So interesting. I learned the importance of body connectedness in times of anxiety riding horses. When you ride a frightened horse staying mindful and grounded in the way you describe is the difference between staying on or getting run way with!
Wow, this is super interesting! Thanks for sharing your experience with riding horses. I think any physical activity, like sports, and those that involve animals, are fertile grounds for us to learn to be 100% present in our body.
So interesting. I learned the importance of body connectedness in times of anxiety by riding horses. When you ride a frightened horse staying mindful and grounded in the way you describe is the difference between staying on or getting run way with!
Thank you for sharing, Carol! I am with you 💯! One cannot be out of the body when playing music or dancing. And even as an audience, appreciating them requires your in-body attention as the experience is ephemeral and cannot be "hoarded."
How incredibly wise and beautiful you have shared with us, Louisa. There is so much here for me to carry into my own sense of cultivating calm, peace and mindfulness. I love how swimming became a metaphor for this practice of embodiment and how wise are the swimming authors' words, which apply so uncannily well to life itself. Your equation and the illustrations are brilliant, and I won't soon forget it. I think your equation deserves a post-it note near my writing desk! Keep on swimming toward the most calm and most mindful you, absent of rush. I am working on that, too, as you know, and we are helping each other stay buoyant. Much love to you!
Amy, I appreciate your thoughtful and encouraging comment so much. Yes, the swimming author's words have made a great impact on not just my swimming practice but my life as well. Her perspectives transcend the physical realm. I'm so glad to hear that the equation have made an impression on you and that you find it helpful in guiding your daily life. I love your metaphor of helping each other "stay buoyant"! Yes, let's keep floating, swimming, and enjoying the feeling of being held and supported with our friendship and love!
Hi Miranda, I'm so glad you found your way here through serendipity. I had to pause for a moment to take in your comment with my heart. What you said resonates. We (and by that, I mean people of our generation) would often like to think, "I should have figured things out by now." But I've found that to be a big lie that was pandered to us to somehow put us in shame. The way I see this is that I'm actually thankful that I haven't figured a lot of things "at my age." Why? Because I get to figure some of them (not all, because not everything is figure-out-able) out now with a mind and body that has absorbed a lot of life experience. For example, if I had already figured out how to swim as a child, I wouldn't have come to my understanding of fear and anxiety and embodiment through learning how to swim as a grown-ass adult 😅. So I see it as a gift, not an impediment.
I like that your curiosity drives you to learn. I'd love to hear more about how being ill and reduced to the bodily minimum has helped your learning about life!
Beautifully said. Serendipitously, I was thinking of the word "trust" before I read your comment. Yes, it comes down to trusting the timing and ourselves fully. I have subscribed to your newsletter and look forward to connecting more.
This is one of the most magnificent posts I have ever read as far as telling your story, and providing a very clear demonstration on how to overcome fear come into your body, stay in body or catch your body
Great drawings!
I wanna come back and share it because swimming as a metaphor for so many things
I think there should be a cults Substack section so many people recovering from Cults.
I appreciate all the energy you put into this. Well done.
Dear Prajna, my Salty Crone! I appreciate your deep appreciation of the story I told. As a wise medicine woman so connected with your body and knows its dimensions beyond the physical, your understanding and resonance touched me in a profound way. 💖
I certainly agree that there should be a Cults section. I have been through several, and am studying it in earnest. I see a great deal of parallel between cult leaders' M.O. and that of abusive and controlling men's (who lead the "cult of one"). Do you have experiences you want to share? I think I will devote much space in the future to delve into this subject, as it is vast and deep, and will take up much energy. I am still healing, breaking free, and studying.
Hi Lily, Yes I do, so does @Kelly Thompson — if you do a piece I am happy to share. It is a cult that made my children fatherless. Thank you. I love you.
Oh yes, now that you mentioned it, I remember you had talked about it before. I will write myself a note to remember to reach out to you and Kelly when I tackle the subject. 🤗
So interesting. I learned the importance of body connectedness in times of anxiety riding horses. When you ride a frightened horse staying mindful and grounded in the way you describe is the difference between staying on or getting run way with!
Wow, this is super interesting! Thanks for sharing your experience with riding horses. I think any physical activity, like sports, and those that involve animals, are fertile grounds for us to learn to be 100% present in our body.
