoring balance. Through the Alexander Technique in Sheffield, we learn to pause, release tension, and allow natural coordination to return. This gentle practice helps reduce stress, ease anxiety, and bring us back to ourselves.

An Invitation to Pause and Reset

If you are feeling stressed, jangled, or just plain lost, and would like support to calm your nervous system, I warmly invite you to book some time together. The Alexander Technique offers a way to reconnect with your body, restore ease, and find balance in everyday life. Resonant Healing Language sessions, developed by Sarah Peyton, and offered by me online worldwide, offer ways to work through past hurts and traumas through relational language for healing.

👉 Book a session here

I look forward to seeing you.

Warm wishes, Lucy

❓ Frequently Asked Questions about the Vagus Nerve, the Alexander Technique, and Resonant Healing Language

What is the vagus nerve?

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body. It runs from the brainstem through the neck, chest, and abdomen, supporting vital functions such as breathing, digestion, and heart rate. It plays a key role in calming the nervous system and restoring balance.

How does the Alexander Technique support the vagus nerve?

The Alexander Technique helps reduce unnecessary tension in the head, neck, and spine. By releasing compression and allowing natural alignment, the vagus nerve is less pinched or overstretched. This supports freer breathing, better organ function, and a calmer nervous system.

Can the Alexander Technique help with stress and anxiety?

Yes. By teaching you to pause before reacting and to redirect thought away from habitual tension, the Technique calms the body’s fight‑or‑flight responses. This creates space for more constructive choices and helps reduce stress and anxiety.

What is Resonant Healing Language?

Resonant Healing Language is a process developed by Sarah Peyton that uses gentle, compassionate words to bring warmth and understanding to past experiences. It helps the brain integrate trauma and restore self‑connection, especially for those who did not grow up with consistent love or gentleness.

How can Resonant Healing Language sessions help me?

These sessions provide the companionship of resonance, allowing you to feel seen and understood. This can shift deep patterns of self‑blame, support nervous system regulation, and open the possibility of healing even long‑standing wounds.

Do I need to choose between the Alexander Technique and Resonant Healing Language?

Not at all. Each modality is powerful on its own, but together they complement one another beautifully. The Alexander Technique works through mindful movement and awareness, while Resonant Healing Language works through compassionate words and relational healing. Both support the vagus nerve and help restore balance.

Written by Lucy Ascham, Body & Soul Energy Expert

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What My Clients Say

“No pain in the night, no pain when I got up, no pain when I went for a run and no pain now! It’s much more than I expected, thank you! "

Steve

"It is as though I have been gifted an entirely new lens through which to view human behaviour, and it is a lens of compassion and empathy like no other. Due to this, I have been able to come to terms with the way my family operates, which has proven to be a great relief. I would definitely recommend working with Lucy. She held such a safe space for me and my vulnerability with great compassion and authenticity."

Elena

"Using these techniques has helped me reduce the day-to-day tension I’ve developed over a lifetime of anxious habits and hypersensitivity. It’s been amazing to re-learn how my body works, and how to swap out the survival mechanisms that got me so far, for habits more in keeping with how my body is happier to work."

Alex Booer

“I’ve been doing the Alexander Technique with Lucy over the past few months and my posture has improved enormously. I have a greater awareness of how my body functions and can recognise the signs of when I’m falling into bad habits."

Paul Tolton, Actor

"I feel present. Nice to feel here, not racing ahead. I have a more measured, calm approach. I’m less reactive and am learning to look after myself and choose my responses.”

Rosie

"I had a traumatic accident a few years ago. After you ‘wriggled’ my head it felt weird – and really good. I could walk evenly for the first time in years!! I’m making friends with my body.”

Zoe, Singer

"I have been happily surprised and have learned a lot about how my muscles and spine behave when I let them. I rapidly realised that AT is not in the least pseudoscience, rather it teaches one to be aware of how the body is holding itself."

Julian Davis, Retired Professor of Medicine & Pianist

"I've just had two enjoyable and useful sessions with Lucy on Zoom. I had been doubtful about how it would work but I was pleased with how it went. Of course, nothing is as good as face-to-face but we are where we are and this was great and has helped me to progress as I had hoped. Thank you. Looking forward to the next ones!"

Bev

"Lucy's sessions are amazing. Her unique blend of skills helped me have good posture without effort. Before this, I had seen many physiotherapists and osteopaths, but the pain kept coming back within a few weeks. Even after my first session with Lucy, the difference was so clear that my friends commented on it. After several months, the effects are being maintained with her support."

Julia
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