July 4th musings on interdepedence, evolution, and the human sense of smell Every nerve and cell in your body tells a story of change and adaptation in relationship with your environment. It’s an important story to follow for any practitioner interested in trauma and healing. To that end, this week I completed a cycle through … Read more
Step off the advice treadmill into the serenity of somatic practice with cranial nerve 6: the abducens Are you exhausted by the never ending treadmill of apocalyptic events…followed by advice on how to deal with it all? It’s so stressful! More and more things to do! I have discovered that not giving advice is the … Read more
How kinesthesia sets you up for learning success Last week I had the pleasure of leading an introduction to the Alexander Technique for a group of high school music teachers and students. It’s rare to get a group of students and teachers together like that. I wanted to teach them the core principles of the … Read more
The power of enjoying sound Is it possible to improve your hearing? Maybe. But first try caring for your auditory system in four important ways: Hearing loss and tinnitus can be very distressing. And so can sound pollution. I wish we didn’t have to accept any of these things, but the only place to start … Read more
Maybe you can… but first, approach carefully, like you would a wild animal in the forest. Having a basic understanding of your nervous system is really important. However, control or regulate are not my favorite words to describe a beneficial engagement with it. Understanding and engagement are not necessarily regulation or control. The uncontrollable (autonomic) … Read more
Using mindful movement to revitalize your body between sessions 6 whole body movements. 7 sense organs. 12 cranial nerves. This is my self-care score for vitality. I’m pointing to a revitalization and mobilization of tissues and an awakening of sense organs that helps us organize ourselves bottom up, not top down. It’s the opposite of … Read more
Last week I led a short, live embodiment practice for Global Somatic Movement Day, an online event hosted by the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association. The image above links to my offering, but you can also view the whole playlist from this special day here). My offering explored just one cranial nerve (CN5, … Read more
Dear Friends, Does this ever happen to you: You sit down to meditate. Within 30 seconds you receive messages of distress and discomfort from your body-brain. Something else is needed, and this isn’t it… What can you do when the practices you rely on don’t produce the calming effect you so desperately need? I’ll answer … Read more
Clare Maxwell guides an exploration of sensing, feeling, and moving your tongue that improves your whole body coordination and posture. The only wrong posture for your tongue is to hold it rigid, in one place. Please don’t do that!
How acceptance leads to resilience I’m not well today. I’m not one to say “look on the bright side” without being sarcastic. However, I’m noticing this latest bout of COVID has given me a chance to express one of my core values: embodiment starts with self-acceptance. Relying on friends and loved ones for help, rescheduling … Read more