Mapping autonomic states

Mapping autonomic states is a person noticing and tracking their own nervous system states. This involves recognizing one's own inner state, asking 'right now, do I feel safe, mobilized, or shut down?'. This awareness takes the polyvagal frame out of being an abstract theory and lets a person apply it to their own experience. A person who can map their state can respond to it more consciously. Recognizing one's own state is the first step in regulating it.