Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Michael J. Shea, PhD who holds a doctorate in somatic psychology from the Union Institute and a master’s degree in Buddhist Psychology from Naropa University. He has taught at the Upledger Institute, the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute, and the International University for Professional Studies. He is a craniosacral therapist, licensed massage therapist, and educator with the Shea Educational Group that is a center for the study of the human heart. He is author of Somatic Psychology and Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy – Volumes 1 through 5; Myofasical Release Therapy: A Visual Guide to Clinical Application; Myofascial Release Therapy and Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy: The Heart of the Practice; The Biodynamics of the Immune System: Balancing the Energies of the Body with the Cosmos; and The Biodynamic Heart: Somatic Compassion Practices for a Clear and Vital Heart. His website is sheaheart.com.
Michael describes the vital role of the vagus nerve in regulating physiology, safety, emotions, and overall health. He explores how turning inward—feeling the heart and meeting fear—can open the door to a deeper awareness of ourselves and reality. He shares simple ways to support vagal tone, fostering greater joy, compassion, wholeness, and wisdom.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:19 Anatomy of the vagus nerve
00:05:08 Polyvagal theory and safety
00:09:39 Relationship to the heart
00:14:22 Empathy, wisdom, and compassion
00:23:23 Four types of safety
00:34:59 Intuition and discernment of thoughts and feelings
00:44:40 Food, immune system, and digestive health
00:58:17 Bliss, pleasure, and sexuality
01:14:57 Conclusion
New Thinking Allowed CoHost, Emmy Vadnais, OTR/L, is a licensed occupational therapist, intuitive healer and coach, and spiritual guide based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Emmy is the founder of the Intuitive Connections and Holistic OT communities. She is the author of Intuitive Development: How to Trust Your Inner Knowing for Guidance With Relationships, Health, and Spirituality. She offers intuitive coaching to help individuals access their inner guidance for clarity, healing, and meaningful decision-making. Her website is emmyvadnais.com
(Recorded on March 5, 2026)
For a short video on How to Get the Most From New Thinking Allowed, go to youtu.be/aVbfPFGxv9o
Check out our new website for the New Thinking Allowed Foundation at http://www.newthinkingallowed.org. There you will find our incredible, searchable database as well as our new, FREE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE. Also, opportunities to shop and to support our video productions. There, you can also subscribe to our FREE, WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!
For a complete, updated list with links to all of our videos, see newthinkingallowed.com/Listings.html
Check out New Thinking Allowed's AI chatbot. You can create a free account at ai.servicespace.org When you enter the space, you will see that our chatbot is one of several you can interact with. While it is still a work in progress, it has been trained on 1,600 NTA transcripts. It can provide intelligent answers about the contents of our interviews. It's almost like having a conversation with Jeffrey Mishlove.
To buy a high-quality, printed version of the New Thinking Allowed Magazine, go to nta-magazine.magcloud.com.
To join the NTA Psi Experience Community on Facebook, see: facebook.com/groups/1953031791426543
To download and listen to audio versions of the New Thinking Allowed videos, visit our podcast at podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-thinking-allowed-audio-podcast/id1435178031
Download and read Jeffrey Mishlove's Grand Prize essay in the Bigelow Institute competition, Beyond the Brain: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily Death. bigelowinstitute.org/docs/1st.pdf
If you would like to join our team of volunteers, helping to promote the New Thinking Allowed YouTube channel on social media, editing and translating videos, creating short video trailers based on our interviews, helping to upgrade our website, or contributing in other ways (we may not even have thought of), please send an email to friends@newthinkingallowed.com.
To order Intuitive Development by Emmy Vadnais, click here: amzn.to/35sbLIA.
