G*L*I*M*M*E*R*S - a somatic practice that matters

*This is a post informed by PolyVagal theory (as developed by Dr. Stephen Porges) and based on Deb Dana’s concept of somatic glimmers.

My journey into the world of noticing, harvesting and cultivating glimmers is a fairly recent one. Glimmers, however, happen spontaneously for everyone, whether you notice them or not. Glimmers - as defined by Deb Dana - are:

micro-moments of (nervous system) regulation that foster feelings of well-being. A glimmer could be as simple as seeing a friendly face, hearing a soothing sound, or noticing something in the environment that brings a smile. They are personal to each of us and one person’s glimmer may be another person’s trigger. Glimmers are a cue in the day, either internal or external, that sparks a sense of wellbeing.

I would add (and I’m sure Deborah would agree) that a glimmer also sparks within us a sense of safety, joy and connection. This connection could be to self, to another person, the planet, a pet or a higher power (if you believe).

If I asked you to recall the last time you experienced a glimmer - could you readily recall one? Perhaps you have to try really hard to come up with something. Or it could be that you feel such moments of regulation are so rare in your life that can’t think of anything at all. Or perhaps you can indeed recall something in which case that is wonderful and I am happy for you. Either way, there is no right answer here.

Humans’ hard wiring for survival means that glimmers often go unnoticed as we have an innate bias to pay attention to less pleasant sensations and experiences. Trauma could contribute to this bias too. However, the fascinating thing about glimmers is that they are probably more common in your day to day life than you realise. Cultivating our perception of these glimmers is hugely important in the context of brain plasticity and this is where glimmers can really make a difference to how regulated you feel from day to day. Now, I want to make an important emphasis here in that glimmers are not an instrument of toxic positivity as they are not meant to neutralise triggers or unpleasant sensations and feelings you might experience. They are not a way of avoiding the very real suffering you might be experiencing - which would be absolutely valid! (If you are in distress and/or are struggling with difficult feelings then please seek the support of a qualified professional)

PolyVagal theory does not advocate the deployment of glimmers to counteract difficult emotions. Instead, they are one of many practices that teach our nervous system to notice and become accustomed to pleasant sensations in the body. Think of it as emotional physiotherapy. As we make space for pleasant sensations and create a habit out of noticing them, we make space for more joy, more connection and more safety to be noticed. Glimmers are therefore cumulative events and not one off happenings.

Ok, let me share one with you.

Last time I was in Istanbul I visited the local hammam at the end of the afternoon and after a long soak and steam, I headed upstairs to the traditional cubicles to enjoy the Turkish tea I’d be given and rest for a little before leaving. I climbed the stairs and at the top of the stairs I was stopped in my tracks in absolute awe. The lighting was spilling perfectly across the room, like I was inside a magic dream. The call to prayer came on on the loudspears outside and I heard the adhan (call to prayer in arabic) echo through the building and that vast city of millions. My friend across the room rolled out his prayer mat and kneeled to pray in the direction of Meca. I stood there, in silence, soaking it all in. I reached for my mobile phone to snap up a photograph and put it back in my pocket. I felt so grateful to be alive in that very moment and felt like I was part of something bigger. I quietly took my tea to the cubicle and sat in silence watching the steam rise from my curvy cup against the frosted glass and listening to words I couldn’t understand be sung in beautiful harmony. (The curious thing about this glimmer is that the call to prayer is a huge trigger to another friend of mine who lives in Istanbul due to past traumatic experiences, thus emphasising Dana’s point that one person’s glimmer is another person’s trigger.)

The wondrous thing about glimmers is that they come alive. In the process of writing the words above and looking back at the photograph below, I cried joyous and gentle tears. Glimmers are thus fascinating resource tools that can be brought to life whenever we feel like it. They can act as reminders that safety, connection and joy does exist in the body and that it can be cultivated. The more we cultivate, the more glimmers will seem to appear and we begin to notice shifts.

HOW TO SPOT AND HARVEST A GLIMMER 101

• How does your body know you found a glimmer? What do you notice in your body? This could be sensations, big emotions, small emotions or body movements and postures (such as a smile or dropping of the jaw, a widening of the eyes, etc)

• Look out for them! Are the tiny glimmers going unnoticed? These could be split second or 3-5 second moments that are waiting for you to notice them. For me, coffee moments bring out a lot of these…

• Spend time with them. When a glimmer does appear, acknowledge its presence. I got into a habit of greeting it and saying goodbye to it when the feeling disappears. Literally, I will say “Oh hello there!” and “ok, see you next time soon I hope!”.

• Share them with people you’d like to share them with. Sharing glimmers not only helps them come alive again but also helps you to connect with another human on a deep and meaningful level, potentially leading to yet another glimmer!

• Collect them. I like to take photographs as memory joggers (as I’m very stimulated by visuals) but I also keep a journal of important glimmers that I go back to when I feel like it. Sometimes I also collect glimmers via audio recordings that I make with my phone or I take an object back home with me that connects me with the glimmer. Collect them in a way that works for you.

I’d like to invite you to give the glimmer harvest a go! And remember, if you can’t find a glimmer straight away, do not worry. There is nothing wrong with you. Know that this is very common for a lot of people. Keep trying, gently and patiently.

As always, feel free to share your thoughts or even any glimmers that may have appeared to you.

With love,

A x