So interesting. I learned the importance of body connectedness in times of anxiety by riding horses. When you ride a frightened horse staying mindful and grounded in the way you describe is the difference between staying on or getting run way with!
I find that music and dance encourage an embodied experience. Great essay!
Thank you for sharing, Carol! I am with you 💯! One cannot be out of the body when playing music or dancing. And even as an audience, appreciating them requires your in-body attention as the experience is ephemeral and cannot be "hoarded."
How incredibly wise and beautiful you have shared with us, Louisa. There is so much here for me to carry into my own sense of cultivating calm, peace and mindfulness. I love how swimming became a metaphor for this practice of embodiment and how wise are the swimming authors' words, which apply so uncannily well to life itself. Your equation and the illustrations are brilliant, and I won't soon forget it. I think your equation deserves a post-it note near my writing desk! Keep on swimming toward the most calm and most mindful you, absent of rush. I am working on that, too, as you know, and we are helping each other stay buoyant. Much love to you!
Amy, I appreciate your thoughtful and encouraging comment so much. Yes, the swimming author's words have made a great impact on not just my swimming practice but my life as well. Her perspectives transcend the physical realm. I'm so glad to hear that the equation have made an impression on you and that you find it helpful in guiding your daily life. I love your metaphor of helping each other "stay buoyant"! Yes, let's keep floating, swimming, and enjoying the feeling of being held and supported with our friendship and love!
Beautiful response, thank you 🏊♀️
Isn't it interesting how posts show up that are speaking to you? This spoke to me so thanks for writing it.
I am learning to be in my body. At 55 I think I should know this by now. But I (and many others of my generation) were never taught this.
Being ill and having life reduced to the bodily minimum helps. I am a curious learner and in awe of what I'm discovering 😍
Hi Miranda, I'm so glad you found your way here through serendipity. I had to pause for a moment to take in your comment with my heart. What you said resonates. We (and by that, I mean people of our generation) would often like to think, "I should have figured things out by now." But I've found that to be a big lie that was pandered to us to somehow put us in shame. The way I see this is that I'm actually thankful that I haven't figured a lot of things "at my age." Why? Because I get to figure some of them (not all, because not everything is figure-out-able) out now with a mind and body that has absorbed a lot of life experience. For example, if I had already figured out how to swim as a child, I wouldn't have come to my understanding of fear and anxiety and embodiment through learning how to swim as a grown-ass adult 😅. So I see it as a gift, not an impediment.
I like that your curiosity drives you to learn. I'd love to hear more about how being ill and reduced to the bodily minimum has helped your learning about life!
Totally agree! We learn when we're ready for it. And trusting the timing and the path of our life is such a great way to live.
Yes I am sharing my curiosity and learnings on Tiny Magic! Glad serendipity crossed our paths! 😘
Beautifully said. Serendipitously, I was thinking of the word "trust" before I read your comment. Yes, it comes down to trusting the timing and ourselves fully. I have subscribed to your newsletter and look forward to connecting more.
Hi Lily
This is one of the most magnificent posts I have ever read as far as telling your story, and providing a very clear demonstration on how to overcome fear come into your body, stay in body or catch your body
Great drawings!
I wanna come back and share it because swimming as a metaphor for so many things
I think there should be a cults Substack section so many people recovering from Cults.
I appreciate all the energy you put into this. Well done.
♥️prajna
Dear Prajna, my Salty Crone! I appreciate your deep appreciation of the story I told. As a wise medicine woman so connected with your body and knows its dimensions beyond the physical, your understanding and resonance touched me in a profound way. 💖
I certainly agree that there should be a Cults section. I have been through several, and am studying it in earnest. I see a great deal of parallel between cult leaders' M.O. and that of abusive and controlling men's (who lead the "cult of one"). Do you have experiences you want to share? I think I will devote much space in the future to delve into this subject, as it is vast and deep, and will take up much energy. I am still healing, breaking free, and studying.
Hi Lily, Yes I do, so does @Kelly Thompson — if you do a piece I am happy to share. It is a cult that made my children fatherless. Thank you. I love you.
Oh yes, now that you mentioned it, I remember you had talked about it before. I will write myself a note to remember to reach out to you and Kelly when I tackle the subject. 🤗
Cults most definitely arise out of the patriarchal system!
Thank you Prajna! Solidarity.
👏💜🙏