With so many 200 hour registered yoga teachers (RYT) in the US (and dare I say, globally) it may seem like everyone and their sister, brother, mother, cousin and neighbor is also a qualified 'teacher'. But what makes a teacher 'good'? What makes a stellar teacher? To me, an excellent teacher completes plenty of training as well as demonstrating evidence of personal experience - meaning, they have a well established personal practice, and they've been around the block in regard to hands on, contact hours of true teaching experience. Yet training and personal practice can, at times, be rote memorization and become mechanical or uninspired - or even dangerously unchecked when driven by one's ego or insta-famous ambitions, or lacking depth of understanding and context gained from time … [Read more...]
What is the Franklin Method?
Imagine being able to practice anywhere, anytime, no yoga mat required. What if you knew exactly how your body was designed to function, what you need moment to moment, and you could be your own trainer, teacher, best coach? What if you felt confident and felt exactly how you wanted to in your body? Although this is possible for any practitioner willing to embody their chosen modality - The Franklin Method is THE modality that teaches you to yourself. It enhances running, yoga, pilates, dance, daily chores, your drive to work - everything. When you change your mind, you change everything. Franklin Method is a self-generated, embodied, experiential practice - a movement modality to enliven and refine whatever else you practice. What I love about it is the … [Read more...]
Sage Hayes Talks about Embodied Liberation
I found this video when researching Somatic Experiencing trainings...something I've pondered taking for a few years now. Especially since I've always wanted a graduate degree (achievement driven, yes yes). Yet finding a master's program that seems to ask the right questions, or provide the right framework, or blend the disciplines I am drawn to has found to be elusive. My intuition has always whispered, "That's not the right path. No, not that one, either." And so, I continue to study, practice, integrate, teach and ask questions. Embodiment is an ongoing practice and choice, and my devotion is unwavering. In Somatic Experiencing, the body is recognized, tracked, and inhabited in a way that allows trauma to unfold and potentially, resolve. It's requiring us to show up, be present … [Read more...]
What is Embodiment?
I often call my work 'a practice in embodied living'. My tagline on my website even asks you to 'engage with life' as a remedy to our modern culture's capacity to overstimulate, disengage or disembody us in the face of overwhelm, stress, social media and information overload, abuse, violence and oppression. Being embodied means showing up to experience our world as it is - and to strengthen ourselves so we can do our part to direct the future for all.Most of you likely know I work through the physical body, movement and awareness. The word EMBODIMENT can mean many different things to different people, though. Some online entrepreneurs use this term to conjur up images of being a 'badass boss babe', coaching women to be embodied leaders, confident business women, and to learn to embrace … [Read more...]
New Beginnings: Free Audio Lesson
Did you know? February 1 is the New January 1. At least, I'm calling it. After the bustle of the holidays, and deep in the heart of winter (at least for us here in the Northern Hemisphere), it can feel a bit too early to go raring into January full speed ahead. We need more space. Back a couple years, I began really listening and taking the full month of January to reflect and get clear on what I desired for the year ahead. I meditate, clean house, and get my spirit and schedule in order. And besides, so many people with grand intentions on January 1 end up bailing on them by February. Let's not do that again this year, shall we? What's the alternative to "I'm going to change everything this year, starting now!?" Making a deep commitment to ourselves, our body and … [Read more...]
Resilience: Wisdom from Aaliyah
If at first you don't succeed...you can dust it off and try again. This song has been running in my head, and ironically I'm sitting down to write about resilience. Enjoy a little throwback while we continue... For the sake of transparency and for well...fun, I wanted to challenge myself to list a few of my failures. (Note: I noticed how it seemed my brain wasn't wired to think of most of these as failures, but milestones. It was a healthy ego exercise to bring myself back to the intensity of defeat - but what we focus on wires our brains with that patterning...so, do the reflection, and then flip the failure and examine how it has taught you or benefited you.) 2000 - I auditioned for the dance program, didn't get in. I was SO convinced they needed me in their program. And … [Read more...]
EPIC: release your hips and shoulders!
EPIC We all want an epic life, and you're probably here because you'd like to include having epic fitness, an epic mindset and epic health. Today I'm sharing some nuggets from the Franklin Method that have changed my life and improved the lives (and bodies, fitness, etc) of many of my students and clients. The secret weapon? The Franklin Method! In the Franklin Method, we use a 4 step process to break down how we can move from the current state of our body to a better state - like we may notice tension in our lower back and if we take a few minutes to check in and DO something about it, we can experience a loose, open, and relaxed lower back instead. We create a new norm by practicing with this kind of awareness and skill. EPIC stands … [Read more...]
Relational Wellbeing: The Yajna Model
Hey everyone! Today I'm going to quickly teach you about a model used in Yoga philosophy that helps an individual see where and how they are supported by aspects of life and a variety of relationships. What struck me is how different this view is from a western biopsychosocial model - often referred to as the Six Dimensions of Wellness. This model focuses on the individual's needs, with limited attention given to relationships (in the social and perhaps environmental pieces of the pie). The Yajna Model really looks at the individual functioning within an ongoing study and appreciation for relationships of different types, to meet different needs. If we think of either of these models like a table, each aspect is a leg on the table providing support to the individual. One leg … [Read more...]