Universal Anchor (72 cards, solo) and TETHER (133 cards, couples co-regulation 18+). Body-based nervous-system practice. Veteran-owned. Practice, not therapy.
Somatic practice means working directly with your body — noticing physical sensations, breath, and movement — to shift your nervous-system state. Unlike purely cognitive approaches, somatic work starts with the body first. SomaticArcana distills evidence-informed techniques from somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, and body-based trauma research into simple one-minute practices anyone can do daily.
Notice where you are in your body. Draw one card. Do the small body-based practice — about a minute. Close. Come back tomorrow. Every card includes a Modify field with a gentler version and a Future Self prompt so the practice compounds over time.
72 cards across seven suits — Air, Fire, Earth, Water, Harmony, Spirit, Change — each mapped to an autonomic nervous-system state (ventral vagal, sympathetic, or dorsal vagal). Polyvagal-informed. Grounded in somatic experiencing research. Designed for adults who want a daily body-based anxiety and stress regulation practice. Practice, not therapy.
133 cards for adult partners (18+). Seven relational states — Connect, Repair, Devotion, Tension, Between, Threshold, Repair. Body-based co-regulation practices grounded in polyvagal theory and sensate-focus science. Partners use the cards together to build felt safety and nervous-system attunement. Practice, not therapy.
Universal Anchor is for anyone who wants a trauma-informed, body-based daily practice for nervous-system regulation — anxiety, stress, burnout, or simply wanting to feel more grounded. TETHER is for adult couples who want to deepen co-regulation, repair disconnection, and build somatic attunement together. Both decks are designed for people with no prior somatic experience.
Each practice draws on established body-based frameworks: polyvagal theory (autonomic nervous-system mapping), somatic experiencing (titration and pendulation), sensate focus (attunement through touch and presence), and grounding techniques (orienting, breath, proprioception). Every card cites its autonomic state and suit so practitioners can use the deck alongside clinical work.
Two somatic practice card decks — Universal Anchor (72 cards, solo) and TETHER (133 cards, couples 18+). One card, about a minute of body-based practice. Not therapy.
Somatic practice means working directly with your body — noticing physical sensations, breath, and posture — to shift your nervous system state. It is grounded in somatic experiencing, polyvagal theory, and body-based trauma research.
Polyvagal theory, developed by Dr. Stephen Porges, describes three autonomic nervous-system states: ventral vagal (safe and connected), sympathetic (mobilized), and dorsal vagal (shut down). The Universal Anchor deck maps all 72 cards across these states so you always know where you are and what your body needs.
The practices are designed for nervous-system regulation — slowing the breath, grounding through touch, orienting the senses — which are evidence-informed techniques for anxiety and stress. They are not a medical treatment, but many people find daily somatic practice a useful complement to their care.
The decks are trauma-informed. Every card includes a Modify field — a gentler version of the practice you can always use instead. A safety card ships with every deck. If you are working with acute trauma, use the decks alongside, not instead of, a licensed clinician.
Co-regulation is the process by which two nervous systems influence each other through proximity, touch, breath, and eye contact. TETHER is built around seven relational states — Connect, Repair, Devotion, Tension, Between, Threshold, Repair — and uses body-based practices partners do together.
These are practice tools you use on your own or with a partner. They do not diagnose, treat, or replace a licensed clinician.
Notice where you are in your body, draw one card, do the small practice on the card (about a minute), then close. That's the whole loop.
About a minute for the core practice. The Modify field offers an even shorter version. Most people build a daily draw into their morning routine.
Universal Anchor is a 72-card solo nervous-system practice deck — seven suits mapped to autonomic states (Air, Fire, Earth, Water, Harmony, Spirit, Change). Polyvagal-informed. Practice, not therapy.
TETHER is a 133-card somatic co-regulation deck for adult couples (18+) — seven relational states, body-based practices you do together, grounded in polyvagal and sensate-focus science.
Yes. TETHER is designed for adult partners only and includes age-gated content.
Yes. Every deck ships with a full printed guidebook and the same content is available free in the online guidebook at somaticarcana.com/guidebook. No prior experience with somatic work is needed.
One email when the decks launch. Double opt-in — confirm in your inbox. No spam.
In crisis, call or text 988. Not a substitute for therapy or medical care.