Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The autonomic nervous system is the automatic system in charge of the body’s basic housekeeping responsibilities, such as breathing and heart rate. It is organized around three building blocks that work in a certain order, and it comes with preset pathways. #2 The autonomic hierarchy is the order in which the three building blocks came into being. The ventral vagal building block, the newest of the three, provides a pathway to health and well-being. When something feels overwhelming, we move down a step to the next building block and the action taking of the sympathetic pathway. # 3 The three building blocks of the autonomic hierarchy are the world is unwelcoming, dark, and empty; the world is chaotic, unmanageable, and terrifying; and the world is welcoming, beautiful, and inviting of connection. #4 The second principle of Polyvagal Theory is the internal surveillance system, which is defined by the word neuroception. Neuroception refers to the awareness of signs of safety and danger, and it follows three streams of awareness: inside, outside, and between.