Pure Symbol

A Legend for the Autonomic Mandala

Unmuddied by text, our new Autonomic Mandala poster is a symbolic object of contemplation.

It provides a cartography of 12 of the most common autonomic states, representing each as an integral of neuroception, neurology, and neurochemistry, which is depicted for each state.

States themselves are represented by water, wearing each of her different faces.

The entire map is based on a metaphorical interpretation of Munsell’s color system, yet whereas that mapping uses hue, chroma, and value to define a color space, Autonomics uses neuroception (moment-to-moment detection of safety, danger, or lifethreat), neurology (present moment active autonomic systems: e.g., Connection, Movement, and Grounding), and neurochemistry (e.g., connection chemistry of oxytocin and vasopressin, activation chemistry of adrenaline and cortisol, shutdown chemistry of endogenous opioids).

Given that each of the variables is on a continuum– that we can have a strong or weak neuroception of safety, danger, or lifethreat, given that we can have modest or full access to neurological systems, given that we can have slight or robust release of endogenous neurochemisty, the model leaves space for the full spectrum of individual variations in these responses, allowing people to understand the individual variations, and the universal patterns, of their autonomic responses.

It demonstrates visually the way that these three elements combine into an autonomic color: tinted neurological glasses that we cannot take off.

Yet it also shows us the ways that by shifting any of these elements: changing our neuroception, altering neurological inputs, or changing the chemistry, we can change the color of our glasses. Autonomic fluency is to begin to learn where we are on this map in the present moment. Autonomic agency is to begin to know how to grasp and move these levers in the direction of thriving.

In the bottom left of the image is a wireframe of the whole model super-imposed over sacred geometry. This is the blueprint of the model: its symbolic architecture.

If you think of the model as a clock-face, the hands of the clock reaching from the centerpoint to the number on the dial pass through a smaller circle on their way to the larger circle.

The inner circle is color coded based on whether we are located in a neuroception of safety (blue) , danger (yellow), or lifethreat (red). Furthermore, the inner circle shows which autonomic systems are active: each is represented by a triangle section. You will notice in the diagram above that COMPETE (or PERFORM), the state at 12 o’clock, harnesses all three autonomic systems (the triangle is complete, showing that the Connection, Movement, and Grounding Systems are all available). You will notice that in the inner circle of FIGHT/FLIGHT, the state at 3 o’clock (a danger response), there are only two triangle elements, representing the removal of the Connection System. You will notice that in the inner circle at 6 o’clock, SHUTDOWN, only one triangle element is present. The state of shutdown is, in fact, the only autonomic state where there is but a single autonomic system available: the GROUNDING SYSTEM in its shutdown aspect, which Polyvagal Theory calls DORSAL VAGAL.

Finally, the color of the outer circle shows us which neurochemistries are active.

We can learn to feel and notice what oxytocin feels like (9 o’clock, 10 o’clock). Or how it feels when it is combining with a bit of adrenaline (12 o’clock). We can learn to feel the purity of adrenaline and cortisol (3 o’clock), versus when it tangles with endogenous opioids (4 o’clock). We can see how if we are able to add oxytocin on top of endogenous opioids, we can start to shift out of shutdown and back into connection…(7 o’clock: UNION), and that eventually this re-coordinates our autonomic systems, bringing us back into CONNECTION (10 o’clock).

A map and a prayer, the mandala represents the living cartography of your deepest neural architecture: the embodied landscape of the dynamism of the mindbody connection. These is no part of your life that this landscape doesn’t touch.

In a limited edition run of 50 on Metalabel now.