embracing safety: how feeling safe shapes our world - a good for you guide

We all know that feeling safe and secure is essential to our well-being, but did you know that our emotions can affect how we hear and interpret the sounds around us? 

According to experts like Dr. James Doty, a renowned neurosurgeon and founder of Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education and author of “Mind Magic,” explains our emotional state influences our listening abilities in surprising ways. Our bodies possess an innate ability to differentiate between safe and threatening situations, influencing our physical and emotional responses accordingly. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) plays a crucial role in creating a sense of calm, while the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) prepares us for fight or flight in response to perceived danger. This dynamic interplay impacts various aspects of our lives, including our listening abilities. 

Dr. Doty continues, "when feeling safe and in parasympathetic NS, the middle range muscles in the ear come online and these are the muscles designed to hear nuances in the voice." This finding indicates that when we feel secure and at ease, our auditory capabilities are optimized, allowing us to detect subtle inflections and emotions in the human voice.

In contrast, when we perceive danger and engage the SNS or the fight, flight or freeze response, our auditory focus shifts to high and low frequencies, which could signal the approach of potential predators. As a result, our ability to discern the nuanced timbres of the human voice becomes compromised.

The polyvagal theory, a groundbreaking concept proposed by Dr. Stephen Porges, further illuminates this phenomenon by explaining how our nervous system adapts to various stimuli. It emphasizes that only when we feel safe and taken care of can we genuinely listen to and comprehend another person's voice.

This understanding of the intricate interplay between our PNS, SNS and listening abilities underscores the significance of creating safe and supportive environments that facilitate clear communication and connection. 

Brene Brown, professor, author and researcher of the human experience explains, "A sense of safety and belonging is necessary for people to be able to truly hear each other." 

By cultivating security and belonging, we can unlock our full potential for empathy, understanding and compassionate listening, paving the way for harmonious relationships and a more connected world.