To order The Biodynamic Heart by Michael J. Shea, go to: amzn.to/4jKdEVr
To order New Thinking Allowed Dialogues: Is There Life After Death? click on amzn.to/3LzLA7Y
To order Russell Targ: Ninety Years of ESP, Remote Viewing, and Timeless Awareness, go to amzn.to/4aw2iyr
To order UFOs and UAP – Are We Really Alone?, go to amzn.to/3Y0VOVh
To order a copy of Charles T. Tart: Seventy Years of Exploring Consciousness and Parapsychology, go to amzn.to/4oOUJLn
Michael J. Shea, PhD who holds a doctorate in somatic psychology from the Union Institute and a master’s degree in Buddhist Psychology from Naropa University. He has taught at the Upledger Institute, the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute, and the International University for Professional Studies. He is a craniosacral therapist, licensed massage therapist, and educator with the Shea Educational Group that is a center for the study of the human heart. He is author of Somatic Psychology and Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy – Volumes 1 through 5; Myofasical Release Therapy: A Visual Guide to Clinical Application; Myofascial Release Therapy and Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy: The Heart of the Practice; The Biodynamics of the Immune System: Balancing the Energies of the Body with the Cosmos; and The Biodynamic Heart: Somatic Compassion Practices for a Clear and Vital Heart. His website is sheaheart.com.
Michael describes the vital role of the vagus nerve in regulating physiology, safety, emotions, and overall health. He explores how turning inward—feeling the heart and meeting fear—can open the door to a deeper awareness of ourselves and reality. He shares simple ways to support vagal tone, fostering greater joy, compassion, wholeness, and wisdom.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:03:19 Anatomy of the vagus nerve
00:05:08 Polyvagal theory and safety
00:09:39 Relationship to the heart
00:14:22 Empathy, wisdom, and compassion
00:23:23 Four types of safety
00:34:59 Intuition and discernment of thoughts and feelings
00:44:40 Food, immune system, and digestive health
00:58:17 Bliss, pleasure, and sexuality
01:14:57 Conclusion
New Thinking Allowed CoHost, Emmy Vadnais, OTR/L, is a licensed occupational therapist, intuitive healer and coach, and spiritual guide based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Emmy is the founder of the Intuitive Connections and Holistic OT communities. She is the author of Intuitive Development: How to Trust Your Inner Knowing for Guidance With Relationships, Health, and Spirituality. She offers intuitive coaching to help individuals access their inner guidance for clarity, healing, and meaningful decision-making. Her website is emmyvadnais.com
(Recorded on March 5, 2026)
For a short video on How to Get the Most From New Thinking Allowed, go to youtu.be/aVbfPFGxv9o
Check out our new website for the New Thinking Allowed Foundation at http://www.newthinkingallowed.org. There you will find our incredible, searchable database as well as our new, FREE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE. Also, opportunities to shop and to support our video productions. There, you can also subscribe to our FREE, WEEKLY NEWSLETTER!
For a complete, updated list with links to all of our videos, see newthinkingallowed.com/Listings.html
Check out New Thinking Allowed's AI chatbot. You can create a free account at ai.servicespace.org When you enter the space, you will see that our chatbot is one of several you can interact with. While it is still a work in progress, it has been trained on 1,600 NTA transcripts. It can provide intelligent answers about the contents of our interviews. It's almost like having a conversation with Jeffrey Mishlove.
To buy a high-quality, printed version of the New Thinking Allowed Magazine, go to nta-magazine.magcloud.com.
To join the NTA Psi Experience Community on Facebook, see: facebook.com/groups/1953031791426543
To download and listen to audio versions of the New Thinking Allowed videos, visit our podcast at podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-thinking-allowed-audio-podcast/id1435178031
Download and read Jeffrey Mishlove's Grand Prize essay in the Bigelow Institute competition, Beyond the Brain: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily Death. bigelowinstitute.org/docs/1st.pdf
If you would like to join our team of volunteers, helping to promote the New Thinking Allowed YouTube channel on social media, editing and translating videos, creating short video trailers based on our interviews, helping to upgrade our website, or contributing in other ways (we may not even have thought of), please send an email to friends@newthinkingallowed.com.
To order Intuitive Development by Emmy Vadnais, click here: amzn.to/35sbLIA.
To order The Biodynamic Heart by Michael J. Shea, go to: amzn.to/4jKdEVr
To order New Thinking Allowed Dialogues: Is There Life After Death? click on amzn.to/3LzLA7Y
To order Russell Targ: Ninety Years of ESP, Remote Viewing, and Timeless Awareness, go to amzn.to/4aw2iyr
To order UFOs and UAP – Are We Really Alone?, go to amzn.to/3Y0VOVh
To order a copy of Charles T. Tart: Seventy Years of Exploring Consciousness and Parapsychology, go to amzn.to/4oOUJLn
