Many of us learned how to hold our bodies from family or authority figures at a young age. "Pull your shoulders back!" "Don't slouch!," we were told. And so, we learned to stand, and sit, with our ribcage forward, and our shoulders "back." In the gym, we might sometimes hear "proud chest" as a cue not to slouch forward. We tend to think of this as "standing up straight," or having "good posture." But if we take a look at this image of a woman sitting in meditation, we can see

Why do we meditate? Or, if we don’t, why do we think we should meditate? For many folks, the goal is to be more mindful. We want to enjoy...

A few weeks ago, over the holidays, I was in line at a Starbucks when the mother of one of the employees came into the store to surprise...

If you’re someone who works with anxiety, you already know how overwhelming it can be. This is especially true for folks with a history...

In 1987, Dr. Francine Shapiro went for a walk. As she walked, she noticed that her eyes were moving from side to side, and that some...

to your movement/wellness professional (yoga teacher, personal trainer, coach, etc.) I wrote this post the other day after a few sessions with clients who have a deep-seated apology habit– even when there’s nothing to apologize for. I always express that there’s no need to apologize, and that my job is to help this process feel as supportive and useful as it can– but I also understand that many of us have been made to feel that it’s not okay to ask for “special” treatment, or

here’s what to do. Isometric contractions are a popular (and powerful) choice for mobility & strength work. They’re incredibly useful as...

and how can we work with it in the body? Have you ever found yourself feeling really jumpy, or on edge– for days, or weeks at a time? For some folks, this can become so common they don’t even notice it anymore. Hypervigilance is an enhanced state of sensory sensitivity and reactivity. Our nervous systems are always scanning for things that might be dangerous. If everything’s going pretty well in our lives, this is a pretty low-key function. If we’re living with the effects of

(There are definitely more, but 6 is a nice number to start with!) Endorphins. Movement releases “feel-good” hormones like seratonin,...

Mindfulness gained popularity in the past few decades as a secular way to experience the benefits of meditation. It’s become so common as to almost be cliched. Your employer is encouraging mindfulness as a means to reduce stress (and lower their own costs). Your favorite actors go on regular mindfulness retreats. And now the many folks in the fitness industry are suggesting that their version of mindful movement will be beneficial not just for your body but for your mind and

One of the things that brings me joy, that makes me feel alive, powerful, and free, is physical training. I love to sweat, to move, to swing heavy things. It helps me to complete the stress cycle, reinforces my sense of agency and strength, and (because I am often outside), gives me a chance to soak in nature. Of course, I can’t do that every day. My muscles need a chance to rest and repair– and I also need to take into account everything else that I’ve done that day (trainin

In my last post, I mentioned that trauma was a particularly tricky word to define. According to the US Veteran’s Administration, 7-8% of...

It seems like trauma is trending lately– we hear more about it in mainstream news, and it feels as though there’s much less stigma around...

as practitioners, we can empower folks to experience their own strength (rather than fear their fragility) If you've taken a yoga class over the past decade, you've probably heard some of the following cues: a"Never let your knee travel further than your ankle-- you want to protect your knee." "Brace your abdominals to protect your back." "Never roll up to stand from a forward fold, or you'll cause damage to your spine." "Don't place your foot on your knee in Tree Pose or you

For some of us, learning that it’s okay to fail is a life skill that pays off big. In a recent Fighting Monkey workshop with the...

When heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on any man, it will exercise his mind with suffering, subject his sinews and bones to hard work, expose his body to hunger, put him to poverty, place obstacles in the paths of his deeds, so as to stimulate his mind, harden his nature, and improve wherever he is incompetent. -Meng Tzu,China,3rd Cent. BCE As a whole, our culture tends to characterize stress as something that is inherently harmful and should be reduced, avoid

Have you ever finished a long day of work sitting at a desk, and felt like you were too tired to move- even though you barely moved your...