Neuroception is the ability of the nervous system to scan the environment to detect threats/safety. You could call it your instinct. Since Neuroception occurs in the more primal part of the brain, there can be a mismatch between the reaction instigated by neuroception and conscious perception, leading to the often asked question, “Why on earth did I react like that?”
Neuroception may detect danger in a rationally safe environment e.g. panic attack at the supermarket. Why? Your nervous system is the result of every event that has ever happened to you from conception to the present day. Certain cues in the past may have signaled danger. In an attempt to protect, the threat response is activated by similar cues.
The neural circuits responsible for these responses can be reprogrammed via neuroplasticity. For example sitting with discomfort to reprogram the response to a particular environment as safe. We do this on our Rēset retreats in a safe setting using cold thermogenesis (ice bath), Temazcal (sweat lodge) and Neuromeditation (Neurofeedback). Preempted by tools for building more capacity to regulate the nervous system. Creating awareness of neural circuitry and more coherence between brain and body creates more freedom instead of being at the whim of the nervous system.