Profound change takes time to build.

For a very long time, throughout my childhood, I practiced dance. I grew up with this practice of the body. It was only later, at a mature age, that I had the opportunity to practice a more "conscious" gesture. This practice involves the whole body in movement, with breathing as an essential pillar.

Breathing: another way into dance?

Everyone knows about breathing, of course! Breathing consciously was a really pleasant discovery when I started practicing activities like yoga, qi-gong or Butō dance or dance improvisation, thanks in particular to the Alexander technique.

Little known in France, unlike in Great Britain and Canada, this technique was developed by Frédérick Mathias Alexander in the early 20th century, a Shakespearean actor who suffered from aphonia and sore throat. When medicine failed to solve his problem, he began to observe himself carefully. This led him to discover that he was unnecessarily stiffening his whole body when preparing to recite or speak. It took him eight years to solve his own voice problems.

A heart that beats coherently

Sylvain Laborde, psychologist and neuroscience researcher at the Institute of Performance Psychology at the University of Sport Cologne, presents the latest scientific knowledge and recommendations for practicing cardiac coherence in 2025.

According to him, cardiac coherence can be compared to a brain "sculptor", since its practice creates new neuronal connections, notably between regions involved in emotional regulation, memory and body perception. Regular practice can even improve connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala, helping to better manage emotions.

Cardiac coherence helps to rebalance the autonomic nervous system, which is often imbalanced in chronic illnesses (e.g. cardiovascular disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, chronic pain). It can also improve autonomic nervous system regulation in conditions such as asthma, migraine or Alzheimer's disease.

The autonomic nervous system

You've heard of the nervous system, but what about the autonomic nervous system? The autonomic nervous system plays a major role in the body, taking care of everything that is not voluntary. The autonomic nervous system controls respiratory, digestive and cardiovascular functions.

A regulated autonomic nervous system is at the heart of our physical and psychological health and well-being... Stimulating the vagus nerve response stimulates the calming parasympathetic system (digestion, repair, recovery)... Stephen Porges

Neuroception is a term coined by Stephen Porges, American psychologist and father of polyvagal theory. Neuroception is the body's unconscious, largely automatic perception of danger or safety. It takes place via bodily signals, notably in the fascia, and does not depend solely on the brain.

Polyvagal theory: fostering confidence, safety and resilience

According to Stephen Porges and Deborah Dana, this theory explains how our autonomic nervous system regulates our responses to stress, confidence and security. It is based on an understanding of the three main states of the Autonomic Nervous System: ventral vagal, sympathetic and dorsal vagal (see Sandra Boré for an illustrated, clear and entertaining explanation).

• The ventral vagal state is activated in a context of security. It promotes connection, confidence, creativity and emotional regulation. It allows you to "live at home", to be present with yourself. This state is synonymous with security, trust and social engagement.
  
  
• Sympathetic is a state that activates in the face of perceived danger. It mobilizes energy to fight or flee. It can become chronic in cases of prolonged stress, leading to burn-out. Sympathetic is a state of mobilization, fight and flight.
  
  
• The dorsal vagal is the state that activates in the face of mortal danger or an insurmountable situation. It leads to inaction, dissociation and even depression. It is essentially used to preserve life in extreme situations. Dorsal vagal leads to immobilization, freezing and even dissociation.

State hierarchy and flexibility

These states are automatically activated in a precise order: ventral vagal first (safety); if the danger is greater, the body activates the sympathetic system (mobilization). In the event of extreme danger, the dorsal vagal is activated (immobilization/dissociation).

Flexibility means being able to navigate between these states according to the situation, without remaining fixed. The development of these states depends on early experiences, particularly with attachment figures.

Trauma, large or small, can disorganize the nervous system, preventing flexibility.

Alexandre Bertholus - And if cardiac coherence were no longer at the right rhythm
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/alexandre-bertholus_neurosciences-cohaezrencecardiaque-respiration-activity-7320503288582311938-3Ii3/

Sylvain Laborde (2025) "Cardiac coherence & Neuroscience - What researchers really say" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYwDD9Ajcvg

Jacques GAILLARD (2002) "Improvisation dansée et modes attentionnels" Expliciter n°45 pp31-38 (. pdf ) https://www.expliciter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/improvisation-dansee-et-modes-attentionnels_expliciter-45-2002_jacques-gaillard.pdf

Wikipedia "Buto" https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/But%C5%8D

Wikipedia "cardiac coherence" https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coh%C3%A9rence_cardiaque

Wikipedia "autonomic nervous system" https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syst%C3%A8me_nerveux_autonome

Wikipedia "Alexander Technique" https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technique_Alexander

Wikipedia "Stephen Porges" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Porges

Autonomic nervous system illustration: https: //dessymptomesetdescauses.com/

AVVH https://v-assets.cdnsw.com/fs/Root/ettz9-C1f-Historique-Coherence-cardiaque.pdf

https:// www.france-mineraux.fr/therapies/coherence-cardiaque/histoire-coherence-cardiaque/

Sandra Boré, "Polyvagal theory: the basics 3.0, an introduction - efferveSciente (masterclass)" (2023) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk-1IwdY3vA

Illustration By Carlos de las Piedras - Flickr: Sankai Juku, CC BY 2 .0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13298650