I was recently talking with a student who struggles with hip pain. Like no joke, they can't walk when the pain hits type of pain.

So we're chatting it up after an Awareness Through Movement class, and they shared their insight into how shifting their attention from their hip to their head helped them to understand their pain better.

"Do tell," I asked, "what did you discover about your hip pain?"

For me. taking intentional time to slow down and enjoy my meals is one of the ways that I savor my day. But sometimes, we also have to eat fast without hurrying.

Oddly enough, that is often the case on Zen retreats. I remember my first Zen retreat. I assumed that we'd be eating slow and mindfully. So I did. By the time I expanded my awareness enough to notice everyone else in the room, I was stunned (and a little embarrassed) that I was the last one done eating.

My own experience with becoming more mindful was genuinely uncomfortable. Every single thought seemed to echo in my physical being. I was amazed to discover how unconscious conditioning ruled both my perceptions and sensations. I decided very early on that working directly with my mind through mindfulness and meditation, was just as important as working with the history trapped in my physiology.

A few weeks ago, I went on a relatively short and easy hike in the woods, a trail I had been on before. It led to a beautiful watering hole where a stream became a waterfall, ultimately flowing into a large pool for swimming before continuing onward. The trail was quite wide and did not have many obstructions to deal with; it was also relatively flat.

Along I plodded, anxious to reach the water to cool off as it was an exceptionally hot and muggy day. Halfway there and my feet and back were already tiring. By the time I reached all the action, which was only a mile in, my feet had moved past tiring to aching.

A few weeks ago, I went on a relatively short and easy hike in the woods, a trail I had been on before. It led to a beautiful watering hole where a stream became a waterfall, ultimately flowing into a large pool for swimming before continuing onward. The trail was quite wide and did not have many obstructions to deal with; it was also relatively flat.

Along I plodded, anxious to reach the water to cool off as it was an exceptionally hot and muggy day. Halfway there and my feet and back were already tiring. By the time I reached all the action, which was only a mile in, my feet had moved past tiring to aching.

When you think of meditation, you probably don’t associate it with better digestion and gut health. I know I didn’t until I learned just how much unresolved stress influences our gut health and just how powerful meditation is for decreasing stress and improving our ability to digest.

In this video, Kelly McGonigal does a beautiful job of covering some of the research looking at how our beliefs about stress change our physiological reactions to stress and how the stress response has a built-in social aspect. She discusses three studies that shed new light on the stress response, and how our beliefs and relationships to stress may improve our health.

We all have a way to which we hold ourselves back. Ways in which we keep ourselves safe by settling for what is familiar. For example, try simply noticing that voice inside your head that gets very chatty whenever you are about to make a decision or do something new, especially something that could result in change. Is it telling you that you’re nuts to consider what you are thinking of doing? Does it say that you failed once before and will probably do so again? Or is your voice like a sly cat, sweetly seducing you to eat those fries and chocolate shake?

Have you ever had a moment of subtle resistance? Well, of course, we all have. Here is a little trick I learned while exploring Awareness Through Movement and again while sitting on my cushion. To be frank, it has helped me in just about everything I do.

Recently I noticed I was reluctant to start dinner. Strange. I love to cook. I love to eat. I have a big beautiful box of fresh veggies from my local CSA. So, why on earth was I resisting this?

Recently a student approached me at the end of class and asked me if experiencing strong emotions while doing Awareness Through Movement was normal. My answer: “Yes.” Emotions don’t surface all of the time, but it does happen, and the intensity of the experience can vary.

When I first started reading Moshe Feldenkrais’ books nearly 25 years ago, I was utterly obsessed with the mind-body connections—specifically how I could shift my emotional base and perspectives by working with my body. I consumed his writings along with those of Ida Rolf, Alexander Lowen, and books like Emotional Anatomy.

Are you moving through your day without fully living? It is easy to pass through daily activities and wait for something to happen — to wake us up and grab our attention. I have fallen into this mindless trap, caught in a place where I feel as if my subconscious was always preparing for something else.

One way to fully live today is by being mindful and practicing a bit of everyday awareness. I realize this is easier said than done — awareness is a habit that’s not easily picked up.  So, I thought I would share with you one of my favorite mindfulness rituals to help you appreciate the mundane and to live more fully into the moment.

Mental health issues have a significant impact on society. Some suggest that their influence is more significant than any other chronic disease, including heart disease or diabetes. And if you suffer from persistent pain, then you're four times as likely to have depression or anxiety than those who are pain-free.

There are so many factors involved in complex conditions like mental health issues and persistent pain. But today, we're going to look at just one of these factors — inflammation.

Finally, a good excuse to lie down and do nothing! Ok. Maybe not quite nothing.

Exploring the art of Body Scans is a wonderful way of developing skills such as embodied awareness (i.e., being able to sense yourself), concentration, and focused attention. Plus, body scanning can is an effective ‘pre-movement’ strategy or end of the day stress-reduction practice.

I don’t know about you, but I like to keep busy. And when I’m not out and about, my thoughts tend to be all over the place.

Topping it off, my memory isn’t what it used to be! So trying to get things accomplished was tough. Especially when it came to remembering my Feldenkrais goals, the most important ones needing my attention.

The question became: How could I trigger my awareness to help focus on what I wanted to do each day?

Are you one of the many that commute to work every day. I do. My office is nearly 25 minutes from my home. At first, I dreaded the commute, but now I LOVE it.

You see, I figured out that this time is a FANTASTIC opportunity to practice a bit of mindfulness. Plus, it has blessed me with the time to develop several simple everyday awareness practices that can help you reduce your stress and find greater comfort. Now, doesn’t that sound like a nice way to start and end your workday?

Did you know that conscious attention can actually change your brain and your whole life experience?

You see, your thoughts create patterns and images in your mind that directly influence your body and vice versa. It’s all a matter of where you put your attention. For instance, you might look at the horizon or the feel of the ground beneath your feet, is going to produce a completely different chemical reaction, and inspire a different physical stance then if you focus on what you lack or what is wrong.

The holidays are among us! And it's that time of year that's known for its busy nature that can lead to quite the load of stress. After all, you likely have invitations to gatherings collecting on your counter, a long list of people you need to send holiday cards to, and you're looking ahead at the meals to prepare and moments to spend with your loved ones. Not to mention the shorter days, colder nights, and extra prep required to meet the weather as you head out the door. All of this, on top of your everyday life. It can be overwhelming.

But the truth is, we are continually responding to the ebb and flow of life and the stress that life brings — both positive and negative. Positive stress motivates and drives us. Negatively perceived stress affects our physical and mental health and can rob us of happiness.