Compensation

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Compensation, to develop elsewhere for what is lacking.

Not bad, not wrong. A way to move through the world, even after trauma.

Initially, physical compensation patterns may serve as a heroic act. The ingenious embodiment of:

“I’m here, I’m functioning, I’m still me.”

There comes a time when compensating runs it course, and the heroic act now turns cold, devoid of its original essence.

You’re still here. You’re still functioning. But here, the heat of pain has shifted you’re ready to heal.

… and this time, heroism lies in the release. The let go. The unearthing of patterns (physical or behavioral) that no longer serve our highest selves.

But always at your own pace.

Sending love, xx

-Jackie

📸: @futureeyes

Thai assisted yoga – Elaina

Elaina blog

Let’s talk Thai assisted yoga….derived from the practice and lineage of Thai massage.

A Thai assisted yoga session starts with a conversation about how the client is feeling (emotionally, mentally, physically, and energetically) then a moment to lay down, fully clothed and guided to relax on a comfy mat.

The recipient is guided to listen and feel their breath to help calm the body. Then the magic of this work does the rest….the body is taken through a series of restorative yogic stretches, combining acupressure, rhythmic movements, and it feels as though the body goes through a meditative dance to rejuvenate, circulate, and heal.

Elemental roots utilizes the practices of smudging after session as well as bathing the cells with the vibrations from a gong! If you are curious reach out and book a session. I believe healing starts with feeling support and a session of Thai can allow us to feel held in many ways.

-Elaina

Does this spark joy? – Jackie

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I’ve started working with a Feldenkrais practitioner. For those of you who don’t know what that means, it’s a somatic therapy, using touch and movement for the purpose of awakening the body and nervous tissue. This woman has taken me under her wing and can’t help but teach me the science and philosophy of her work (she’s a Sagittarius, look it up, it’s just in her nature). I am eating 👏🏼 it 👏🏼 up 👏🏼

It’s fascinating observing what the mind decides to keep as relevant information vs what it discards… She said something to me the other day that has JUST STUCK, and might be the rawest truth of my movement practice, and might possibly help your body too…

We finished the touch portion of our session and she had me stand and begin walking. She was directing my movements, looking for something in my gait, and, still not finding what she’s looking for she says;

‘darling, ask yourself, what sparks JOY?’

OH. Well when you put it that way. Done. My sternum lifted exposing the softness of my chest, my steps lengthened and my knee began easily tracking over my toes with no heel whip. (Shout out to Marie Kondo amirite?! Who knew methods for de-cluttering could shift my habits in an instant).

Now, holding on to aligned posture is not necessarily going to be this easy. I’m here to WORK to unearth the behaviors that have shaped this body to be constantly thrust forward and ‘on the ready’, but I seem to have stumbled on a lovely way of re-finding my body in space when I observe myself charging ahead too quickly. Are some of these patterns inherited? Maybe, and others definitely yes. But even then I’m learning there is the possibility to soar above the hillsides of any coding etched into my DNA. Does that mean that those rocky terrains of my predispositions cease to exist? No. But I do fly on unencumbered by them…

So much joy to be found, living in these delightful bodies 💕

-Jackie